Truly Crispy Oven Baked Buffalo Wings Recipe
This recipe delivers truly crispy oven-baked buffalo wings with a perfect balance of crispy skin and tender meat. The wings are baked twice at different temperatures to maximize crispiness without frying, then tossed in a classic tangy and spicy buffalo sauce. Served with a creamy blue cheese dip and celery sticks, this crowd-pleasing appetizer is perfect for game day or casual gatherings.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes (plus optional overnight drying)
- Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes (plus optional overnight drying)
- Yield: 8 servings
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Wings
- 4 lb / 2kg chicken wings, wingettes & drumettes
- 5 teaspoons baking powder (NOT baking soda / bi-carb soda)
- 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt / cooking salt (not table salt, too fine)
Buffalo Sauce
- 4 tbsp (60g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup Frank’s Original Red Hot Sauce
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt / cooking salt
Blue Cheese Dip
- 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese, softened (I use gorgonzola)
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise (preferably whole-egg)
- 1 clove small garlic, minced
- 1 - 3 tbsp milk
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt / cooking salt
- Black pepper to taste
To Serve
- Celery sticks
- Lots of beer!
Instructions
- Dry wings (optional): If you plan ahead, lay the wings on a rack on a rimmed baking tray and let them dry uncovered in the fridge overnight to improve crispiness. Alternatively, pat the wings dry thoroughly with paper towels before seasoning.
- Preheat oven: Set your oven to 250°F/120°C. Place one oven shelf in the lower quarter of the oven and another in the top quarter for the two-stage baking process.
- Prepare baking tray: Line a tray with foil for easy cleaning. Place a rack on top of the tray and spray the rack with oil to prevent sticking.
- Coat wings: Place the wings in a large bowl. Sprinkle over the baking powder and kosher salt. Use your hands or shake in a zip-top bag to toss wings well, ensuring an even coating.
- First bake (low temp): Arrange the wings skin side up on the rack; they can be snug as they will shrink during baking. Place the tray on the lower oven shelf and bake for 30 minutes at 250°F/120°C.
- Second bake (high temp): Move the tray to the upper shelf. Increase the oven temperature to 425°F/220°C. Bake for an additional 40 to 50 minutes, rotating the tray halfway through. Do not turn the wings over. They are done when they are dark golden brown and the skin is very crispy.
- Make buffalo sauce: Whisk together melted butter, Frank’s Original Red Hot Sauce, brown sugar, and kosher salt until the sugar is dissolved. Keep warm or reheat before tossing with wings.
- Toss wings in sauce: Transfer the baked wings to a large bowl. Pour the warm buffalo sauce over them and toss to coat evenly. Alternatively, serve wings plain with sauce on the side for dipping.
- Prepare blue cheese dip: Mash the softened blue cheese with sour cream until smooth. Add mayonnaise, minced garlic, lemon juice, kosher salt, and black pepper. Mix well. Add milk gradually (1 to 3 tablespoons) to achieve desired consistency. Refrigerate until needed and remove 15 minutes before serving.
- Serve: Plate the buffalo wings immediately with blue cheese dip and celery sticks. Enjoy with your favorite beer for the full experience.
Notes
- Use baking powder, not baking soda, to help achieve crispy wings.
- Drying wings overnight in the fridge enhances crispiness by drying out the skin.
- Do not use table salt; kosher salt or cooking salt is preferred for proper seasoning.
- If time is limited, patting wings dry before applying baking powder and salt works as well.
- Rotating the tray during high-temperature baking promotes even crisping.
- Serve wings freshly tossed in warm sauce for the best texture.
- The blue cheese dip can be made ahead and chilled; bring to room temperature before serving.
