Buffalo Wings

Oven-baked buffalo wings are the less messy way to make wings.

By
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise founded Simply Recipes in 2003 and led the site until 2019. She has an MA in Food Research from Stanford University.
Learn about Simply Recipes' Editorial Process
Updated January 21, 2024
Elise Bauer
How to make hot wings with buffalo sauce recipe and blue cheese dressing.
Elise Bauer

Football (American) championship season. Sports bars, beer, and spicy things that make you want to drink more beer. Darts, pool, loud conversation—either an ill-spent or well-spent youth, depending on your perspective.

"Buffalo" Wings

Once in my early twenties, I happened to be in Buffalo, New York for a wedding of a dear friend. On our site-seeing day, the gang of us revelers happened to drive right by the Anchor Bar, home of the "Original Buffalo Chicken Wings."

Did you know that Buffalo wings are so called because they were first invented in Buffalo, NY?

I didn't, and it had always been one of those oddities that gnawed at the back of my brain during these beer filled nights. In San Francisco, we had Tommy's Buffalo Burgers made with real buffalo meat. But buffalo wings? Hah! Mystery solved.

Close up of buffalo wings recipe with blue cheese dressing and celery.
Elise Bauer

Buffalo Wing Sauce Vs. Marinade

Buffalo wings are traditionally deep fried and slathered with Buffalo wing sauce. But these baked Buffalo wings are what I prefer.

The wings are broiled after they've been marinating in a spicy sauce. This recipe will show you how to make Buffalo wings that taste great, with less mess and easy clean-up.

Broiled Vs. Fried Buffalo Wings

First off, both methods—broiling and frying—make delicious wings! Fried wings can have crispier, chewier skin and slightly richer flesh. But making broiled wings is easier and less messy, plus it's better suited to making a large batch all at once.

How To Prepare Chicken Wings

You can buy a handy, giant bag of fresh or frozen wings that are already separated into drumettes and flats—the party parts—with none of the wee tips.

However, we've found the quality of intact, fresh chicken wings to be much better. They’re meatier and their skin is more supple. To prep them, use a sharp, sturdy knife to cut through two joints, separating each wing into the plump drumette and the smaller flat (also known as a plank). Save the tips for stock, or discard them.

What To Serve With Buffalo Wings

Abundant celery sticks and blue cheese dressing are the classic side. However, ranch dressing is also tried and true.

Love Wings? Try These Recipes!

From the Editors Of Simply Recipes

Buffalo Wings

Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Marinating 30 mins
Total Time 60 mins
Servings 2 to 4 servings

Recipe adapted from the New Cook Book - Limited Edition "Pink Plaid".

Ingredients

For the wings:

  • 2 pounds chicken wings (about 12 wings)

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

  • 4 tablespoons bottled hot pepper sauce (like Crystal or Frank's Original)

  • 1 tablespoon paprika

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

For the blue cheese dip:

  • 1/2 cup sour cream

  • 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise

  • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar or white vinegar

  • 1 clove garlic, minced

To serve:

  • Celery sticks (optional)

Method

  1. Prepare the wings:

    Cut off wing tips (discard or reserve for other use such as making stock). Cut wings at the joint. Put chicken wing pieces in a large bowl. Set aside.

    Simple Tip!

    For food safety, when cutting raw chicken it is best to use a cutting board reserved just for cutting raw chicken. Wash thoroughly when finished. Do not let raw chicken juices come in contact with other food.

  2. Prepare the marinade:

    Create a marinade by stirring together the melted butter, hot pepper sauce, paprika, salt, cayenne pepper and black pepper in a large bowl. Remove 2 tablespoons of the marinade and set aside (you will use to coat the wings after they come out of the oven).

  3. Marinate the wings:

    Add the chicken wings to the bowl with the marinade and toss to coat all of the wings with the marinade. Let the chicken wings marinate at room temperature for half an hour.

  4. Broil the wings:

    Remove the wings from the marinade (discard the marinade) and place them on the rack of a broiler pan. Broil 4 to 5 inches from the heat for about 10 minutes on each side, until chicken is tender and no longer pink.

  5. Prepare the blue cheese dip:

    While the wings are cooking, place the sour cream, blue cheese, mayonnaise, vinegar, and garlic in a blender and pulse until smooth. Cover and chill. (Dip will last up to a week.)

  6. Baste the wings with reserved marinade:

    Remove the chicken wings from oven and baste with the 2 tablespoons of reserved marinade (not the marinade that was in contact with the raw chicken).

    Serve with Blue Cheese Dip and celery sticks.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
1085 Calories
88g Fat
6g Carbs
65g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2 to 4
Amount per serving
Calories 1085
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 88g 112%
Saturated Fat 31g 154%
Cholesterol 405mg 135%
Sodium 1325mg 58%
Total Carbohydrate 6g 2%
Dietary Fiber 1g 5%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 65g
Vitamin C 1mg 7%
Calcium 270mg 21%
Iron 3mg 16%
Potassium 801mg 17%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.