Buffalo wings
Crispy oven-baked buffalo wings tossed in a glossy, spicy butter sauce with a cooling blue cheese dip. Great for sharing or as a pub-style snack.
Sharp, spicy, messy and utterly moreish — buffalo wings are the unofficial uniform of every good party. This oven method gives skin that crackles like it’s been fried, without wrestling with a deep-fat fryer.
Make the sauce on the hob while the wings roast and you’ll have pub-style wings that sing of butter and vinegar. Serve with a cold blue cheese dip and celery for the proper experience.
Ingredients
- 1.2 kg chicken wings
- 10 g baking powder — use aluminium-free if possible
- 30 g cornflour
- 10 g fine sea salt
- 0 g black pepper — freshly ground
- 5 g smoked paprika
- 5 g garlic powder
- 15 ml vegetable oil
- 60 g unsalted butter
- 120 ml hot sauce — a cayenne-based sauce such as Frank's or similar
- 15 ml white wine vinegar
- 15 ml honey — optional, adds gloss and a touch of sweetness
- 100 g blue cheese
- 60 g mayonnaise
- 30 ml double cream
- 10 ml lemon juice
Equipment
- wire rack
- large baking tray
- large mixing bowl
- small saucepan
- tongs
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 220°C fan/240°C conventional. Position a wire rack on a large baking tray.
Pat the chicken wings thoroughly dry with kitchen paper. Removing surface moisture is essential for crisp skin.
In a large bowl combine baking powder, cornflour, fine sea salt, black pepper, smoked paprika and garlic powder.
Add the wings to the bowl, drizzle over the vegetable oil and toss until every piece is evenly coated in the dry mix.
Arrange the wings in a single layer on the wire rack with space between each piece. Chill in the fridge to dry the skin for 30 minutes.
Bake on the middle shelf for 45 minutes, turning each wing once at the halfway mark so they brown evenly.
Make the buffalo sauce: melt the unsalted butter in a small saucepan over low heat, then whisk in the hot sauce, white wine vinegar and honey. Heat for about 2–3 minutes until glossy; season with a little fine sea salt and black pepper to taste.
For the blue cheese dip, mash the blue cheese with mayonnaise, double cream and lemon juice until a smooth but slightly chunky dip forms. Chill briefly if you prefer it cold.
Put the hot wings into a large bowl, pour over the warm buffalo sauce and toss quickly so every wing is lightly but evenly coated.
Serve the wings immediately with the blue cheese dip. For a classic touch offer celery sticks or carrot batons alongside.
Tips
- Dry the wings thoroughly and chill them on a rack before baking — that extra 30 minutes makes a big difference to crispiness.
- Space wings apart on the rack; crowding causes steam and soggy skin.
- Make the buffalo sauce ahead and gently reheat before tossing; it keeps for 3 days in the fridge.
- To reheat, spread wings on a wire rack and warm at 190°C fan/210°C conventional for 8–10 minutes so the skin crisps again.
- If you prefer less heat, swap half the hot sauce for an equal quantity of tomato ketchup — flavour stays similar but milder.
Substitutions
hot sauce → sriracha or a chilli paste, same quantity
Stays closecornflour → plain flour, same quantity
Noticeably differentunsalted butter → ghee, same quantity
Stays closeblue cheese → crumbled feta mixed with a little extra mayonnaise, same quantity
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 1020
- Calories
- 63 g
- Protein
- 13 g
- Carbs
- 81 g
- Fat
- 1 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
- Sugar
- 1200 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I fry the wings instead of baking?
Yes — deep-fry at 180°C for 8–10 minutes until golden and cooked through, then toss in sauce. Frying will give even crispier skin but requires more oil and attention.
How can I make the wings less spicy?
Reduce the hot sauce by half and increase butter or add a tablespoon of honey to mellow the heat without losing the buffalo character.
Can I make these ahead?
You can bake and cool the wings, then refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Reheat in a hot oven on a rack to restore crispness and toss in fresh sauce before serving.
How do I know the wings are cooked?
Cooked wings will be golden and the joints should move freely; a meat thermometer should read 75°C in the thickest part if you want to be precise.
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