Baked buffalo wings are crispy on the outside, but tender and juicy on the inside. These are going to be the best wings you have ever tasted!
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Pin RecipeEveryone loves a good plate of wings, but all too often they turn out too dry or too soft. A perfect wing recipe can be hard to come by. Don’t worry, though! I am here to help. This baked buffalo wing recipe created incredible, mouthwatering wings that are guaranteed to be delicious every time.
So what is my secret to perfect wings? The oven!
Baked wings are not only a little healthier than fried wings (there is no fryer oil needed in this recipe!), but baking wings cooks them nice and slowly, keeping the inside moist while the outside of the wings gets crispy.
If you are a wing lover, you definitely need to give this recipe a try. I know they are going to be the best buffalo wings you have ever had, and perfect for serving up alongside other party apps like crab rangoon dip, cocktail meatballs, and cheeseburger sliders.
Crispy Baked Buffalo Wings Recipe
Baking wings is a great idea when you want your wings to be perfectly cooked. The super hot oil in a fryer can burn the outside of the wings and not fully cook the inside. Baking wings is a much better way to cook them evenly and thoroughly.
I know that frying wings does make the outside nice and crispy but guess what? So does cooking the wings in the oven! I promise that these oven-baked wings are just as crunchy as any fried wings. You’ll see what I mean after one bite.
Baking wings does take a little bit of time, so you do want to plan ahead. The wings need to sit in the fridge for about an hour to dry out, a step that is important for making crisp wings. Then they need to bake for another 45 minutes. It may not be the fastest recipe to make, but it is easy and it is definitely worth it! The best things in life are worth waiting for, after all.
Items Needed
Ingredients
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Flour
- Ground black pepper
- Salt
- Garlic powder
- Chicken wings – I like to use fresh wings, as they tend to crisp best. You can use frozen wings to make this recipe, but be sure to thaw them completely and pat them dry with a paper towel. The dryer the skin, the crispier the wings will be.
- Melted butter
- Buffalo sauce – I really like Frank’s Buffalo Sauce, but any brand will work. Pick your favorite and then pile it on the perfectly baked wings!
Variations
There are a few ways to switch up this recipe. It is amazing how one simple change can make a completely new type of wings! Here are my favorite ways to tweak these oven-baked wings:
- Use barbecue sauce instead of buffalo sauce.
- Use onion powder in place of garlic powder.
- Make the recipe with chicken drumsticks rather than wings.
- Sprinkle ¼ teaspoon of ground cayenne pepper over the wings before baking to make them nice and spicy.
How to Make Baked Buffalo Wings
- Prepare the pan: Cover a rimmed baking sheet with foil, then spray it with cooking spray.
- Season the wings: Mix the flour, pepper, salt, and garlic powder together, then toss the wings in the seasoned flour.
- Dry the wings: Place the floured wings on the prepared sheet pan, then place the uncovered pan in the fridge for an hour. This lets the wings dry out so they become crispier when they bake.
- Make the sauce: Melt the butter and stir in the buffalo wing sauce.
- Dip the wings: Dip each wing in the buffalo sauce and place it back on the pan.
- Bake the wings: Bake the wings in a 400ºF oven for 25 minutes, then flip each wing and bake for another 20 minutes. The golden brown wings are then ready to enjoy!
Quick Tip
Be sure to dry the wings with paper towels before seasoning them with flour. The flour will stick better, and the wings will be much crispier when they are dried thoroughly.
How to Store Baked Buffalo Wings
Once the wings are baked, they are best eaten right away. They will be the crispiest and juiciest when fresh. However, if you have leftover wings, store them in an airtight container in the fridge. They will keep for about 5 days.
To reheat the wings, pop them back in the oven to reheat at 350ºF for 8 minutes. They will crisp right up!
Serving Suggestions
I could eat a whole plate of buffalo wings all on their own. They are just so good! But if you are looking for things to serve alongside the wings, consider blue cheese dressing or homemade ranch dressing to use as a dipping sauce. Air fryer french fries are another fantastic side that goes perfectly with baked buffalo wings. You can’t forget the celery either!
FAQs
I bake my wings at 400ºF. I find that this makes the outside of the wings much crunchier and it also cooks the wings faster, preventing them from drying out.
I am definitely on the baking team! Baking buffalo wings uses a lot less oil which, in turn, is healthier. It is also not as messy as deep frying can be. The wings are perfectly crisp on the outside and moist on the inside when they are baked.
Our baked wings take about 45 minutes to bake in a 400º oven. When fully cooked, the wings will be golden brown on the outside and no longer pink on the inside. The internal temperature should be 165ºF.
More Buffalo Wing Inspired Recipes
Appetizers & Snacks
Garlic Parmesan Wings
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Buffalo Chicken Nachos
Slow Cooker
Crockpot Buffalo Wings
Recipes
Buffalo Chicken Wrap
Appetizers & Snacks
Easy Buffalo Chicken Sliders
Baked Buffalo Wings
Equipment
- Rimmed baking tray
- Foil
- Large mixing bowl
- Medium mixing bowl
- whisk
- Tongs
Ingredients
- 1 cup flour
- 3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 25 chicken wings
- 1/2 cup melted butter
- 1/2 cup buffalo sauce
Instructions
- Line a rimmed baking sheet pan with foil and spray with cooking spray.
- Add the flour, pepper, salt and garlic powder to a large bowl and stir together.
- Pat the wings dry with a paper towel. This will help the flour mix stick to the wings.
- Add the chicken wings to the bowl and toss them in the flour mixture, coating the wings completely in the flour.
- Spread the wings on the greased foil and then place the wings, uncovered, in the fridge to sit for one hour. This lets the flour get firm on the wings which will make them crispier.
- While the wings are chilling, preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
- Whisk the melted butter and buffalo sauce together in a medium sized bowl.
- Remove the tray with the wings from the fridge and dip each wing individually in the butter sauce. Place the dipped wings back on the baking pan.
- Bake the wings in the hot oven for 25 minutes, then flip each one over using a pair of tongs. Return the wings to the oven to bake for another 20 minutes. The wings should be golden brown and crispy on the outside. Tear one open to make sure there is no pink in the center.
- Serve the wings while hot with extra buffalo sauce or a side of blue cheese dressing.
Is it possible to use wingettes with this recipe? If so, will the baking time change since they are a bit smaller??