Baked Buffalo Wings

Crispy baked buffalo wings that are NOT fried are just what you need to snack on during the game or movie night.  Topped with a spicy homemade Buffalo sauce, and a homemade blue cheese dip, it’s a classic for football games or any other gathering.

I’ve never been a fan of restaurant style Buffalo chicken wings. Primarily because I prefer mine baked, without sauce like parmesan wings. I’ve never even purchased a bottle of Frank’s Red Hot sauce before experimenting with this recipe.

Most restaurants just pour a sour hot sauce over fried wings, not my thing. However, Natalie asked me to make some when she came home for Christmas break so I started doing some research to see if I could make the BEST Buffalo chicken wings around. 

I think you’ll agree that I succeeded.  These were so good, that Taylor asked me to make them again before she went home.

What are buffalo chicken wings

Buffalo wings originated in Buffalo NY at a bar and have become the go-to snack for football games and almost any other athletic event. They are typically fried chicken wings covered in a sauce made of Frank’s Red Hot and melted butter. 

Frank’s Red Hot is like most hot sauces in that it’s made from aged cayenne peppers and vinegar. Since it’s spicy you’ll generally find chicken wings served with carrots and celery along with a ranch or blue cheese dip to cut the heat.

I wanted to improve on the classic restaurant style chicken wing.  I wanted crispy wings that were not fried. Next I wanted a Buffalo sauce that was delicious and not too sour, and of course they needed an awesome blue cheese dipping sauce.

What’s the secret to tender, yet crispy chicken wings

I hate dried up chicken wings that have no flavor except the excessive amount of sauce dumped over them. To get super tender chicken wings, boil the wings first with some herbs and vinegar and then let them dry before baking. This will result in wings so tender that they fall off the bone but with a crispy exterior.

Why you’ll love baked buffalo chicken wings

• They’re baked and not fried for a healthier version that you can make at home.
• This buffalo sauce is so delicious and has a more complex flavor than anything bottled.
• You’ll enjoy a blue cheese sauce that’s homemade and can be enjoyed with veggies and burgers too!
• If you’ve never had wings you’ve loved, I challenge you to try this version!

If you’re going to serve this at a party, get some helpful tips along with 25 delicious game day appetizer recipes to choose from.

What you’ll need

• Chicken wings – you can select drumsticks or flats if you want, I like flats the best.
• Parmesan cheese – love the saltiness it adds to the top of baked wings
• Frank’s Red Hot Original sauce – this is the base of your buffalo sauce made with cayenne peppers
• Tobasco (Texas Pete) – adding a second hot sauce just adds more depth to the homemade sauce
• Dijon mustard – just a little to compliment the blue cheese dip
• Sour cream – for a creamy dip
• Blue cheese – adds a sharp and salty flavor that’s a classic with wings
• Spices – Rosemary, oregano, red pepper flakes, thyme, bay leaf, salt and pepper
• Staples – Oil, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, butter, dark brown sugar, lemon juice, vinegar, cider vinegar, egg yolks

How do you make baked buffalo wings

To get TENDER chicken wings that are crispy without being fried there are just a couple of steps.

Step 1

BOIL the chicken wings first in a mixture of water, vinegar, salt and seasoning and then remove them to a wire rack to dry for 15 minutes.

Step 2

Make a garlic paste with red pepper flakes and parmesan cheese.

Coat the cooked chicken wings.

Step 3

Sprinkle the wings with more parmesan cheese and bake on a foil lined rimmed baking sheet.

If you want to bake these on a rack, you can but the juices will drip through and smoke when you take them out of the oven, causing my smoke detector to go off.  Either way will work.

Step 4

Add the Buffalo sauce to the baked wings as soon as they come out of the oven so that it will absorb into the wings.

Since they are boiled first, they’re not greasy so I don’t think you need to bake them on a rack.  If your smoke detector is not as sensitive as mine you can use a rack but we really couldn’t tell a difference in how crispy they were.

How to make buffalo sauce

Most Buffalo sauces are just melted butter and hot sauce. I wanted to cut the vinegar just a bit.

Step 1: To make an easy finger-licking Buffalo sauce start by melting a half a stick of butter in a saucepan and then add some Frank’s Red Hot to the butter.

Step 2: Next add a couple of tablespoons of Texas Pete or your favorite hot sauce to give added flavor. All hot sauces have a little different flavor, Texas Pete is a favorite in the South made right here in North Carolina.

Step 3: Now add a couple tablespoons of brown sugar and a little apple cider vinegar. Both will cut the tartness of the hot sauces without making it a sweet sauce.  Cook this just until the brown sugar has dissolved.

How to make the Best blue cheese dipping sauce

With spicy buffalo wings you need something to cool things down and nothing is better than a blue cheese dipping sauce.  Of course you can use your favorite blue cheese dressing or ranch dressing, but this mayonnaise like dipping sauce is amazing and easy to make.

Step 1: Add egg yolks and a little lemon juice to a bowl and slowly whisk in canola oil.

Step 2: Once your arm is about to fall off, you’ll have homemade mayonnaise. Add some mustard, sour cream and blue cheese and whisk it until it’s smooth. 

Pro tip: Not only is this great for baked chicken wings but it will be your new favorite vegetable dip.

What type of chicken is best for baked chicken wings

There are three parts to a chicken wing, the drumette, which looks like a small drumstick, the flat, and the tip.  When you buy a large package at the grocery they generally will come whole. If you buy them at the butcher counter typically they’ll have been separated into drumettes and flats. I find that at restaurants the drumettes can be dry so I like the flats. However, for these baked Buffalo wings, the drumettes are just as tender as the flats.

If you get them whole, you can easily separate them, here’s a great video showing you how or you can leave them whole.  Since you’re not frying the wings, both parts will be tender so you can leave them whole.

These baked Buffalo wings converted me into someone who never ate Buffalo wings to a true fan. I’ll be coming up with excuses to make these more often. Since both girls love them, they’ll be on the rotation for meals to make when they come home for a visit. The sauce is so good that I created a Buffalo chicken dip with it.

FAQs and tips

More appetizers for GAME DAY

Try out some of these party favorites

• Nothing’s says football like a classic peach salsa with tortilla chips
• Homemade sausage balls are a favorite, you can make them low carb with almond flour
• Let everyone help with mini pizza bites
• Bacon wrapped chicken bites, because everyone loves bacon
• These flaky pinwheels with prosciutto and spinach are easy but look fancy