These oven baked buffalo wings get shatteringly crisp skin from a simple baking powder coating, then get tossed in a buttery hot sauce and served with creamy blue cheese dip.
There is no deep frying and no mess, just a rack in the oven and about 1 hour from start to finish. The recipe feeds four as a main course or up to eight as an appetizer.
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Why This Oven Baked Buffalo Wings Recipe Works
Baking powder raises the pH of the skin, which helps it brown and crisp in the oven instead of staying soft.
A wire rack lets hot air circulate all the way around each wing, so the underside crisps too.
The sauce is just butter, hot sauce, and a spoonful of brown sugar, so it is quick and balanced between heat and richness.
Ingredients for Oven Baked Buffalo Wings
- 4 pounds chicken wings, split into wingettes and drumettes, for the wings
- 5 teaspoons baking powder, not baking soda, for the wings
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, for the wings
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, for the wings
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, for the buffalo sauce
- 1/2 cup cayenne pepper hot sauce, for the buffalo sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar, for the buffalo sauce
- 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese, softened, for the blue cheese dip
- 1/2 cup sour cream, for the blue cheese dip
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise, for the blue cheese dip
- 1 small clove garlic, minced, for the blue cheese dip
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice, for the blue cheese dip
- 1 to 3 tablespoons milk, to thin the blue cheese dip
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt, for the blue cheese dip
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, for the blue cheese dip
- 4 celery stalks, cut into sticks, for serving
Chicken wings. Pat them very dry with paper towels, because dry skin is the key to crispiness.
Baking powder. Use baking powder, not baking soda, and check that it is fresh.
Hot sauce. A cayenne based hot sauce gives classic tang, and you can use more or less to control the heat.
Blue cheese. Crumbled Gorgonzola or any blue cheese gives the dip its sharp creaminess.
Celery. Cool celery sticks offer crunch and a refreshing break from the heat.
How to Make Oven Baked Buffalo Wings
1. Heat the oven. Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil and set a wire rack on top.
2. Dry the wings. Pat the wings very dry with paper towels, as moisture is the enemy of crisp skin.
3. Coat the wings. Toss the wings in a large bowl with the baking powder, salt, and pepper until evenly coated.
4. Arrange. Place the wings in a single layer on the rack with a little space between each one.
5. Bake. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, flipping halfway, until the skin is deep golden and crisp and the thickest wing reaches 165 degrees F.
6. Make the sauce. Warm the butter, hot sauce, and brown sugar in a small saucepan over low heat, whisking until smooth.
7. Toss. Toss the hot wings with the sauce in a large bowl until evenly coated.
8. Mix the dip. Stir the blue cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper together, adding milk a spoonful at a time until the dip is creamy and scoopable.
How to Serve Oven Baked Buffalo Wings
Pile the wings on a platter with celery and the dip, then add a side of crispy homemade fries and a bowl of creamy macaroni salad. A crisp house salad and a pitcher of blueberry mojitos make this a great game day menu.
How to Store and Reheat Oven Baked Buffalo Wings
Refrigerate leftover wings in an airtight container for up to 3 days, with the dip stored separately for up to 4 days. Freeze cooked wings for up to 3 months. Reheat on a rack in a hot oven at 400 degrees F for 10 to 15 minutes until crisp and 165 degrees F in the center.
Tips and Variations for Oven Baked Buffalo Wings
Dry thoroughly. Let the wings air dry on a plate in the refrigerator for an hour if you have time.
Use a rack. Without a rack, the bottoms stay soft and the skin sticks to the pan.
Flip carefully. Use tongs and flip each wing once halfway so both sides brown evenly.
Sauce at the end. Toss with sauce right before serving so the skin stays crisp.
Control the heat. Cut the hot sauce to 1/3 cup for a milder flavor or add a pinch of cayenne for more.
Check doneness. Chicken is safe at 165 degrees F, and a few extra minutes in the oven keeps the skin crisp.
Make it ahead. Bake the wings, refrigerate, then crisp them in a hot oven at 425 degrees F for 10 minutes.
Handle raw chicken safely. Wash hands, boards, and tools after handling raw chicken, as covered in this FDA safe food handling guide.
Frequently Asked Questions About Oven Baked Buffalo Wings
How do you make oven baked buffalo wings crispy?
Dry the wings well, coat them with baking powder and salt, and bake on a wire rack at 400 degrees F.
Can I make oven baked buffalo wings without baking powder?
You can, but the skin will be less crisp. Baking powder is what gives the skin its crackly texture.
How long do oven baked buffalo wings take?
They need 40 to 45 minutes in the oven, plus 15 minutes of prep, so about 1 hour in total.
Can I use frozen wings?
Thaw them completely in the refrigerator and pat them very dry before coating.
What can I serve instead of blue cheese dip?
Ranch dressing works well, and so does a simple yogurt and lemon dip.
Crispy Oven Baked Buffalo Wings with Blue Cheese Dip
Equipment
- Large rimmed baking sheet
- Wire rack
- Aluminum foil
- Large mixing bowl
- Small saucepan
- Whisk
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 4 lb chicken wings split into wingettes and drumettes, for the wings
- 5 tsp baking powder not baking soda, for the wings
- ¾ tsp kosher salt for the wings
- ½ tsp black pepper for the wings
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter melted, for the buffalo sauce
- ½ cup cayenne pepper hot sauce for the buffalo sauce
- 1 tbsp brown sugar for the buffalo sauce
- ½ cup crumbled blue cheese softened, for the blue cheese dip
- ½ cup sour cream for the blue cheese dip
- ¼ cup mayonnaise for the blue cheese dip
- 1 small clove garlic minced, for the blue cheese dip
- 2 tbsp lemon juice for the blue cheese dip
- 2 tbsp milk to thin the dip, use 1 to 3 tablespoons
- ⅛ tsp kosher salt for the blue cheese dip
- ¼ tsp black pepper for the blue cheese dip
- 4 celery stalks cut into sticks, for serving
Instructions
Cooking
- Prep the pan. Heat the oven to 400 degrees F and set a wire rack over a foil lined rimmed sheet. Dry and season. Blot the wings until no moisture remains, then toss with baking powder, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
- Arrange. Lay the wings on the rack in one layer without touching.
- Bake until crisp. Bake 40 to 45 minutes, turning once at the halfway point, until the skin is golden and crackly and the meat is 165 degrees F.
- Whisk the sauce. Stir butter, hot sauce, and sugar over low heat for 2 minutes until smooth.
- Coat the wings. Move the baked wings to a big bowl, pour on the sauce, and toss to coat evenly.
- Blend the dip. Mix blue cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper, adding milk until creamy. Serve with celery.
