No false promises here – these are seriously crispy Baked Buffalo Wings that are made entirely in the oven! Using a now-world-famous Cooks’ Illustrated technique, the skin is so shatteringly crispy it’s hard to believe they aren’t fried.
Don’t believe me? I don’t blame you! See and hear it for yourself in the recipe video……
Super Crispy BAKED Buffalo Wings!
The great thing about the internet is that there are loads of options for any recipe your heart desires.
The bad thing about the internet is sifting through all those Google search results to find a recipe that actually works as promised and is exactly what you are after.
So here is what I promise you: If you love perfectly seasoned crispy buffalo wings, tossed in a classic spicy, buttery Buffalo Sauce with a tinge of sweetness, and you prefer to avoid the mess and calories of deep frying, this is The One.
These aren’t just “quite crispy but still not like they’ve been deep fried”. These wings are seriously crispy. Read hundreds of testimonials from people who have tried it!
You can’t see how crispy the skin is when I’ve smothered them in that glorious Buffalo Sauce so here’s a photo of them plain, straight out of the oven. And if you have 90 seconds, watch the recipe video below the recipe so you can hear how crispy they are!
The recipe is ridiculously simple, and it’s a genius discovery by the amazing folk over at Cook’s Illustrated who used science to figure out how to make truly crispy wings in the oven.
How to make Ultra Crispy Buffalo Wings in the Oven
The 2 unique steps in this recipe that make all the difference are:
1. baking powder (secret ingredient!) – tossing the wings in baking powder which draws moisture to the surface of the skin and helps make it crispy. Rest assured you can’t taste the baking powder at all; and
2. bake on low then high – usually, the fat under the skin is part of the reason why baked wings don’t get really crispy. In this recipe, we start at a low temp first which melts the fat under the skin, then we crank up the oven which makes the skin super crispy!
What you need for Crispy Baked Buffalo Wings
And here’s a visual for what you need.
1. The crispy baked wings
2. The Buffalo Sauce
That perfect combination of spiciness from Franks hot sauce, buttery goodness and and hint of sweet.
3. Blue Cheese Dip
I know some people aren’t a fan of blue cheese dip – but I’m all in!! In fact, I love blue cheese dip so much, I like to keep mine a bit lumpy so I get little pops of blue cheese. But usually, restaurants serve it completely smooth. Go with what rocks your boat!
Celery?? YES!
Crispy wings + spicy, buttery Buffalo Sauce + earthy, creamy blue cheese dip + fresh, crunchy celery = MAGICAL COMBINATION
I don’t know who discovered it, but they deserve a Nobel Prize. I remember the first time I tried it, I squinted at the celery sticks and thought, “who would bother with them?”. But they work! It’s like the perfect way to reboot your taste buds in between each wing!!
You’ll make a total mess of yourself eating them. It’s just not possible to eat wings elegantly. You’ll get Buffalo Sauce smeared all around your mouth. You’re doing well if your shirt stays clean.
But that’s all part of the Buffalo Wings experience, right?? The dramatic clatter as you toss the naked bones into a bowl. Smack you lips. Suck each finger clean.
Dive in for another.
YES PLEASE. – Nagi x
Crispy Baked Buffalo Wings
Watch how to make it
PUMP UP THE VOLUME so you can hear how crispy they are!!
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Truly Crispy Oven Baked Buffalo Wings
Ingredients
Crispy Baked Wings
- 4 lb / 2kg chicken wings, wingettes & drumettes (Note 1)
- 5 teaspoons baking powder (NOT baking soda / bi-carb soda) (Note 2)
- 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt / cooking salt (not table salt, too fine)
Sauce
- 4 tbsp (60g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup Frank’s Original Red Hot Sauce (Note 3)
- 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 Serve
- Celery sticks
- Lots of beer!
Instructions
Crispy Baked Wings
- Dry overnight (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. Alternatively, pat them dry with paper towels.
- Preheat the oven to 250°F/120°C (all oven types). Put one oven shelf in the lower quarter of the oven and one in the top quarter.
- Line the tray with foil. Put a rack on the tray then spray the rack with oil.
- Toss wings – Place the wings in a large bowl. Sprinkle over baking powder and salt. Use hands to toss well (or shake in ziplock bag) to coat wings evenly.
- Bake 30 minutes on low temp – Place the wings skin side up on the rack (ok if snug, they shrink). Bake on the lower shelf in the oven for 30 minutes.
- Bake 40 minutes on high – Move the tray up to the higher shelf and turn the oven up to 425°F / 220°C (all oven types). Bake for a further 40 to 50 minutes, rotating the tray halfway through. The wings do not need to be turned over. They are ready when dark golden brown and the skin is very crispy.
- Toss in sauce – Transfer the wings into a large bowl. Pour over sauce and toss to coat. (Alternatively, serve wings plain with Buffalo Sauce for dipping).
- Serve immediately with Blue Cheese Dip (for both wings and celery sticks dunking)!
Buffalo Sauce
- Whisk together the Sauce ingredients until the sugar is melted. Keep warm or reheat just prior to using.
Blue Cheese Dip
- Mash the blue cheese with sour cream until smooth (or to your taste).
- Add remaining ingredients and mix well until combined, using milk to get it to the consistency you want. Store in the fridge until required. Remove from the fridge 15 minutes before serving.
Recipe Notes:
* Salt – only a small amount is required, it’s a phenomenon I can’t explain but this small amount perfectly seasons 2kg/4lb of wings using this baking method.
* These shrink when baked because the fat under the skin renders out (melts) which is how these become super crisp. So they can be snug on the rack.
* They are JUICY not dry, despite the long cook time. This is because the first bake at the lower temp barely cooks them, it only melts the fat.
* These bake to a golden brown, not a deep golden brown. You will know they are done because the skin will be lovely and crispy. 5. Source: The recipe for the wings is from Cook’s Illustrated “Meats Book” cookbook. The sauce recipe is my own. 6. To reheat: Allow wings (not tossed in sauce) to cool, then cover and refrigerate. The skin will wrinkle and soften. Preheat oven to 200°C/390°F. Spread wings out on tray, skin side up, and bake for 5 to 8 minutes or until the skin puffs up so the wrinkles smooth out and becomes crisp again. Works 100% perfectly! 7. Make Ahead: These stay crispy for as long as the wings are warm, so around 20 – 30 minutes. The skin stays crispy for around 10 – 15 minutes after tossing in the sauce, then after that they start to soften but not go soggy, up to around 30 minutes. If you reheat after tossing in sauce, they go soggy. 8. Comprehensive FAQ is available in the original Truly Crispy Oven Baked Wings. 9. Nutrition for just plain crispy wings (419 cal) and including the hot sauce (476 cal), both assuming 8 servings. Note that the wings have been adjusted to reflect the amount of fat that is rendered out (I measured the fat I poured off the tray 🙂 ).
Nutrition Information:
Originally posted June 2015. Republished February 2020 with improved video and photos, then updated with tidy ups in 2023. NO CHANGE TO RECIPE. I wouldn’t dare – it’s perfect as is!
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Pam says
Wanted to make your wings today but no baking powder and no transportation. Any other suggestions?
Nagi says
Hi Pam! I would dry well, dust in flour 🙂 Quite a bit less crispy but still delish!
Sonia Lent says
So excited to try these today!!! Thank you Nagi!!
Iaura says
Me too!!!
Nagi says
🙌🏻
Nagi says
Hope you love it Sonia! N xx
Sillytilly says
I’m sooo excited to cook these! Found this recipe last night & my wings have been drying overnight! This sounds like the best simplest way to get the results I want in a wing! 😘
Nagi says
You’re going to LOVE IT!! N xx
Sillytilly says
This technique is the best! My hubs that is not a wing fan😑 loved these! I did some with Frank’s & some with bbq sauce (kc masterpiece). Best wings ever! Thanks for the recipe!!😍
Nagi says
That’s so terrific to hear!!! N x
Tom R says
HI Nagi, just getting ready to do your wings! Am using Franks and a blue cheese dipping sauce. Wondering if you have a suggested rub to add before baking, or just run with the salt only??
Thx and go Eagles!
Nagi says
Hi Tom! No rub, I promise 🙂 With the small amount of salt (you will be AMAZED how such a little amount spreads using this method) plus sauce that is all you need!
Ginger says
Hi Nagi
I’m getting ready to make these! Very excited
Just curious about drying them overnight in the fridge. Do you just put them in there uncovered
& what does this step do exactly?
Nagi says
Hi Ginger! it dries out the skin which helps the skin get super crispy! But you can just pat dry with paper too 🙂
Veronica Angiuli says
Just to be clear… if you don’t refrigerate them overnight, you could just pat dry?
Going to try these for tomorrow Super Bowl Sunday!
Thanks
V
Nagi says
Yes you can just pat dry! 🙂
Kelly says
We did the pat dry method and it was great.
F says
Hi – Can these be made in air fryer?
Nagi says
Nope this recipe is for baking! 🙂
minal says
I know wings are traditionally tossed in buffalo sauce afterward. Have you tried to cook them AFTER tossing? I know this could lead to not-so-crispy wings, but I’m not a fan of wet wings. Just curious.
Jefe says
Can I leave them in the fridge for a few days before baking?
Nagi says
Yes as long as they don’t have baking powder on them yet. 🙂
Jason says
I found the skin to be tough and chewy. What did I do wrong? Ultimately very happy but please help.
Nagi says
Hi Jason, I’m totally baffled, I’ve never heard that before! All I can think was that the wings themselves had tough skin???
Jason says
Making them again tonight. If it happens again I’ll let you know. Not a deal breaker either way.
MAC Jones says
WHat’s with the pan in the upper part of the oven if you are not using it for baking the wings?
Nagi says
?? Sorry I’m confused!
MAC says
I don’t understand the two trays are you using both trays with wings or using one tray as a relctor and you do not say what to do with that tray when you move the one up with the wings on it Vague???
Nagi says
Hi Mac, sorry you think it’s vague! I use ONE tray for the wings. I start it on the lower shelf in the oven then I move it up to the top shelf. 🙂
Kevin says
Is it best to use American style mayonnaise or will the Australian version suffice for the blue cheese dressing? I think the two are quite different. Thanks
Owen says
How do you reheat?
Nagi says
Please see the notes Owen! N x
dmf says
I found your other “Truly Crispy Oven Baked Chicken Wings” post while digging through the internet to find a way to make my wings here in Munich. You see, I’m from Buffalo. I needed to share these wings with people. Friends back home had sent me 2 gallon jugs of Frank’s, for that reason.
I will now implicitly trust all of your recipes for 3 reasons:
1. Frank’s as primary hotsauce option.
2. Blue cheese dressing instead of Ranch or any other dressing people try to pair with it.
3. the celery palate cleanser, but no carrots.
Clearly, you’ve done your research.
As we say in Buffalo, if it’s not Frank’s, it’s wrong. Yeah, you can probably get close to the taste if you don’t use Frank’s, but why risk it!? 😉
Personally, I add a bit of Worcestershire sauce and garlic salt to my wing sauce. And even though it is Buffalo sacrilege, on the advice of my Turkish girlfriend, I added some Turkish pepper paste which gives it an extra robust kick which is just awesome.
Nagi says
Best. Validation. EVER. PS Ain’t buffalo wings without blue cheese and celery! The first way I experienced them, the only way I have them. 🙂 And Frank’s for the WIN! PS You have very good friends.
Barb says
Thanks for the great recipe! Made today and perfect amount of crisp without frying! Also, thanks for the quick tutorial on how to cut the chicken wings, first-timer here! 😊
Tina Gray says
Planning to make these for New Year’s Eve. I hope they are so good cuz I know these are going to be my go-to wings..I WILL GIVE MORE FEEDBACK TOMORROW
Dona says
Thanks Nagi for your delicious recipes. I have already tried few of your recipes and they’re all super tasty. Going to make this tomorrow for new year’s eve 😀
Beth Bilous says
Amazing. I just did not think this would work, and I was a naysayer when seeing in CI. Nevertheless, being down one fryer, I gave this a go. Amazing. they were indeed crispy. I hope a tad although a dream healthier. Crispy. Thanks
Nagi says
Glad you enjoyed it Beth, thanks for sharing your feedback! N x ❤️
Debra says
I just cooked these and they came out perfect I didnt use a rack either nor were they greasy. Thanks for the recipe. Ill be using it again very soon!
Nagi says
That’s so great to hear Debra! Thanks for letting me know – N x ❤️