cook · Cook

How to Make Buffalo Wings at Home

Name: How to Make Buffalo Wings at Home
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 2 pounds chicken wings; salt salt; pepper pepper; 4 tablespoons butter; 1/2 cup Frank's RedHot sauce

Buffalo wings need three things: crispy chicken wings, Frank's RedHot sauce mixed with butter, and proper technique. Pat the wings dry, bake or fry until the skin crisps up, then toss immediately in the hot sauce mixture while they're still steaming. The heat helps the sauce stick and penetrate.

Total time: 1 hr 50 min
Hands-on: 15 min
Serves: 4
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

2 pounds chicken wings
salt salt
pepper pepper
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup Frank's RedHot sauce

Step by step

Prep the wings. Pat 2 pounds of chicken wings completely dry with paper towels. Leave them uncovered in the fridge for an hour if you have time — this dries the skin further for better crisping.
Season and arrange. Toss wings with salt and pepper. If baking, arrange on a wire rack over a baking sheet. If frying, heat oil to 375°F in a heavy pot or deep fryer.
Cook until crispy. Bake at 425°F for 45-50 minutes, flipping once halfway through. Or fry in batches for 8-10 minutes until golden and crispy. The skin should crack when you press it.
Make the sauce. While wings cook, melt 4 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan. Whisk in 1/2 cup Frank's RedHot sauce. Keep warm but don't let it boil.
Toss and serve. Put hot wings in a large bowl, pour the sauce over them, and toss immediately. The heat helps the sauce stick. Serve right away with celery sticks and blue cheese dressing.

Tips & troubleshooting

Frank's RedHot is traditional, but any cayenne-based hot sauce works
Don't crowd the pan when frying — it drops the oil temperature
Wings are done when they hit 165°F internal temperature
Save some sauce for dipping — people always want more
Drumettes take longer to cook than flats, separate them if your batch is mixed

Variations

Extra Crispy Baked. Coat wings in baking powder (1 teaspoon per pound) before seasoning. The alkaline environment breaks down proteins for crispier skin.
Honey Buffalo. Add 2 tablespoons honey to the sauce mixture for a sweet heat balance that sticks better to the wings.
Dry Rub Buffalo. Mix buffalo seasoning powder with cayenne, garlic powder, and paprika. Toss wings in this after cooking instead of wet sauce.

Questions

Why aren't my baked wings crispy?: Wings need to be completely dry before cooking. Pat them down, salt them, and let them sit uncovered in the fridge. Use a wire rack so air circulates underneath.
Can I make the sauce ahead of time?: Yes, but reheat it gently before tossing. Cold sauce won't stick properly to hot wings and the butter might separate.
What if I don't have Frank's RedHot?: Any Louisiana-style hot sauce works — Tabasco, Crystal, or Cholula. Stay away from thick sauces like sriracha for authentic buffalo flavor.
How do I know when fried wings are done?: They'll float to the surface and the bubbling around them slows down. The skin should be golden brown and crispy when you tap it.