About Buffalo Chicken Wings
If chicken wings are the quintennial sports party food, then buffalo chicken wings are the king of them all. Because not only are chicken wings a fun finger food, but these wings pack a bit of a bunch thanks to the Buffalo Wing Sauce.
And for those guests that aren’t a fan of spice, just serve these wings with ranch or blue cheese dressing to help cool down the kick but savor the flavor.
How long to bake chicken wings
There are a couple different methods, but when baking raw chicken wings, you can use any one of these three:
- 400 degrees F for 40-45 minutes (my favorite).
- 375 degrees F for 50-55 minutes.
- 350 degrees F for 55-60 minutes.
However, no matter what cook time you prefer, always check your wings before taking them out of the oven. The juices should run clear and a heat thermometer should have the internal temperature for 165 degrees F.
Also, be sure to check that the skin is browned and crispy to your liking.
Can you use baking soda instead of baking powder?
Unfortunately, no – in order for the wings get their delicious crispy coating while baking, you do need to use baking powder. It won’t work with baking soda.
How long can you leave out chicken wings?
Whenever you serve “help yourself” foods for your guests to enjoy, you should always keep track of how long it sits at room temperature. This is especially true when you’re dealing with “risk-prone” foods like chicken.
For most foods, the general rule of thumb is that a perishable item should not be in the “danger zone” for more than two hours. And by “danger zone”, this is usually at or just above room temperature.
Since these chicken wings will be served hot, you “should” have a solid one hour (and up to two hours) before you need to pack them up (depending on other factors, such as the temperature of the room, etc). However, be sure to still check on the chicken wings every now and then and use your best judgment. When it comes to chicken, most guests will appreciate the peace of mind it gives them if you either reheat or refrigerate the chicken wings after one hour.
For best results, I’d recommend using a warming tray so that these tasty wings stay warm and above the “danger zone” temperature for as long as possible.
Can you freeze chicken wings?
Yes, you totally can!
To freeze, allow the chicken wings to cool completely and then transfer to a freezer bag, removing as much air as possible before sealing. Baked chicken wings can be frozen for up to three months.
When ready to eat, let the chicken wings thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then bake the chicken wings for 25-30 minutes at 325 degrees F or until heated through.
Notes & tips for baked chicken wings
- This recipe gets right to cooking and skips the step of preparing the chicken wings. If you’re not sure how to do this, check out this article: How to cut chicken wings.
- If you can’t find buffalo wing sauce, you can make your own! Check out the recipe here: Buffalo Wing Sauce.
- And if serving a finger food doesn’t work for your party, you can always make Buffalo Chicken Dip instead.
Other great chicken recipes
How to make buffalo chicken wings
This next part is only a photo tutorial of the recipe steps. If you’re looking for the full recipe measurements and instructions, scroll down to Recipe Details.
Step 1 – In a large bowl, toss the chicken wings with baking powder, sea salt, and pepper.
Step 2 – Place the chicken wings on a baking sheet topped with an oven-safe baking rack.
Step 3 – Bake!
Step 4 – In another large bowl, toss the baked chicken wings with buffalo wing sauce until they’re nice and coated.
Step 5 – Serve and enjoy!
Recipe Details
Buffalo Chicken Wings
Perfect for a party, these restaurant-style buffalo chicken wings are baked to crispy perfection (no deep frying!) and then coated in spicy buffalo sauce.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place an oven-safe wire baking rack inside. Set pan aside.
- Pat chicken wings dry with paper towels, then transfer chicken wings to a large mixing bowl.
- Add baking powder, sea salt, and black pepper to bowl, then toss chicken wings to coat.
- Arrange chicken wings on rack in prepared baking sheet, spacing them so that the chicken wings do not touch.
Bake chicken wings for 40-45 minutes or until wings are a light golden brown.
- Serve buffalo chicken wings immediately with blue cheese dressing and celery sticks (both optional).
I love chicken wings and I love grilling and smoking crab legs and shrimp. Totally awesome! Anyway, just thought I would give a shout out to ya! Happy grillin’!!!!