Description
These Truly Crispy Oven Baked Buffalo Wings are the perfect combination of crispy skin and tender meat, baked to golden perfection and tossed in classic spicy Buffalo sauce. Served with a creamy homemade blue cheese dip and crunchy celery sticks, this recipe offers a healthier twist on a beloved bar snack that's ideal for game day or casual gatherings.
Ingredients
Chicken 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 (gorgonzola used)
- 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 overnight (optional): For the crispiest skin, lay the chicken wings on a rack on a rimmed baking tray and leave uncovered in the fridge overnight to dry. If short on time, pat them dry thoroughly with paper towels.
- Preheat oven: Set your oven to 250°F / 120°C. Position one rack in the lower quarter of the oven and another in the top quarter for staged baking.
- Prepare baking tray: Line a baking tray with foil for easy cleanup. Place a wire rack on top and spray it lightly with oil to prevent sticking.
- Coat wings: Place wings in a large bowl. Sprinkle baking powder and kosher salt evenly over them. Toss well with your hands or shake inside a zip-lock bag to evenly coat each wing with the dry mixture.
- Bake wings low and slow: Arrange wings skin side up on the prepared rack, allowing them to sit snugly as they will shrink during cooking. Bake on the lower oven rack at 250°F / 120°C for 30 minutes to render fat and start crisping.
- Increase temperature and crisp: Move the tray up to the higher rack and increase oven temperature to 425°F / 220°C. Bake for an additional 40 to 50 minutes, rotating the tray halfway through. The wings should turn dark golden brown with very crispy skin. No need to flip.
- Make Buffalo sauce: While wings bake, whisk together melted butter, Frank’s Original Red Hot Sauce, brown sugar, and 1/4 tsp salt until sugar dissolves. Keep warm until ready to use.
- Toss wings in sauce: Transfer cooked wings to a large bowl, pour the warm Buffalo sauce over them, and toss until wings are thoroughly coated. Alternatively, serve wings plain with sauce on the side for dipping.
- Prepare Blue Cheese Dip: Mash crumbled blue cheese and sour cream together until smooth. Add mayonnaise, minced garlic, lemon juice, and salt. Mix well, adding milk gradually to adjust to desired dipping consistency. Season with black pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve; remove 15 minutes before serving for best flavor.
- Serve: Plate the crispy Buffalo wings with celery sticks alongside the blue cheese dip. Enjoy immediately with your favorite beer or beverage!
Notes
- Using baking powder (not baking soda) is essential for achieving crispy skin as it raises the pH and helps break down proteins, enhancing browning.
- Drying the wings overnight in the fridge is optional but significantly improves crispiness by removing moisture.
- Kosher or cooking salt is preferred over table salt for better texture and flavor control.
- Ensure wings are placed skin side up for optimal crisping.
- The blue cheese dip can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- Adjust heat of Buffalo sauce to taste by varying the amount of hot sauce or sugar.
