Crispy Baked Buffalo Chicken Wings
Oven-baked buffalo wings with shatteringly crisp skin, no deep fryer needed, tossed in a classic butter and hot sauce buffalo sauce.
21% of it needs you at the counter
- Hands-on
- 15 min
- Cooking
- 45 min
- Resting
- 10 min
- Serves
- 6
- Calories
- 565
- Protein
- 44 g
- Per serving
- $2.96
Why this recipe works
Baked wings get a bad reputation for soggy skin, but a baking-powder dry rub fixes that completely: the skin shatters almost like it was fried. Classic buffalo sauce is just two ingredients, so there's nothing to get wrong.
- A light dusting of baking powder draws moisture to the skin's surface and raises its pH, which browns and crisps it in the oven the way frying does.
- A wire rack lets hot air reach all sides of the wings, so they crisp evenly instead of steaming in their own fat.
- Tossing hot, just-baked wings in the sauce (not before baking) keeps the skin crisp instead of turning soggy.
Ingredients
For the sauce
To serve
You will need
- Rimmed baking sheet
- Wire rack
- Large mixing bowl
Method
Tap a step number to mark it done.
Prep
Heat the oven to 425°F. Set a wire rack inside a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet and lightly oil the rack. Pat the wings completely dry with paper towels.
Coat
Toss the wings with the baking powder, salt, garlic powder, pepper and smoked paprika in a large bowl until evenly dusted.
Bake
Arrange the wings in a single layer on the rack with space between each piece. Bake 25 minutes, flip, and bake until deep golden and crisp, 20 to 25 minutes more.
Make the sauce
While the wings bake, whisk the hot sauce and melted butter together.
Toss and serve
Toss the hot wings in the sauce right away and serve immediately with celery, carrots and dressing.
Techniques in this recipe
- Fish and seafood145°F / 63°C
- Pork chops, tenderloin, whole cuts of beef145°F / 63°C
- Ground beef, pork and sausage160°F / 71°C
- Chicken and turkey (all cuts)165°F / 74°C
Source: USDA safe minimum internal temperatures. Measure the thickest part, away from bone. Is it done? Safe temperatures
The internal temperatures that tell you chicken, pork, beef, fish and ground meat are cooked safely, and when to pull them early for juicier results.
Read the full guideCrowded: steams and turns grey Spaced out: browns and crisps Don't crowd the pan
Give food space in the pan or on the sheet pan so moisture can escape. Crowded food steams and turns grey; spaced-out food browns and crisps.
Read the full guide
Cook's notes
- Baking powder, not baking soda — they're not interchangeable, and baking soda leaves a metallic taste.
- Pat the wings bone-dry before coating; wet skin steams instead of crisping no matter how hot the oven is.
- Sauce the wings only right before serving. Sauced wings sitting around will lose their crunch within 20 minutes.
Nutrition per serving
565 calories
$2.96 estimated cost per serving
Where the calories come from
| Protein | 31% of calories | 44 g |
|---|---|---|
| Carbs | 4% of calories | 6 g |
| Fat | 64% of calories | 40 g |
| Fiber | 0 g | |
| Sodium | 1870 mg |
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients and amounts; not lab-tested. Cost estimated from average US retail prices.
Questions people ask
What's the secret to crispy wings in the oven?
A light coat of baking powder (not baking soda) and baking them on a wire rack so air circulates on all sides. Patting the wings dry first matters just as much.
Do you put buffalo sauce before or after baking wings?
After. Sauce goes on hot wings right out of the oven. Saucing before baking burns the sugars in the hot sauce and steams the skin instead of crisping it.
Is it better to bake wings at 400 or 425?
425°F gets closer to fried-style crispness in about the same total time. 400°F works but takes a few minutes longer for the same crunch.
