These saucy oven-baked Buffalo Wings are better than any restaurant! They’re easy to make and so crispy you’d think they were fried. These wings are sure to be the star of your next game-day gathering!
Buffalo Wings are synonymous with game-day gatherings, especially the Super Bowl, and if you’re hosting, you’ll want to serve the tastiest wings imaginable.
My recipe walks you through exactly how to make the BEST crispy, saucy, unforgettable buffalo wings at home in your oven.
That’s right, no frying required!
Serve with sliced carrots and celery, our homemade blue cheese dressing, or buttermilk ranch dressing, and you’re good to go.
Table of Contents
Recipe Ingredients
All ingredients for this recipe are shown in the pic below and special notes are made in this bulleted list to assist you.
- Chicken wings. I used a combination of wings and drumettes. Costco usually has great prices on “party wings” and if you’re feeding a crowd, it’s your best option.
- Frank’s Red Hot. This cayenne pepper sauce is what gives Buffalo wings their distinct flavor. But feel free to use your favorite wing sauce if you like.
- Aluminum-free baking powder. To help dry out the wings and enhance crispiness. Make sure it’s aluminum-free so that the wings don’t a metallic taste.
- Butter and flour. These ingredients combine with the Frank’s sauce to form the buffalo wing sauce. If you’re gluten-free, omit the flour.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make it
Each number corresponds to the numbered written steps below.
- Remove 4 pounds of party wings from their packaging and dry off very well using paper towels. In a small bowl combine 4 teaspoons of aluminum-free baking powder and 3 1/2 teaspoons of Diamon kosher salt, then toss the wings with the salt and baking powder mixture taking care to coat evenly on all sides. (Photo #1)
- Line two baking sheets with wire racks and place the wings on top making sure they’re not touching each other. Place the sheets in the fridge, uncovered, for at least 12 hours but preferably overnight. (Photo #2)
- After the wings have dried in the fridge (note the change in color after they dry out), remove them and allow them to sit at room temperature. Preheat the oven to 425f and set the racks to the middle levels. (Photo #3)
- If needed, dry off the wings to remove any residual moisture, then line baking sheets with foil and place the wire racks on top. Coat the wire racks with a touch of vegetable oil or cooking spray to prevent sticking, then place the wings back on the wire racks and bake for 20 minutes, rotating the sheets’ oven levels at the halfway point to ensure even cooking. After 20 minutes, flip the wings over using tongs and bake for another 25-35 minutes or until crisp. Be sure to rotate the sheets again at the halfway point and flip the wings a few more times for even cooking. I know it sounds like a lot, but trust me, it’s worth it! (Photo #4)
- Meanwhile, In a small saucepan over medium heat melt 6 tablespoons of unsalted butter and add 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour whisking it until it turns lightly golden, about 2 minutes. (Photo #5)
- Add 1/2 cup of Frank’s hot sauce and whisk together, then turn down the heat to its lowest level. (Photo #6)
- Once the wings are done remove them from the oven. (Photo #7)
- Place the wings in a large mixing bowl and pour the sauce on top and mix well to coat. Serve the Buffalo wings with carrots, celery, and blue cheese dressing. Enjoy! (Photo #8)
Top tips
- Crispy wings. For the crispiest Buffalo wings, be sure to dry the wings out in the fridge using the aluminum-free baking powder and salt combo. You can omit the baking powder if you like, but it does help to dry the wings out better than just salt alone in the fridge.
- Oil the baking racks. To prevent the wings from sticking to the wire rack, be sure to oil them before baking. If you don’t do this, it can prove difficult to flip so many wings promptly due to sticking.
- Use foil. Lining the baking sheets with foil not only makes for an easier cleanup but also helps catch any fat and thus prevents smoking while the wings are baking.
- Buffalo sauce. Adding flour to the butter helps the sauce stick to the hot wings.
- Sauce again! For the best results, allow the wings to sit for a few minutes prior to serving, then add more buffalo sauce and toss them again right before serving.
More game-day favorites
Whether your watching the Super Bowl, March-Madness or any other sporting event, these game-day favorites are sure to satisfy your cravings!
- Classic chili – smoky and delicious with beef and beans.
- Spinach artichoke dip – easy and irresistible!
- Cast iron pan pizza – perfect for game-day snacking!
- Deviled eggs – creamy, tangy, and easy!
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Buffalo Wings
Buffalo Wings are everyone's favorite game-day appetizer! Saucy, crispy, and oven-baked, these are easy to make and easy to eat!
Ingredients
- 4 pounds party wings
- 4 teaspoons baking powder aluminum free, **not baking soda**
- 3 1/2 teaspoons (12g) Diamond kosher salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup Frank's hot sauce
- vegetable oil or cooking spray for greasing wire rack
Instructions
- Dry the wings off very well with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Toss the wings in the salt and baking powder making sure to coat evenly on all sides. Place the wings on wire rack lined baking sheets making sure that the wings are not touching each other. Place the sheets in the fridge, uncovered, for at least 12 hours but preferably overnight.
- Preheat oven to 425f and set the racks to the middle levels.
- Dry off any wings that have excess moisture. Line baking sheets with foil and place the wire racks on top. Coat the wire racks with a touch of vegetable oil or cooking spray to prevent sticking. Place the wings back on the wire racks and bake for 20 minutes switching the sheets at the halfway point.
- After 20 minutes flip the wings and continue to bake for another 25-35 minutes or until crisp. Again make sure to switch/rotate the sheets at the halfway point and flip the wings over a couple more times to achieve even cooking.
- Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat and add the flour. Whisk the flour and cook until it turns lightly golden (about 2 minutes) then add the buffalo sauce. Whisk together and turn the heat down to its lowest level.
- Once the wings are done add them to a large mixing bowl and pour the sauce on top. Mix well to coat. Serve immediately with blue cheese dressing and carrots and celery. Enjoy!
Notes
- Roughly 3/4 teaspoon Diamond Kosher salt or ~3g salt per pound of wings is recommended.
- Baking powder can be omitted but it helps dry them out which results in crispier wings.
- Letting the wings sit for a few minutes then saucing a second time with a few more tablespoons of straight buffalo sauce and tossing one more time will coat the wings even better!
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and should be reheated in the oven.
Nutrition
Calories: 119kcal | Carbohydrates: 6.6g | Protein: 8.3g | Fat: 7.8g | Saturated Fat: 2.9g | Cholesterol: 47mg | Sodium: 255mg | Potassium: 1013mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Calcium: 434mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Made these for the Superbowl, came out great. Nice and crispy but not dry. The flour idea is genius.
Love this recipe. Made it today and it turned out very good! Even got the approval from my 16 years old boy. Keeping it as my go to for buffalo wings.
Made these wings tonight. As with all your recipes, they were a real crowd pleaser with my family. Thanks for sharing your recipes and passion for cooking with us. I am learning how to cook through your videos.
For your blue cheese dressing you MUST add a couple of dashes of Worcestershire sauce. It really amps it up. I will usually add a splash of white vinegar if it isn’t quite tangy enough as well. You did mention the funkiness of the blue cheese, Point Reyes blue cheese is nice and funky, experiment with Roquefort, Stilton or Gorgonzola. Yes, I like Blue Cheese.
I went to undergrad (UB) in Buffalo and these wings are so spot on! Thank you for going extra with the “top tips and the recipe for blue cheese dip!!!❤️
Hi Deborah, we’re so happy you enjoyed the recipe and thanks for the comment!
If you skip the racks and instead put the wings on parchment paper, we’ve found them to be just as crispy and a lot less cleanup ! Just make sure the parchment is rated to 425 degrees…
God bless those who have refrigerator space to chill and dry two baking sheets of wings! Love you guys. 😉
I just wanted to say that. I dont have the room for this. Any suggestions. I dont have the space or the time to let them sit a day. I do love all his recipes though.
Hi JR, we realize the does take up space and time but Jim was trying to get results that were the closest to fried wings without using a fryer and found the best way to do that was by drying out the wings with the baking powder and salt brine overnight, uncovered in the fridge. He does address this in the his wing video (which will be up this Thursday) but says if you dry the wings as best you can with papertowels and skip the overnight you will still get good results.
Can’t use hot sauce. Barbecue ok? Or…. Thank you. Thanks to reader for parchment paper substitution.
Hi Tess, you can use barbecue sauce for the wings. You don’t need to mix it with butter though like Jim did here with the hot sauce; you can just warm up the bbq sauce and toss with the wings.