These light and crispy buffalo chicken wings are deep fried and tossed in a tangy homemade sauce then transferred to the oven to bake, just the way they should be!
Why this recipe works
Buffalo this, buffalo that, but where’s the love for classic buffalo chicken wings? We’re all here for it. Nothing beats the original inspiration behind all the amazing buffalo chicken dips, pasta, and mac and cheese recipes you see floating around out there. They’re crispity, crunchity, and absolutely worthy of all the hype with a homemade buffalo sauce to boot.
Many recipes call for baking. However, in order to get the skin crisp when baking, they must be tossed in a flour and cornstarch mixture. While our recipe does use frying to achieve this effect, there is no flour or cornstarch used, making ours gluten-free and low-carb friendly. The toss-up between baked vs. fried buffalo wings comes down to personal preference. We prefer to mix the two methods for the crispiest skin to accompany that tangy lip-lickin’ sauce.
Ingredients you will need
Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.
Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions
CHICKEN – Each wing is cut into a drum and a flat. These are called wingettes. A full wing (before they are separated) is called a wing for the purposes of this recipe’s nutrition information.
SAUCE – We prefer Frank’s hot sauce for this recipe. Instead of making your own Buffalo sauce, you can buy a bottle of Frank’s Buffalo Wing Sauce instead!
How to Make Buffalo Chicken Wings
These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.
- If necessary, trim your chicken wings to separate them into flats and drums. Pat dry with paper towels, place into a large mixing bowl and set aside.
CHEF TIP – You can purchase “party wings” that have already been cut up for you. They do cost more for the convenience, but cutting them up yourself only takes 5 minutes. It’s totally up to you. - Preheat oil in your deep fryer to 375 F.
- Preheat the oven to 425 F. Line a baking pan with foil and place a wire rack on top.
- In a medium bowl, combine onion powder, garlic salt, cayenne pepper, chili powder, and olive oil. Whisk until well combined. Add this wet rub to the bowl with the chicken wings.
- Using gloved hands, toss the wings with the rub until completely covered.
- Line another baking sheet with paper towels and place a wire rack on top.
- To make the sauce, add hot sauce, butter, and garlic powder to a medium saucepan. Whisk together and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat to cool.
Fry the Wings
- Fill fryer basket halfway with wings and lower it into the hot oil. Shake a few times to keep the wings from initially sticking together. Then lower the basket and close the lid, allow to cook for 5 minutes.
- Remove from the fryer and place the wings on the wire rack over the paper towels in a single layer.
- Repeat frying process for the remaining wings.
- Add cooked wings to a large bowl and pour in the sauce. Use a rubber spatula to toss the wings in sauce to coat.
- Move the sauced wings to the prepared baking sheet with a wire rack. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips
Frying buffalo chicken wings first gives them that irresistible crispy skin, while finishing them in the oven ensures the inside stays juicy and the outside stays crunchy. It also helps render any leftover fat and keeps the wings hot and ideally textured for tossing in sauce.
No worries, you can just as easily use a large skillet with deep sides to fry your wings in. Fill the skillet with just enough oil to come up about 2 inches on the sides, or enough to submerge the wings in. You don’t want more than half of the skillet full to account for overflow once you add the wings. You will need to work in batches while keeping an eye on the temperature of the oil.
Store cooled leftovers in an air-tight container kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. It’s best to reheat them in the air fryer or in a 350F oven until warmed through to help them crisp back up.
Serving Suggestions
I think the real question is, what can’t you serve with buffalo chicken wings? I personally like to pair them with both blue cheese and ranch for dipping along with some french fries, onion rings, or carrots and celery on the side.
Chef Antoine is a huge chicken wing fan! I would say we probably have wings at least 3 times a month. He can even clean off a chicken wing in one bite. Here’s a quick video on TikTok showing him do just that!
More Chicken Wing Recipes
- Fried Chicken Wings
- Korean Fried Chicken
- Air Fryer Chicken Wings
- Garlic Parmesan Wings
- Honey Garlic Chicken Wings
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Buffalo Chicken Wings
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It Pin It Rate ItIngredients
- 3.5 pounds chicken wings bone-in, skin-on
- oil for frying. such as vegetable, canola, or peanut
- ½ Tablespoon onion powder
- ¾ teaspoon garlic salt
- ½ Tablespoon cayenne pepper
- ½ Tablespoon chili powder
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 12 ounces hot sauce we use Frank's Red Hot
- 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ Tablespoon garlic powder
Things You’ll Need
- Deep fryer or large deep sided skillet
Before You Begin
- You can purchase “party wings” that have already been cut up for you. They do cost more for the convenience, but cutting them up yourself only takes 5 minutes. It’s totally up to you.
- Each wing is cut into a drum and a flat. These are called wingettes. A full wing (before they are separated) is called a wing for the purposes of this recipe’s nutrition information.
- We prefer Frank’s hot sauce for this recipe. Instead of making your own Buffalo sauce, you can buy a bottle of Frank’s Buffalo Wing Sauce instead!
- If you do not have a deep fryer, you can just as easily use a large skillet with deep sides to fry your wings in. Fill the skillet with just enough oil to come up about 2 inches on the sides, or enough to submerge the wings in. You don’t want more than half of the skillet full to account for overflow once you add the wings. You will need to work in batches, keeping an eye on the temperature of the oil.
Instructions
- If necessary, trim your chicken wings to separate them into flats and drums. Pat dry with paper towels, place into a large mixing bowl and set aside.3.5 pounds chicken wings
- Preheat oil in your deep fryer to 375 F.
- Preheat the oven to 425 F. Line a baking pan with foil and place a wire rack on top.
- In a medium bowl, combine onion powder, garlic salt, cayenne pepper, chili powder, and olive oil. Whisk until well combined. Add this wet rub to the bowl with the chicken wings.1/2 Tablespoon onion powder, 3/4 teaspoon garlic salt, 1/2 Tablespoon cayenne pepper, 1/2 Tablespoon chili powder, 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- Using gloved hands, toss the wings with the rub until completely covered.
- Line another baking sheet with paper towels and place a wire rack on top.
Make the Sauce
- Add hot sauce, butter, and garlic powder to a medium saucepan. Whisk together and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat to cool.12 ounces hot sauce, 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, 1/2 Tablespoon garlic powder
Fry the Wings
- Fill fryer basket halfway with wings and lower it into the hot oil. Shake a few times to keep the wings from initially sticking together. Then lower the basket and close the lid, allow to cook for 5 minutes.
- Remove from the fryer and place the wings on the wire rack over the paper towels in a single layer.
- Repeat frying process for the remaining wings.
- Add cooked wings to a large bowl and pour in the sauce. Use a rubber spatula to toss the wings in sauce to coat.
- Move the sauced wings to the prepared baking sheet with a wire rack. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes.
Expert Tips & FAQs
- Store cooled leftovers in an air-tight container kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. It’s best to reheat them in the air fryer or in a 350F oven until warmed through to help them crisp back up.
Nutrition
The recipes on this blog are tested with a conventional gas oven and gas stovetop. It’s important to note that some ovens, especially as they age, can cook and bake inconsistently. Using an inexpensive oven thermometer can assure you that your oven is truly heating to the proper temperature. If you use a toaster oven or countertop oven, please keep in mind that they may not distribute heat the same as a conventional full sized oven and you may need to adjust your cooking/baking times. In the case of recipes made with a pressure cooker, air fryer, slow cooker, or other appliance, a link to the appliances we use is listed within each respective recipe. For baking recipes where measurements are given by weight, please note that results may not be the same if cups are used instead, and we can’t guarantee success with that method.
Chef Antoine Davis
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