With this Baked Buffalo Chicken Wings recipe, now you get CRISPY fried flavor in your favorite game day snack! The secret is to toss them in a bit of starch, cook in the oven, and then coat in a homemade buffalo sauce for a spicy kick. Serve this easy appetizer dish with ranch or blue cheese dressing at your next football party!
Best Baked Buffalo Chicken Wings Recipe
Blame it on the overly-food-focused-side of me but as soon as someone says Super Bowl, I think of crispy buffalo chicken wings. (Who am I kidding, I don’t save these just for football season…)
And not just any chicken wings… They’ve got to be crispy on the outside, juicy and tender on the inside, and then coated in a spicy finger-licking-good sauce.
I’m going to blow your mind with a secret ingredient that makes even oven-baked chicken wings the bomb diggity perfect wings. No more deep fryer hot wings.
And the best part? I bet you anything you’ve already got this key ingredient for crispy wings in your pantry!
Be sure to check out these Thai Chili Baked Wings, Lemon Pepper Baked Wings, Crispy Air Fryer Wings, and Homemade Buffalo Sauce.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- Wing Portions. You need 3 pounds of wingettes and drumettes. Most grocery stores normally have both already cut and prepared in the meat section. You can also buy the entire wing, but it does take a bit more time to cut it into portions. If that’s your only option, you can learn how to cut a chicken wing into portions.
- Oil. And not a ton of it. Avocado oil is recommended since it has a milder flavor and a higher smoke point, but olive oil may also be used.
- Cornstarch. The key ingredient! Some people use baking powder instead of starch, but many prefer the way the starch tastes. If you select baking powder (and not soda!) make sure you cut the amount in the recipe by half.
- Homemade Buffalo Wing Sauce. An easy 4-ingredient recipe that can be whisked together in under 5 minutes and seriously takes the flavor game over-the-top! Feel free to buy it at the store if you have a brand you like, but this homemade version is so much better.
How to Make Baked Buffalo Chicken Wings
Please see the recipe card below for more detailed ingredient amounts.
1. Coat Wings in Starch
Place the wings in a large bowl. Drizzle with oil and toss.
Dust the cornstarch, salt, and pepper all over the wings and mix again until they are all covered.
2. Bake in Oven
Place a wire rack on a large rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and then coat the rack with non-stick cooking spray.
Arrange the chicken wings on the wire rack in a single layer so they are not touching. The hot air needs to be able to reach all sides of the chicken in order to get crispy skin.
Cook the wings in a preheated 400°F oven for 45-50 minutes, flipping halfway through with tongs. The high heat and turning the chicken over while baking ensures all of the skin gets exposed to the heat and gets extra crispy. They should be golden brown and cooked through.
3. Cover with Buffalo Wing Sauce
While the wings are baking, make the sauce recipe. Add melted butter, hot sauce (such as Frank’s Red Hot Sauce or Crystal’s), garlic, honey, and salt to a medium-sized bowl. Whisk ingredients until smooth and well combined.
Carefully remove the wings from the oven and toss chicken wings in the sauce until each wing is coated.
4. Serve with Sauces
Crispy baked Buffalo chicken wings have a bit of spice, so it’s always best if you serve them with a mild and mellow sauce to complement the kick.
Pair the coated wings with your favorite dipping sauce, like creamy blue cheese dip or homemade ranch dressing, celery sticks, carrot sticks, and a sprinkle of cilantro. Enjoy!
FAQs
Frying is the traditional method, however, it is healthier to bake wings to reduce the amount of fat.
Yes, the best chicken wings are nice and crispy! Baking in the oven, cooking in an air fryer, or deep frying are all good methods.
Chicken wings are done when the internal temperature reaches 165°F. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the middle of the flesh without touching bones is the most accurate way to test.
Chicken wings will dry out if they are over-cooked. Follow the time and temperature in the recipe, and stop cooking them once the meat reaches 165°F
Recipe Tips
- Make it easy. Find wingettes or drumettes that have already been cut to save on prep time.
- Lift them up. Bake the wings on a wire rack so the hot air can reach all of the sides for maximum crispiness.
- Keep ’em separated. Arrange the wings so they are not touching, otherwise they will not crisp on all sides.
- Flip halfway. Yet another way to ensure the best results is to turn the wings over with tongs to expose both sides to the heat.
- Work ahead. Make the buffalo sauce up to 1 week in advance so it’s ready to go.
More Buffalo Sauce Recipes
Now that you know how to make the perfect homemade buffalo sauce you’ll want to use it in more recipes! Here are some delicious ones to try:
- Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Dip
- Buffalo Cauliflower Bites
- Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
- Buffalo Chicken Celery Sticks
Other Baked Wings Recipes
If you’ve already got your oven preheated, you might as well go ahead and try some of these other baked chicken wings recipes:
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Baked Buffalo Chicken Wings Recipe
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Ingredients
- 3 lbs. chicken wing portions wingettes and/or drummettes
- 1 Tbsp. oil
- 2 Tbsp. cornstarch
- ¼ tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. pepper
Buffalo Wing Sauce:
- ½ cup hot sauce such as Frank’s or Crystal’s
- 6 Tbsp. butter melted*
- 1 clove crushed garlic
- 1 Tbsp. honey optional
- ¼ tsp. salt to taste
To Serve:
- Ranch dressing optional
- Blue cheese dressing optional
- Celery optional
- Cilantro optional
Instructions
- Coat the Wings: Preheat oven to 400°F. Add wing portions to a large bowl and drizzle with oil. Toss wings until well coated. Sprinkle starch, salt, and pepper over the wings and toss again until the wings are completely coated.3 lbs. chicken wing portions, 1 Tbsp. oil, 2 Tbsp. cornstarch, ¼ tsp. salt, ¼ tsp. pepper
- Bake in the Oven: Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and then place an oven-safe wire rack on top of it. Spray rack with non-stick cooking spray. Place chicken wings evenly spaced (and not touching!) on the wire rack. Bake wings in preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Toss in Sauce: During the last 5 minutes of baking, add wing sauce ingredients to a medium-sized bowl and whisk until smooth. Add cooked chicken wings to a large bowl and toss in the buffalo wing sauce.½ cup hot sauce, 6 Tbsp. butter, 1 clove crushed garlic, 1 Tbsp. honey, ¼ tsp. salt
- Serve buffalo chicken wings with blue cheese or homemade ranch dressing, celery sticks, and a sprinkle of cilantro. Enjoy!Ranch dressing, Blue cheese dressing, Celery, Cilantro
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Video
Notes
- Frank’s Original Red Hot Sauce is recommended, but Crystal’s or Sriracha sauce may also be used.
- Substitute with a vegan butter substitute or olive oil if dairy-free.
- Leave out honey if on a low-carb or keto diet.
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- Make it easy. Find wingettes or drumettes that have already been cut to save on prep time.
- Lift them up. Bake the wings on a wire rack so the hot air can reach all of the sides for maximum crispiness.
- Keep ’em separated. Arrange the wings so they are not touching, otherwise they will not crisp on all sides.
- Flip halfway. Yet another way to ensure the best results is to turn the wings over with tongs to expose both sides to the heat.
- Work ahead. Make the buffalo sauce up to 1 week in advance so it’s ready to go.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
