Buffalo Wings
Crispy chicken wings tossed in a buttery hot sauce, served with blue cheese dip and celery — the icon of American sports-bar food.
Buffalo wings were born in 1964 at the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York — hence the name. Legend has it the bar owner whipped them up for her son and his friends who showed up late at night, simply deep-frying the wings and tossing them in a hot sauce made from butter and cayenne pepper sauce. Since then, buffalo wings have become one of the staples of American bar food, especially during football games. The secret to a crisp crust without any batter is deep-frying or high-heat baking, and the secret of the sauce is equal parts hot sauce (like Frank's RedHot) and melted butter, which tames the heat and gives it a glossy shine. Wings are always served with a cool blue cheese or ranch dip and crunchy celery sticks to balance the heat.
🧺 Ingredients
🍽 4 servings👩🍳 Method
- 1
Prep the wings
Pat the wings dry with paper towels and toss them in a mix of baking powder and salt — this helps the skin crisp up without any batter.
- 2
Bake
Arrange the wings on a rack over a baking sheet and roast at 220°C (425°F) for 40–45 minutes, flipping once halfway through, until golden and crisp.
- 3
Make the sauce
Whisk the hot sauce, melted butter and garlic powder together in a bowl until smooth and glossy.
- 4
Toss
Transfer the hot wings to a large bowl, pour over the sauce and toss until every wing is fully coated.
- 5
Make the dip and serve
Mix the sour cream with the crumbled blue cheese for the dip. Serve the wings hot with the dip and celery and carrot sticks.
💡 Tips
- 💡
Let the wings sit uncovered in the fridge for 30 minutes before baking — this dries the skin further for extra crispiness.
- 💡
Toss the wings in the sauce right before serving, not ahead of time — otherwise the crust will go soft.
🔄 Swaps & variations
- 🔄
For a honey-hot version, add 2 tbsp of honey to the sauce — the sweetness tempers the heat and the glaze thickens.
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❓ Frequently asked questions
Why add baking powder to the wings before baking?
Baking powder raises the skin's pH and helps it dry out and crisp up in the oven, mimicking the effect of deep-frying without the extra oil.
Can the wings be deep-fried instead of baked?
Yes, that's the classic method: fry the wings in oil at 175–180°C (350°F) for 10–12 minutes until golden, then toss them in the sauce right away.
How can I make the sauce less spicy?
Increase the ratio of butter to hot sauce — for example, 2:1 in favor of butter — which will mellow the heat.
What can replace blue cheese if I don't like it?
The classic alternative is ranch dip, made from sour cream, mayonnaise, garlic and dill.
