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Love crispy buffalo wings but hate frying? Same. So here’s the fix.
With a secret ingredient you probably already have in your pantry, these wings turn out pure CRRRISPY perfection. No grease. No mess. No standing over hot oil. And the best part? You can make them in the oven OR the air fryer. Yep. both work.
These wings come out CRRRISPY without deep frying, and the first time I made them I honestly had to double check. The texture felt fried. Like… how is this even possible? What is this sorcery?!
If you love easy recipes like this, you should definitely check out my Sticky Oven Barbecue Ribs too. Same idea. Big flavor. Minimal effort.
Follow along and I’ll show you exactly how to get that CRRRISPY finish every time.
What Sets These Crispy Baked Buffalo Wings Apart?
What sets my Crispy Baked Buffalo Wings apart from the rest? For me, it always comes down to crunch and flavor.
I love chicken wings just as much as the next person, especially recipes like my Honey Sesame Chicken and Sticky Thai Chicken Wings. But when it comes to Buffalo wings, I want that classic texture without having to deep fry anything.
My little trick is Aluminium-free baking powder. It helps dry out the skin so the wings crisp up beautifully in the oven or air fryer, giving you that golden, crunchy finish without the mess of frying.
But I didn’t stop there.
I also wanted these to feel like the REAL, classic ultra crispy Buffalo wings. The kind that go all the way back to Teressa Bellissimo’s New York restaurant in the 60s. The ones served hot, saucy, with creamy blue cheese dressing on the side.
And if blue cheese isn’t your thing, ranch works just as well.
With this method, you get flavorful baked Buffalo wings every time. No deep fryer needed.
Crispy Baked Buffalo Wings: Key Ingredients
The secret to these buffalo wings is in its key ingredients. Each one brings something special to create irresistibly crispy, flavorful wings. From the crunch-inducing aluminum-free baking powder to the tangy kick of Frank’s Red Hot Sauce, let’s dive into what makes these Crispy Baked Buffalo Wings truly exceptional:
- Baking Powder: Make sure to use aluminium-free baking powder for the best results. This is crucial for achieving that perfect crispy skin without any unpleasant aftertaste. Trust me, you won’t taste it in the final dish as long as it’s aluminium-free.
- Frank’s Red Hot Sauce: For that authentic buffalo flavor, stick with Frank’s Original Red Hot Sauce. Its tangy, spicy kick is unmatched and pairs perfectly with the crispy wings. If you like your wings extra spicy, you can mix in a bit more of this sauce. It’s the same ingredient that makes our Buffalo Chicken dip so special.
- Chicken Wings: Opt for high-quality chicken wings, cut into drumettes and flats. Fresh, not frozen, is ideal for the best texture. Pat them dry thoroughly to ensure they get super crispy in the oven.
- Blue Cheese: Choose a good quality blue cheese for the dip. It should be crumbly and tangy, not overly soft or creamy. This will give you that bold flavor that perfectly complements the spicy wings.
*Note: Please see Recipe Card at the bottom for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Additions And Substitutions
When it comes to Crispy Baked Buffalo Wings, simplicity is key, especially when you’re putting together a Super Bowl snack lineup. Even if you’re missing a couple of ingredients, don’t fret—there are plenty of flavorful alternatives that will keep the wings crispy and delicious:
- Make It Spicier: If you love extra heat, try adding a bit of cayenne pepper or hot sauce to the seasoning mix. This will give your crispy baked buffalo wings an extra kick without altering the flavor balance.
- Swap the Sauce: Not a fan of buffalo sauce? You can easily switch it up with barbecue sauce or honey mustard for a different flavor profile while still enjoying that crispy texture.
- Use Different Dips: While blue cheese dip is a classic, feel free to serve your buffalo wings with ranch dressing, garlic aioli, or even a spicy sriracha mayo. These options complement the crispy wings perfectly.
Perfect Crispy Baked Buffalo Wings: Step-By-Step
Ready to create irresistibly Crispy Baked Buffalo Wings? Follow these simple steps with images to guide you through the process. You’ll achieve perfectly crispy wings with a flavorful buffalo sauce that will delight your taste buds and impress your guests.
- Preheat and Prep: Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and preheat to 450°F (230°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and set a wire rack inside.
- Pat Dry: Pat chicken wings dry with paper towels, squeezing out as much moisture as possible. Transfer them to a large bowl.
If you are using an Air Fryer, prehead 10min to 400°F (200°C).
- Season the Wings: In a small bowl, combine baking powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle the mixture over the wings and toss until evenly coated.
- Arrange and Bake: Arrange wings on the rack, leaving about 1-inch of space between each wing. Bake for 30 minutes.
- Flip and Cook: Flip the wings and continue to cook until golden brown and crispy, about 20-30 minutes longer. Same time with your airfryer!
- Make Buffalo Sauce: While wings are cooking, whisk together hot sauce, butter, and sugar. Toss wings through the sauce to evenly coat.
- Create Ranch Sauce: Alternatively, mix mayonnaise, sour cream, blue cheese, lemon juice, garlic, pepper, and salt for a ranch sauce.
- Serve: Serve wings immediately with blue cheese dressing or ranch dressing, and celery sticks.
And that’s it. Your Crispy Baked Buffalo Wings are ready to go.
Hot, saucy, straight out of the oven, exactly how game day food should be.
If you’re already cooking for a crowd, I usually throw a couple more easy recipes on the table too.
Getting the extra crispy texture without deep-frying isn’t hard. I made lemon pepper wings and oven-fried chicken with the same crispy baked texture without the oil.
For something creamy to scoop and share, the creamy buffalo chicken dip is always the first thing gone. Paired with Parmesan wings, you fill the table with a different way of the classic flavors.
Want another quick chicken option? The Chicken Tenders (Lemon Garlic Parmesan) And if you need something heartier, my Beef Chili is perfect to round everything out.
Recipe FAQ’s
Yes, you can use frozen chicken wings. Just be sure to thaw them completely and pat them dry to remove excess moisture for the crispiest results.
To keep the wings crispy, toss them in the sauce just before serving. You can also serve the sauce on the side for dipping.
Yes, you can cook these wings in an air fryer. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (200°C) and cook for 20-25 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through.
Video
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Crispy Buffalo Chicken Wings
Ingredients
CHICKEN WINGS
- 4 lbs chicken wings cut into drumettes and flats
- 1 tablespoon aluminium free baking powder not baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cracked pepper
BUFFALO SAUCE:
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter melted
- 1/2 cup Frank’s Original Red Hot Sauce
- 1-2 tablespoons honey or white sugar or brown sugar, adjust to suit your tastes
BLUE CHEESE DIP:
- 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese softened
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon cracked pepper to taste
TO SERVE:
- 1/4 cup ranch dressing for serving
- 1/2 cup blue cheese dressing for serving
- 2-3 celery stalks for serving
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and preheat oven to 450°F (230°C) or Airfryer to 400°F (200°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminium foil and set a heat-proof wire rack inside.
- Pat dry chicken wings liberally with paper towels, squeezing out as much moisture as you can. Transfer them to a large bowl.
- In a small bowl, combine the baking powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper together, whisking well to combine, and sprinkle the mixture over the wings. Toss wings through the baking powder mixture until evenly coated.
- Arrange on rack, leaving about 1-inch of space between each wing.
- Oven: Bake for 30 minutes; flip and continue to cook until crisp and golden brown, (about 20-30 minutes longer), until golden browned and crispy.
- Air Fryer: Bake for 30 minutes; flip at 15 minutes and continue to cook until crisp and golden brown (30 minutes longer), until golden brown and crispy.
- While wings are cooking, whisk together hot sauce, butter and sugar. Toss wings through the sauce to evenly coat.
- Serve wings immediately with blue cheese dressing or ranch dressing, and celery sticks.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I’m doing something something wrong. The taste was awesome, but it was still gooey, not dry. The last step says to put the crispy wings from the oven into the Frank’s Hot Sause, butter, sugar mixture. It made it very yummy, but very wet. It went from crispy to gooey. I’m still trying to find a recipe that makes wings like the sports bar in my home town. Crispy, and dry. What am I doing wrong?
I’d try marinating them in hot sauce for a few hours, then pat dry and proceed as per recipe.
Also maybe dip wings as you eat, rather than than pour over.
Ignore that idea to marinate the wings in the sauce. If you watch wings prepared at a sports bar or place that specializes in hot wings, you’ll see they only dip the wings into the sauce just before serving to maintain the crispness.
The key to this is in the prep & baking time. Try squeezing the raw wings in a kitchen towel or paper towels to remove as much moisture as possible before tossing with the dry bkg powder mixture. Then, I like to bake on a low heat (250) for 30 min to further dry out the skin before raising the oven temp and following the rest of the original baking directions. Hope this helps!!
you could pop them back into the oven too…that’s the way I do it…I don’t like the “wet” sauce either!!
Be sure to bake on a rack, so the drippings are not soaking into the meat.
After you take them out of the oven, let them cool just a bit – they will crisp up nicely & dry a bit. Then dip each one in the sauce and place back on the rack so the extra sauce drips off. This should do the trick!
You should probably try a dry rub instead of a sauce
You can cook the wings a little more after you’ve dipped them in the sauce. We don’t like drippy wings either in my house, and this is how we do it.
I put them back in the oven after I toss them in the sauce. Crisp right back up.
Maybe you didn’t cook your wings long enough. When they are crispy, the won’t get gooey when sauced. I have used this recipe twice and cook the wings over an hour. They were awesome.
Your sports bar is frying them. To keep baked wings crunchy serve sauce on the side for dipping.
This recipe was so delicious! These were the best wings I’ve ever had. The only change I made to the recipe was that I added few dashes of smoked paprika to the baking powder mix. Thank you Karina for sharing this recipe!
My wings turned out fairly crispy with the recipe as listed. I think mine were too big, smaller may have been better. The sauce was great though!
I agree, smaller wings might work better because the skin on the wings should be a bit thinner. That would help it crisp up better. I used these giant wings, from Stater Bros. and the skin was crisp but chewy. If you can believe that. But these were the best wings I ever tasted, take out or whatever. I am so glad I decided to cook at home tonight. Followed the recipe to a “T”.
I am also a witness to the greatness of this recipe. I seasoned the chicken with ground black pepper, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, cajon seasoning, and chicken and poultry seasoning. These were really tasty. Thank you very much for the recipe.
Hubby the King of wings loved these so much he went back for 3rds and miss 5 devoured them. Baby rays and sweet chilli sauce make a killer sauce to dip them in too.
Amazing recipe! I have made these multiple times and this is a “Keeper” recipe. Thanks for sharing!
I had completely given up on making wings after trying at least a dozen times-whether in an oven or air fryer. They were always flavorful but they never came out crispy, and that’s the main thing for me with wings. Karina, you fixed that! Last night my wings came out crunchy-crisp and delicious! The baking powder, 450 oven, and leaving them in for near an hour made ALL the difference. It never occurred to me to cook them beyond half an hour or so. I used Old Bay seasoning and they were amazing even without sauce. Thank you so much for these essential techniques!!!
This is the best wing recipe EVER! I’ve fried in the past but this far surpassed fried. Incredibly crispy. I had normal sized wings and they were not overcooked with the noted cooking temperature and time. I did not have aluminum-free baking soda so used what was recommended by another reviewer – 1 tsp. cream of tartar, 1/2 tsp. baking soda, 1/2 tsp. corn starch. I also forgot to dry the wings prior to sprinkling w/mixture above, so I covered the wings with a kitchen towel for one hour before cooking. Excellent. Will DEFINITELY keep this recipe and make again!
I make my own Baking Powder as well. I like the way this turns out and add a little smoked paprika to the dry mix for a bit of extra flavor. Also add Worcestershire sauce to my Bleu Cheese dip
Wow! I had given up on baking wings. If I was going to eat them, they needed to be cooked right; crispy outside, moist inside. And that meant fried.
While in isolation, I decided to give this recipe a try and the wings were perfect. While I’m a good cook, I’m a better critic. Bookmark and/or copy this recipe, NOW!
I totally agree!! Since finding and using this recipe, I’ve never used another… It’s that good! Further more, my family actually enjoys staying home to eat these rather then getting them out at a specialty wing place….a huge win for me😊👍. Thank you, thank you! Anna
Has anyone ever back the wings and stored them for later like in freezer. Pulled out a few and rebaked them with sauce on?
You can just refrigerate them after they are baked (I put them in a covered glass pyrex dish. 5 days later I took them out and heated up a couple of them in my TOASTER OVEN (on the bake dial @ 350 degrees) for about 7 minutes. This can vary if the wings are very cold….test them with the side of your hand and put them back in for about 3-4 or even 5 minutes depending if you want them hot or just warm or to just take the chill out. You can heat up the sauce the same way and side by side with the wings, but be careful not to burn the sauce. For this I use small ceramic table to oven dishes. Soooo good and delicious for snacking.
I have an OSTER toaster oven with 2 rack height ranges. I absolutely love it. Don’t know how I lived with out it. Saves so much energy than using the big oven for everything. Great for cooking or warming up snacks.
I made these tonight and they were amazing! I followed the recipe using frozen chicken wings as I forgot to take them out of the freezer, and added a little longer to the time in the oven and they crisped up perfectly. The buffalo sauce was perfect! Thanks!
These wings were fabulous. Used Chipotle Buffalo brand sauce rather than Frank’s hot sauce. Better than any hot wings I’ve had in a restaurant! The blue cheese sauce was amazing with it too. We had a little leftover and just added a tiny bit of milk to water it down a bit and used as a salad dressing.