My friend Art Bovino is obsessed with Buffalo wings. (I can hear you saying “SAME,” by the way.) He’s so obsessed that he spent a lot of time in Buffalo over the last couple years learning everything he could about them so he could write a book, and ended up having so much to say, he wrote two. The first, Buffalo Everything, came out last August and it’s a guide to eating in the city, takes us to bars, old-school Polish and Italian-American eateries, Burmese restaurants and newer farm-to-table cafes. The second, The Buffalo New York Cookbook, came out a few months later and teaches us how to make all of the food he fell in love with at home, from beef on weck, chicken finger subs, sponge candy, Tom & Jerrys, frozen custard, and, of course, all of the Buffalo wings you could ever dream of. He talks to the restaurants that lay a claim to creating them and others that just made them more famous or delicious. He talks to the masters. He learns the rules. He learns technique. He learns niche trivia (did you know that the “flats” of wings actually have more meat than the “drumettes?” I didn’t either!) And while not everyone agrees on everything, they all agree on this: baked Buffalo wings are a pale and unacceptable imitation of the real thing.
Meh, I say. You just haven’t made great ones. These are.
Look, I’m not saying they’re as quick. Roasting always takes longer than frying, and these take the prep a step further, too. In a technique beloved by both my friend Art Bovino and The Food Lab’s J. Kenji Lopez-Alt, the day before you want to make your wings, you toss them in a mixture of salt (forming a dry brine that locks in moisture) and baking powder (which creates more deeply browned wings and a craggy surface that makes the sauce cling beautifully, reminiscent of deep-fried wings) and spread them out in the fridge overnight (to dry the surface, so they crisp up faster when they roast) and then, before you’re ready to eat them, blast them in the oven at high heat for about 50 minutes.
What emerges is truly glorious: browned, crispy, craggy-surfaced, well-seasoned wings that spice-averse children will eat like the best chicken nuggets, ever, and that adults will toss in that butter-hot sauce mixture that makes them magical. Blue cheese dressing, thick enough for dipping, is not optional in my household, and neither are a heap of chopped vegetables (for balance, but also extinguishing tastebuds when you overdo it on the Frank’s RedHot). Despite the overnight wait, these are so easy to make, so delicious and so much less over-the-top than the originals, we’ve made it a regular thing and exactly nobody is unhappy about this.
Previously
One year ago: Banana-Oat Weeknday Pancakes
Two years ago: An Easier Way To Make Cookies
Three years ago: Leek, Ham, Cheese and Egg Bake and Spaghetti Pie with Pecorino and Black Pepper
Four years ago: Fried Egg Salad and Caramelized Onion and Gruyere Biscuits
Five years ago: Homemade Dulce de Leche and Cheese Blintz
Six years ago: Intensely Chocolate Sables and Pasta with White Beans and Garlic-Rosemary Oil
Seven years ago: Potato Chip Cookies
Eight years ago: Chocolate Peanut Spread (Peanutella)
Nine years ago: Tomato Sauce with Butter and Onions and Ricotta Muffins
Ten years ago: Bittersweet Chocolate and Pear Cake and Chicken Milanese + An Escarole Salad
Eleven years ago: Leek and Swiss Chard Tart and Key Lime Cheesecake
Twelve years ago: Icebox Cake
And for the other side of the world:
Six Months Ago: Minimalist Barbecue Sauce
1.5 Years Ago: German Chocolate Cake + A Wedding Cake
2.5 Years Ago: Blackberry Cheesecake Galette and Eggplant with Yogurt and Tomato Relish
3.5 Years Ago: Tomato and Fried Provolone Sandwich
4.5 Years Ago: Grilled Peach Splits and Summer Squash Gratin with Salsa Verde
Baked Buffalo Wings
I can fit about 3 pounds of chicken wings on one large sheet tray; any more, you’ll probably need two, which is only pesky as you try to find room for them in your fridge overnight.
- 1 to 4 pounds chicken wings that have been cut into flats and drumettes
- 1 1/2 teaspoons to 2 tablespoons baking powder (using 1 1/2 teaspoons per pound)
- 1 to 4 teaspoons kosher salt (using 1 teaspoon per pound; use less salt if you’re not using Diamond brand)
- 2 tablespoons hot sauce (Frank’s RedHot is traditional) per pound of wings
- 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons unsalted butter per pound of wings
- To serve (optional): Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing (below), plus celery and carrot sticks
Pat wings dry with a paper towel, and then, in a large bowl, toss them with 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1 teaspoon kosher salt per pound of wings, until thoroughly coated. Arrange them on the rack with some space between them (the surface will not dry and crisp as well where they touch) and place in your refrigerator uncovered for 8 to 24 hours.
When you’re ready to bake them, heat your oven to 450 degrees, with a rack set in the top half of your oven. Bake your wings for 20 minutes, flip them with tongs or a spatula, bake them for another 15 minutes, flip them back over again, and then for 15 final minutes, for a total roasting time of 50 minutes. You might need up to 5 minutes longer for larger wings. Wings are done with they are browned and crisp.
While the wings roast, make Buffalo wing sauce. In a medium saucepan, for each pound of wings, combine 2 tablespoons of hot sauce and 1 1/2 tablespoons (for a hotter sauce) to 2 tablespoons (for a mild, more buttery sauce) unsalted butter over medium heat until melted, whisking to combine. Set aside. Make Blue Cheese Dressing, if you wish (recipe below) and prepare carrots and celery.
When wings are done, roll each in prepared Buffalo wing sauce. Serve with fixings of your choice. Eat immediately.
Blue Cheese Dressing
- 1/3 cup well-shaken buttermilk
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- Juice of half a lemon
- 2 teaspoons white vinegar
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 ounces crumbled, firm blue cheese (about 1 cup)
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir until combined, but cheese is still lumpy. Season well with salt and pepper. Dressing keeps refrigerated for 5 to 6 days.
Sorry to be that person, but suggestions for making these kosher (dairy free)?
And this feels like a real honor-first comment!
I’d make it with a non-dairy butter or margarine.
Yum! This is my preferred method too. It makes very crispy wings. I usually sprinkle the raw wings with steak spice or equivalent. Question – what’s the role of the baking powder?
I mention in the recipe: “(baking powder) creates more deeply browned wings and a craggy surface that makes the sauce cling beautifully, reminiscent of deep-fried wings”
At one point I was on an elimination diet to test for food sensitivities, and I couldn’t have dairy. I found a baked wings recipe that used the rendered fat from the wings as a substitute for the butter in the sauce. I never had a ton of fat in my sheet pans, but it always seemed to be enough.
Ooh that is such a smart idea! Thank you
We have life threatening dairy allergies in our family. I have used olive oil in place of butter for my buffalo wing sauce. Works great.
Use refined coconut oil! (The kind that doesn’t taste like coconut.) I’ve found it makes for a much creamier buffalo sauce than other cooking oils – something to do with the saturated fat/being solid at room temp.
Very excited to try this baked version. Thank you for your Team Blue Cheese support, Deb. Ranch is Buffalo wing blasphemy.
These look delicious, but I am not a big fan of Buffalo sauce (I know, I’m crazy.) Would these work with your minimalist barbecue sauce instead? Is it a comparable consistency, or would it need to be thinned out to coat the wings?
I think it would work, and it’s definitely on the thin side, but not as thin as this.
I have done a BBQ sauce/honey/sesame seed sauce combo and its really good, very popular, especially for those that don’t love buffalo wings. Last year I made pickle brined wings (I usually make 2 varieties) and they were so delicious that I was only going to make the one type this year. Until I saw this recipe and changed my mind! I can’t wait to make these!
You can use pretty much any wing sauce you’d like. A family favorite for us is butter/garlic melted together.
Thanks for this recipe! I’ll definitely be trying it. I love buffalo wings so much, but I’m kind of intimidated by frying foods because I’m terrified of starting a fire, and this looks really good. I live upstate NY and have always been interested in visiting Buffalo sometime. it’s only about 4 hours away. Those books sound intriguing as well :)
Her cookbooks are AMAZING. A*M*A*Z*I*N*G … definitely add to your cookbook library!!
Buffalo is well worth the trip! Our summers are lovely and there are tons of things to do in the city and the surrounding areas. Lots of great parks, museums, art, restaurants, theaters and of course, all the Buffalo Wings you could ever desire!
If I want to use legs instead (it’s what I have), other than using the larger amounts of recipe ingredients, do I need to do anything else?
I’ve made basically this same recipe with same technique twice now and it turns out perfect! Crispy exterior and tender inside. Love!
The baking powder technique/recipe was published by Kenji at Serious Eats several years ago https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2010/02/the-best-buffalo-wings-oven-fried-wings-recipe.html Wonder if that’s where the cookbook author (since this is a 2018 book) got it from. Are there credits in the book?
She gives Kenji credit in the head notes to the recipe on this page.
She says that the method is “beloved by my friend Art Bovino and Kenji” not that he spent the time researching and creating said tecnique.
I recently started air frying our wings…do you think your process mixed with air frying instead of roasting would work? Do the wings have to roast for a longer time to rid any risidual baking powder taste?
I was wondering the same thing. I just got an air fryer and am dying to try my hand at Buffalo wings.
My roommate got an air fryer and the wings that I made were divine! So juicy and were cooked in under 15 minutes. I can’t wait to try Deb’s recipe with the air fryer.
just curious – I get that they cook in less time but how many wings can you cook at a time – would it be annoying if making say 4lbs for a crowd – just curious because I am on the fence about buying an air fryer.
When I air fry wings, it takes 2-3 rounds to cook a 2.5 lb bag. I refuse to cook them any other way though. In my opinion, the air fryer cooks them better even than you would get at a wing place.
Thank you!! Small kitchen so was trying to avoid another item but I may have to reconsider!!
We love our air fryer, wings are the best! And bacon, toast, garbanzo beans, it is the world’s greatest appliance!
This is our go to wing recipe! We just bought wings at Costco to make on Sunday. It will just be 2 of us, but who cares? More wings for us!
Do you rinse the wings off before baking them?
no. you want them to be as dry as possible, hence the overnight stay in the fridge.
No, no need to at all. (And, of course, you’ve worked very hard to get them dry.)
This is exactly how I make wings every Super Bowl but with one addition- I brine them the night before to get such moist, flavorful meat and then dry out in the fridge before the game. One more step keeping you from wings but totally worth it!
That’s the same technique used in this recipe!
But maybe you mean wet brine, not dry brine as she describes…
I made your Oven Ribs, Even Better and Not Your Momma’s Coleslaw yesterday. Perfect snow day food. Next time they’ll have a side of wings riding gunshot. Delicious. Thanks for this🐓
I make mine this way but make them even better (if I do say so myself ;) by grilling them. Half hour indirect and then direct for 5-10 until they are crisp/browned. I also do a squeeze of honey in the sauce–adds some yummy depth.
Buffalonian here. Very happy about the nod to my home town! And not the least bit offended by roasted wings if it makes it easier to make them at home. Especially since I now live very far away and rarely find wings up to my standards.
Would this be a perfect opportunity to use the hair dryer to dry out the chicken skin, Deb? ;)
https://www.newyorker.com/culture/annals-of-gastronomy/yes-i-use-a-hair-dryer-to-make-roast-chicken
I bet!
I am all over this recipe AND his books! I never eat wings when we’re at any restaurant. A plate full of soft rubbery chicken wings that are cold from the blanket of sauce, aaaack!! I’ve heard of the baking powder method but have never tried it. I definitely will, now! Lately, I’ve been doing a quick run in the pressure cooker followed by a blast in the oven. Nothing is better than an extra crispy wing. Yum! Thanks for your post!
Oh wow! I can’t wait to try this recipe. I’ve had so many disappointing wings at various restaurants that a home-roasted version would be so welcome. Looking forward to some crispy, tasty wings!
Wait, even Anna?? That’s a win!
She likes meat on “sticks.”
I made these a few weeks ago when I saw the recipe and it was fantastic. I will probably never fry a chicken wing again.
Can these be made ahead and reheated?
The wing-roasting part, yes. Once you put the sauce on, though, they begin to lose their crisp so I wouldn’t do it until right before you’re going to eat them.
I’ve made Kenji’s version of these and they are, in fact, awesome. Definitely DO spray your cooking rack as the wings will cling for dear life while drying out overnight, making the turning process sad.
One thing to save anyone else from the same disappointment I have suffered with this technique:
Using baking powder without aluminum is an absolute must (whole foods generic brand for example), otherwise the wings can and will have an off metallic taste to them.
There is no way I can make room in the fridge for a tray of wings to dry- is it possible to do a low temp oven bake? or does it need to be cold?
Single layer on a rack is definitely the best, but when space has been an issue, I’ve had success putting them in a bowl or large plastic bag with paper towels, uncovered. Toss or flip them over occasionally and change towels if needed. In the bowl you can stack them up against the walls so there is as little layering of wings as possible. You just want them dry as possible.
I haven’t tested it any way but the way it’s written, but I’d imagine with more time in the oven, you can get away with less drying. But the skin might not get as crisp, just the same.
Cook’s Illustrated published this recipe back in 2013. A truly genius recipe.
My husband makes amazing wings. He first boils or pressure cooks them in a spicy water mixture in order to season the meat and also cook off some of the fat out of the skin. Then dries them before he broils/grills them. They’re perfect! But this recipe might be one to try.
Any thoughts on using this method on boneless thighs or breasts? How much baking time would be needed? Or would the outside be too brown before the interior was done?
I’m so glad you asked this question, I’d love to know the answer too! My husband may leave me for saying so, but I honestly don’t have the patience for wings – they’re so messy and cumbersome to eat. Far too much effort for the small amount of meat on the bones. Plus I always think dark meat tastes greasy, no matter how it is cooked. But the hot sauce and blue cheese combo is a winner and I’d love to put it on something else!
Re, other pieces of meat, what you’d actually want is skin-on pieces. It’s the skin that gets crispy. I’m sure you can do this treatment on skin-on bone-in pieces, but they will be less forgiving of being roasted much longer than they really need to be to cook through without getting dry. So, you’ll want to take them out when they’re done, even if the skin isn’t as brown or firm.
Would regular-sized, skin-on drumsticks be better than thighs/breasts? I just made the wings and as someone isn’t normally into wings, I couldn’t believe how well they turned out.
I actually used Kenji’s method for my Thanksgiving turkey this year and it was lovely!
I dry in the fridge too, but also take a page from Alton Brown’s book, and steam the wings before drying in the fridge. This essentially melts a lot of the subcutaneous fat for extra crispy.
Non-American here. Upon starting reading, my immediate thought was: “Wait, what?!? Buffalo wings are named after a town!!?!?”
Even though I struggled to get past that mind fry, I could tell the recipe looks awesome. Thanks for sharing! 🙌🏻
Ha! I could have explained this so much better, but where’s the fun in that? :)
okay you are seriously a mind reader. we just decided last night to host some super bowl festivities, and I thought “I wonder if Deb has a wings recipe”. and, behold. Can’t wait to try!
okay, you are seriously a mind reader. we just decided last night to host Super Bowl festivities (sports!), and I thought “I wonder if Deb has a wings recipe”. and, behold! Can’t wait to try!
I followed this recipe 6 months ago and we ate over a pound each. Great! Devoured.
Then yesterday I decided to do it again with 6 lbs. They dried in the fridge on two racks overnight, I baked them today at 450, and excitedly bit into my first one. Horribly bitter.
Oops, in my haste, and thinking I already knew the recipe, I used baking soda! Disaster. Now I recall even seeking out the aluminum free baking powder last winter. Duh!
Deb, for those of us with failing memories, maybe stress ‘powder’, not ‘soda’.
I follow this method: https://www.recipetineats.com/crispy-oven-baked-chicken-wings-honey-garlic-sauce/ – instead of drying the wings out overnight with the baking soda, you just bake them low for 30 min after tossing them in baking soda, then crank up the heat. I do this for chicken thighs too. So crispy!
Baking Powder!
I really like that. As a Turk the barbecue is famous for us.
If you are using kosher meat, should you still do the salt brine or just baking powder, since kosher meat is already brined? Thanks!
I have made these wings numerous times WITHOUT the overnight drying, and they still emerge from the oven crispy and brown. The key step is to make sure the wings are dry before tossing with baking powder and salt. The recipe I have suggests baking at 250F for half hour, then turning up the oven to 425F for around 40 – 50 minutes. I would never fry wings again as these come out less greasy and more crispy than any other method I’ve tried.
As always, I almost love reading all the Smitten Kitchen comments as much as I do the recipe and Deb’s description. This might be my favorite bunch of Smitten Kitchen comments ever. There are so many, TOO many, good tips/variations/opinions – my mind swims! I just want to cook wings all week, experimenting with all the suggestions.
I have to say that for a long time I never ‘got’ wings. Granted, I’d never tried wings, but then, I didn’t actually feel any urge to. Quite the opposite -the idea of wings was repulsive. I assumed that a chicken wing was simply a bunch of fried skin playing uber to a bunch of gloppy sauce. The idea of gnawing and sucking on a little bone just for a paltry little sliver of poultry drowning in a thick, messy sauce struck me as barbaric and utterly unhealthy.
Then, a few years back, as I developed as a cook, and as a conscientious consumer, I began buying and cutting up whole chickens rather than buying them in parts. I made my own broth with the chicken backs, necks and feet. I learned to eat dark meat and love chicken thighs. I used the WHOLE chicken. And, over time, I began to accumulate tons of vacuum packed bags of little wings and little baby drums in my freezer – literally hundreds of little chicken parts that I could neither part with, nor cook with, nor sacrifice to broth making.
One afternoon, trying to get my 4 year old daughter to fall asleep for a nap, she and I watched Emril Lagasse while we snuggled on the couch. Emril made sticky, crispy, Asian inspired wings that looked absolutely delicious. Spellbound and hungry, neither of us napped. After that, my daughter didn’t have to beg very hard for me to make those wings. I waited for a night when the kids had lots of friends over and then I went to town. I made dozens and dozens of wings. My family GORGED themselves. Their friends gorged themselves. I woke up to kids eating cold wings for breakfast. Ever since, I’ve only ever made wings that one, Emril Lagasse/Alain’s Sweet and Spicy Wings way. Crispy, fried little chicken pieces, tossed in an asian orangy/pineapply/spicy/soy-y glaze. OMG.
But, now? I may have to expand my horizons again. Brine, air dry, pressure cook, steam, air fry, oven fry, grill, roast, hair dryer????? Buffalo sauce, buffalo-esque sauce, butter sauce, honey butter sauce…I mean come ON. Where were you people back when a bag of peas wouldn’t fit in my freezer because of all the chicken wings?
This is my favorite comment!
Thank you!
I had high hopes for this recipe. I looked forward to a tray of wings that would be healthier than fried wings, and to a wings recipe that didn’t involve cornstarch and the ensuing stomachache it gives me. Sadly, I’ve come back to report that this method was a fail for me. I can’t blame Deb’s recipe, necessarily, because I didn’t follow it exactly. Embracing suggestions by several commenters, I tried brining the wings for 24 hours, rinsed them thoroughly, then proceeded with the recipe. My wings come from pastured chickens, and the wings are on the small side; so, though I shortened my cooking time and my oven temperature after I saw how quickly they were cooking, they were still overdone. The skin, while neither flabby or chewy or in any way gross, was just OK. It was crispy-ish, but not crunchy, NOTHING like the juicy, tender, craggy, crunchy fried wings I’ve made in the past. Moreover, these wings were saaaaal-ty – and this is coming from a salt lover. All-in-all, the wings were a major fumble. So, it was a sad, sad Super Bowl at our house, not that I care much about the game itself. As one of my favorite tweeters said today, ‘ah, it’s super bowl sunday. or as i call it: sunday.’ But, in honor of my husband, poor guy, who, alone in a houseful of women, is the only person remotely excited about football, I try to make an effort. Luckily, on a whim, he picked up chips and onion dip when he was buying beer – so at least he had s.o.m.e.t.h.i.n.g. As far as Super Bowl fare goes, it’s beyond pathetic – but on the bright side, by comparison, maybe it makes my not-ready-for-Pinterest wings taste better?
I don’t know if you had a wet or dry brine, but in one of the first comments Deb said you definitely should NOT rinse off the wings before you put them in the oven, because it will make the skin soggy. Maybe it’s worth sticking closer to the recipe and trying again?
When I said I rinsed the wings then proceeded w/ the recipe, I didn’t mean that I then baked them immediately after brining them. I realize that would not have been the intent of the recipe at all. What I’d hoped to do was make the wing meat juicier by wet brining them PRIOR to air drying. So, after the wet brine, I rinsed them, dried them, arranged them on cooling racks and stuck them in the fridge for another day to air dry. The skin was definitely dry before they went into the oven. The only deviation to the recipe was the addition of a wet brine for 24 hours prior to air drying. I was hoping to achieve the best of both worlds – brining for the meat, and drying for the skin. It didn’t work.
I don’t get this comment at all — Deb’s adaptation of Kenji’s technique is the opposite of brining — you’re trying to dry the wings out and make the skin more crispy. By brining (not sure if wet or dry) and then rinsing, you’ve started from square one. Follow the recipe, and you’ll have a much better experience next time!
These sound really good. I’m finding the idea of basically brining them overnight interesting. Plus the idea that they are baked rather than deep fried, I like that too.
Gonna give these a try!
I’ve been making my wings this way for many years. No longer frying. Delicious!!! One important note… you need to specifically state in the ingredients to use ALUMINUM free baking powder ONLY. (Not all baking powder is) There’s a big difference in taste. If aluminum free is not used, they are nasty tasting & will find their way to the trash can. I made this mistake my first time & learned the hard way!!!
Holy cow…I spent many years going to Buffalo visiting in laws and the highlight were the wings…these are them! Get bigger ones if possible, no aluminum baking powder, and lots of napkins. It’s now on the m3nu for the Super Bowl, and every night before. Go Bills! Oh well, maybe next year.
Hello Deb,
I have never written to you before but I have been using your recipes for years!! About your chicken wings my 15 year old twins have a propensity for sweet things. Could I replace the Franks Hot Sauce with maybe Sirracha sauce? I feel it might be a bit sweeter. Thank you so so much for your reply.
From Buffalo here. My mom used to make baked wings back in the day, and while they weren’t as crispy as the local bar’s they were just as good. And THANK YOU for suggesting Blue Cheese (ranch is for tourists). Just one thing. In Buffalo, we just call them wings. ;-) I will be trying out this recipe for sure.
Hey Deb! Here’s a crazy q: do you think I could give the same treatment to cauliflower flourets?
These look so good.. my mouth is watering!
http://www.henatayeb.blogspot.com
Hi Deb,
Looks like a great recipe! I am excited to try it out this technique. I’m not a big buffalo fan, so I’d like to skip the sauce – do you think the recipe would work by adding spices to the baking powder/salt mix and rubbing those on?
Thanks!
We tossed with several of our favorite traditional BBQ sauces….
I tried it, they were fairly crispy :-)
However, they were so salty that I couldn’t eat them, so had to toss 2 pounds of chicken.
I don’t mind salt, but I can’t eat at places like Applebee’s due to the over use of salt.
is it really baking powder you use for these chicken wings, ore baking soda
Yes, baking powder…. Not baking soda. Also, be sure your baking powder is aluminum-free, or your wings will be ruined. I use Rumford brand.
Make sure you use baking powder, not soda. I spaced out and used baking soda. They looked so beautiful and crispy but I had to throw them out. Luckily just made them for two of us!
Made these but used Vermont Maple Sriracha (vermontmaplesriracha.com) instead of Frank’s and they were legendary! Thank you for another fabulous recipe.
I made this exactly as written, with 3.55 pounds of wings..they were so salty I couldn’t eat them (my husband powered through with some)..what a waste, though..I’m so disappointed. I have never had a disappointing recipe from this blog, but I would not make this again.
I just had to toss mine as well because they were too salty! I let them sit for nearly 24 hours, so maybe that was why? Also, just said I’ve never been disappointed by one of Deb’s recipe, and I’ve been following for over 11 years! On the bright side, that’s a good overall success rate! Luckily, the chili recipe was a hit.
I used Diamond Kosher salt and did not find them too salty.
Are you using Morton Kosher Salt? It’s much saltier than Diamond Kosher for the same volume of salt. Deb uses Diamond; this may account for the difference.
Yes, I used Diamond Kosher salt.
Wow…made these today for the big game. AMAZING! I hate frying so the fact that they are baked means I can make them again and again. Thank you!
I made these today for our super bowl treat and they were sooooo sally we can not eat them. I am going to pick up a pizza in a few minutes. Yuck. I made 4 pounds of chicken wings, what a waste.
I only used half the salt the recipe called for. OMG, WAY TO SALTY
These were excellent and I will definitely make again. I followed the recipe to a T…my pans were a little more crowded and I was rotating two pans, so I roasted an additional 15 minutes and would have gone for longer except I had trouble with excessive smoke after the first 45 minutes. But they were still quit crispy and delicious. Thanks Deb!
We made these tonight…with chicken and with tofu. Both of them were too salty to eat, and my boyfriend and I each measured the salt/baking powder independently. Would happily make these again…if we could figure out a way to make them much less salty.
Ok so we made these wings (5 pounds of them!) and they turned out SUPER DUPER salty. We did the conversion on the salt too for Morton’s instead of Diamond. The only reason we could come up with is that we used frozen wings? We will try again with about 1/4 the salt before drying. Anyone else had this issue or any other suggestions?
Interesting that you said that about the frozen wings. I used thawed wings, too. I didn’t think there was enough coating, so I doubled the coating and I think that is why mine were salty, but perhaps the previously frozen wings contributed? I think I will take your advice and lower the salt next time and maybe up the baking powder to be sure there is enough coating. I think the baking powder is what makes them crispy more so than the salt? I don’t know! Deb would know better!
Oh you’re right! We didn’t think there was enough coating either so we doubled it. Next time we won’t add the salt if we double the coating. Thanks!
I think next time I will maybe double the powder and take your advice to use 1/4 of the salt listed in the recipe. I will also cut about 5 minutes or so off the cooking time as I think the salt is supposed to moisten the chicken. It may be our oven(everyone is different), but we would have liked the first trayful to be moister. I did cut 5 minutes off my second trayful(still too salty), and they were a bit moister. We’ll see!
I made this again. Skipped the salt altogether and used just baking powder. Still salty! I am thinking that maybe I used too much baking powder. I admit to not measuring. I just poured some in a bowl and coated the wings. Maybe I should use Deb’s measurements and just dredge them in the baking powder, whether or not they completely coat.
I made these this weekend. Great method! They are very crispy. I had mine uncovered in the fridge for over 24 hours, maybe 28 or 30 hours. My one problem was the baking powder/salt coating before refrigeration.
Deb – I followed the measurements, but it didn’t seem to be enough to coat the wings. Is there a trick to getting them all to coat fully and evenly with the amounts you posted? How thick/opaque should the coating be?
I ended up doubling the amounts, which, of course, made them too salty. I am thinking next time I will double the baking powder (or more if necessary), but not the salt. Thanks for another great recipe!
Just made these – so crispy and yes salty but I didn’t mind that. Did think the meat got a little more dried out than I’d like though. Curious about the salt brine suggestion in these comments but also wondering if a little less time in the oven would keep the meat moisture hopefully without compromising the crispy-ness
DEVASTATED! didn’t read the recipe carefully and used baking SODA 😫 they came out looking gorgeous and crackling crisp … but tasted awful. I still ate 2 before I waved the white flag that they were ruined. Guess we’ll have to try again on a non-major football event weekend.
Deb – this recipe made my Super Bowl. I’ve been following you for years, and have made everything from breakfast puffs to sharlotka to world peace cookies to even better babka. I’ve gotten many hugs (thank you) from my husband and sons for the baking. But no one believed you could get crispy wings from the oven. Until now. This method works perfectly!! The skin was so crisp and they were great!!
Thanks,
Susan
I made these tonight and I’ll definitely make them again. Two things — I agree with the folks who say they come out too salty. I’ll simply use less salt next time. And second — we don’t really like our wings messy and wet, so I just put them back in a 400º oven for 10 more minutes after saucing them. Excellent crispness and buffalo taste achieved.
I made these and thought they were delicious. I needed more Baking Powder than recipe called for to coat the wings even lightly. I used more salt proportionately and some wings were a little to salty but still really good. I will make these again but am wondering if anyone else has a tip on the Baking Powder/salt dusting?
Baking was perfect! Thanks
I had the same issue. The baking powder/salt combo didn’t cover the wings, so I doubled both and the wings were salty. I think next time I will at least double the powder and cut the salt to 1/4 of recipe and see where it goes.
I’m bummed. I echo the others, it came out wayyyy too salty for me (and I even used half). Also, they weren’t crispy for me and I let them dry for 24 hrs. I enjoyed the sauce but in the end, we just had that with carrot sticks. Had to toss the wings.
Just made these for Super Bowl Sunday. My husband prefers lemon pepper wings, so I followed the brining/drying steps and sprinkled a generous amount of an organic lemon pepper seasoning and baked as written. They were amazing and so crispy. Thanks! I’ve been afraid of making wings until now.
As always with your recipes, these were SO GOOD.
Wings were great ~ perfect texture. I got spooked by the no aluminum baking powder contingent and ended up making a homemade blend (thanks, David Liebowitz!). Hot sauce was a little watery. Blue cheese sauce was a bit thin; next time I’ll take liquid quantities down and blend it in a food processor. Overall, great!
They made Buffalo Cauliflower at the Super Bowl party I attended today. I love meat as much as the next person, but Buffalo Cauliflower may actually be better than Buffalo Wings. There, I said it. Fwiw, I think they also used coconut oil for the Buffalo sauce as well, which was also solid.
These were a hit, and very simple to make. I will definitely use this recipe again, only after investing in proper tongs to dip the hot wings into the hot sauce. My fingers still hurt.
Made these yesterday, and they were great! Tasty, crispy, and just the right hotness. I did find that I needed more baking powder and salt for the first step. I made a “cheaters”blue cheese dressing with plain yogurt, and that was good too! Thank you for satisfying my always craving but seldom indulged passion for hot wings!
Please be warned that placing wings directly on the foil does not work. They adhere to the foil and the only way to get them off is to sacrifice the skin. If you don’t have a rack, bake skin side up and don’t turn. For some reason our wings never got as crispy as they do when I bake them without the baking powder.
We made these last night, they were awesome. I just found the recipe yesterday so the wings only sat in the fridge about two hours to dry out but we loved them. Nice and crispy. And I added a tablespoon of Dijon mustard to the sauce with some garlic powder. Very easy to make.
I made these wings exactly as written and they were amazingly delicious and super crispy! My husband is a bit of a wing snob and he had doubts about baked wings (as previous recipes were flabby duds). Well, we both loved these so much that he declared the wings one of the best things ever made and said I had to come back here and leave a comment. Thanks, Deb!
I wanted to add: having read the other comments about the wings being too salty, I had 1.25 lbs of wings, used a conservative 1 tsp of Morton coarse kosher salt, and they turned out great.
I wanted to add: having read the other comments about the wings being too salty, I had 1.25 lbs of wings, used a conservative 1 tsp of Morton coarse kosher salt, and they turned out great.
I made these last night and one guest said they were the best wings he’d ever had—the way he always wants wings to be when he orders them at a restaurant, but so rarely are. That said: my wings brined about 20 hours, but we’re not thickly coated with salt/baking powder—just a very light powdering. They were awesome, not too salty at all (I used Diamond Crystal kosher salt). I baked 3 trays for 50 mins. Some of the ones on the top shelf did get a little burned; the ones one the lower shelf (about 3/4 to the top of the oven) were perfectly done. I am thrilled with this technique and the results and will use it for all subsequent wing recipes, whatever the flavor/seasoning profile. Thank you, Deb!
I made the wings and the dip, and both came out great! My wings were on the tiny side, so they cooked in about 35 minutes, rather than the full 50. I didn’t bother flipping them, and they were still crispy and delicious. I *did* take the advice about coating my racks with cooking spray, and I’m glad I did, because the wings tended to stick a little bit (probably because I skipped the flipping).
The blue cheese dip was good. I tripled the recipe, and divided it in half before adding the cheese to just one half. For the other half, I added extra herbs and onion powder to make a ranch dip for the blue cheese-haters in my life. Both were delicious! Thanks, Deb!
These wings were the most exciting part of Super Bowl 2019. I admit I was nervous… can wings in the oven really get crispy? My MIL was even more doubtful than I was (shocker). But Deb, you never disappoint. I made them 4 ways. Buffalo sauce, Sweet Baby Ray’s, & Maull’s (STL bbq sauce you should try). The 4th was way a mix of Buffalo (used Red Hot) and Sweet Baby Ray’s mixed together. Surprisingly, that combo was the crowd favorite!
Made these yesterday. They were excellent! Crispy, juicy perfection! Thank you so much for sharing!
Btw, subbed buttermilk ranch. Can’t handle blue cheese.
Amazingly delicious! I told myself I was making these for my husband, who’s from Buffalo and pines for good wings from time to time. I have never been a wing person and I vaguely wondered what I would eat. Turns out, I easily put away as many of these as my husband did. They are so tasty, moist on the inside, and addictively crispy on the outside. I will definitely make (and eat!) them again. I let them dry out overnight and used Morton’s kosher salt, going with a scant 2.5 ts for 3 pounds of wings. Perfection.
These were the hit of our family Super Bowl get-together. Double recipe was gone by half-time. Thanks for this … both easy and awesome!
Made this for the Super Bowl. They were amazing!
Deb, you’re my hero for all these recipes that you prepare the day before! I prepped the wings Sunday night and we had them last night for dinner. They were a huge hit!
I was worried they’d be to salty, because I used regular table salt (I did not read carefully enough!), but they were just fine.
Also, my husband has told me 3 times that these are going on the regular recipe rotation.
Hello! Long time reader from Northern Ontario. Travelling to New York w children 8 and 10 – love food want to go to nice restaurants but have heard folks are not always welcoming of children and that is not part of our life experience so I don’t know how to navigate the situation. None of us would know what to do if anyone talked down to our kids or made them feel unwelcome, it would be broken heart city! HELP! Wanting to love New York, #nopizzaorburgers
Made them on Sunday! They were super crispy and tasted just like “real” wings!. However, they dripped A LOT of fat over those 50 minutes, which burned in the oven, which created a smokey cloud in our entire house and set off the smoke detector. So head’s up about that, I can still smell it when I walk in the house.
I didn’t notice smoke while they were baking, but did notice the smell in the house for a full day afterward. That was a big downside. As good as they were I won’t be making them very often.
Followed the recipe and they turned out perfectly! Thank you – my husband LOVES wings and there was no way I was going out to get them right before or during the game. I didn’t think they were salty at all, and they crisped up great without clouds of smoke (I hate to say that I think the oven and venting makes a difference – in our old house, tons of smoke and smell. In the new house with the big nice oven and a great vent, no smoke, very little smell.
Only thing I did differently was, after the first round of dipping wings in the buffalo sauce, was to skim off several tablespoons of the clear butter oil and leave the solids with the sauce and a bunch of chopped garlic I’d dumped in as the butter melted. The wings dipped in after that were less oily, stayed crisp and the sauce and garlic clung to the wings really well. So yummy! Thank you!
I found these WAY too salty…I made 3 pounds of wings and used the recommended amounts of salt and BS. THAT SAID, WOW THE BLUE CHEESE recipe is amazing. I will be making my own blue cheese dressing from now on. I basically just eat wings for the celery and blue cheese anyways ;)
If you used baking soda instead of baking powder I’m not surprised.
Thank you so much for posting! I love baked buffalo wings and this recipe was perfectly timed for Super Bowl Sunday. I was wondering if you have ever made wings via crock pot and what your experience was with that?
I would expect soggy, gummy skin, and greasy sauce. Not everything can be made well in a crockpot.
Thanks for this! Very excited to try this baked version. but must say I will be trying it with ranch in addition to blue cheese, to give my guests options.
I made these for the Superbowl and they were AMAZING. Best baked wings I’ve ever made — they were super crispy and just right (and my husband thought so too!). Thanks!
I made these last night and they were delicious. It’s sad but I never realized how easy it is to make blue cheese dressing (or similar). But now I know! Thank you :-)
I made these last night. Amazing. My only complaint is that the buffalo sauce is a little thin. I think I’ll thicken it next time with a little cornstarch. Small quibble, though!
I made these for the superbowl and found them to be easy and delicious. My family was skeptical and was pressing me to order rather than make, but we all agreed that the wings were the best we have had in some time. Thanks for the recipe!
This Blue Cheese Dressing is incredible! I ended up using Apple Cider Vinegar because it was what he had in the house. It certainly tastes better the next day. We ended up eating more dressing than chicken, but no one was complaining. Next time I make I’ll double the recipe.
Made these wings a week ago, and they were easy and delish. Still using up the leftover buffalo sauce and blue cheese dip on other things. Definitely will make these again.
I’ve always used my ‘SPENT’ baking powder for oven-frying my wings. I mark my containers so that I won’t use the spent ones for baking.
Great share. Thank you. I’m looking forward to preparing and cooking buffalo wings in the near future. Hope to invite some friends round as well to sample them. Going to keep it a surprise for them. Be interesting to get their feedback.
thanks for sharing
I’m going to do my best and try some of these fantastic recipes and treat my mum & dad for there 60th wedding anniversary.
Cant Wait to try these. I am looking to eat meat again after being a veggie for years.
Somewhat different. I got 3/4 lb. of what were called ‘chicken party wings’ at
Whole Foods, that were actually drumettes. I coated them per recipe, put them in a cast iron skillet lightly-coated with EVOO & then roasted them in a 275 toaster oven for about 20 minutes. Then, still in the skillet, I followed your oven directions, but kept the oven on ‘roast’, not ‘bake’.
I made the Franks -with -butter sauce, & also had a bowl of whole milk yogurt,
for dipping.
I quite liked the wings, with the yogurt & sauce. But, actually I liked the
wings simply as they were, roasted, even more!
Nice post, I love fresh food..
look forward to trying these
Will add to our menu! This was amazing thank you. Is it Keto diet friendly?
It is. No carbs are added to the chicken either in the dry brine or the sauce.
I made these and they were a huge hit for a dinner party I had a few weeks ago! Any idea if they can be made ahead and re-heated? Would love to bring them to a work potluck.
Hi I prepared these tonight to have for dinner but my partner now has to work late. Just wondering would they keep okay on the prepared rack under tinfoil for 48 hours?
I would skip the foil, perhaps? I wouldn’t want anything to smother/soften the crisp edge. Then rewarm in the oven until fully crisp again and toss in the sauce.
And uncooked how would they hold up?
If uncooked, I’d continue to leave them drying in the fridge until you’re ready to roast them. Maybe not more than 3 days, to be safe.
I’ve made this a couple times now (thanks Deb!) and I just wanted to add that the first time I did not spray the wire rack and it was a huge PIA. Second time I sprayed and it made a world of difference. Definitely worthwhile.
How important is it to separate the wings into drumettes and flats? Will they turn out different if I Ieave them whole?
We’ve been making baked chicken wings ever since Jenny Rosenstrach, Dinner a Love Story, to Ben & Birdy’s Chicken Wing Magic, in her Friday round up in 2014. The recipes are similar but with no baking powder and you cook them in the pan in parchment and let them fry in their own fat. They are delicious! However it seems we need to have to do a cook off and a blind taste test between the two. Curious to see how the baking powder and the elevated cooking effects turns out. Does your method mimic the batter some wings have. Love the science of cooking!! Thanks
I am curious to try those as well — perhaps this winter. Re, baking soda, one thing I like is that it gets a rough surface on the skin, almost pretzel-y in flavor, that holds the sauce well. You can see it in the photo of the wings on the rack, after they’re baked and before they’re dippped.
I’ve been looking for a good baked chicken wings recipe…can’t wait to try this!
I have am so excited to try this one, but I must ask–will you ever publish this with a KFC (Korean Fried Chicken) sauce variation? My family is devoted to Bonchon spicy wings but we don’t go there often because it’s probably (I don’t want to know) a kajillion calories per serving. This would be such a pleasure to do as an alternative at home!
I should! I love it too.
This has been my go-to way to make wings since you published it last year. We’ve always baked them, but this method makes them that much better. Thank you!
Took your word that greasing the rack wasn’t necessary, and the entirety of the skin, and much of the meat, ended up stuck to the rack. Wings ruined.
Martin, I made these last year and there was no need to grease the rack.
Martin, did you let the wings dry, uncovered, in the fridge overnight?
Ugh! What a bummer. This is the 2nd year I used this method for my Super Bowl wings, it worked perfectly without greasing the racks. Give it another try, greasing next time, it’s worth it!
I agree. Mine stuck just a little but enough to make me note to spray or wipe the rack with Canola.
I have followed your wonderful posts for quite a few years now and have both your amazing cookbooks! I don’t usually comment on recipes but your baked wings have changed that habit. I made them for my husband for Super Bowl and they are outstanding. They will be made again and again as the result is perfect. Thank you for sharing, the butter hot sauce is addicting.
Susan Jong
Woah.
Just made these for the Super Bowl today and this recipe will now hold a place in my “go to” list. These were the crispy, as promised. Love the oven baked approach.
Thank you for doing all the work testing this recipe. It is appreciated.
I recently discovered these tricks (baking powder, drying on a rack in fridge). I also baked them on the same rack. There were no leftovers. There was no mess. I’m so sold and to my family’s delight we will have wings more often. Must try your homemade dip though. That will be the veritable icing on the cake!
These are amazing. Best ever and WAY better than fried.
Superb! Made exactly as described along with the blue cheese & it was incredible. Better than any I’ve ever had!!!!
this is the BEST baked wing recipe EVER! i have made these repeatedly in the nearly two years since the first posting they are always devoured. just follow the recipe as written & you can’t go wrong. PERFECTION
Hi, It was nothing special , just some green pepper powder, black pepper powder, white pepper powder and some Garlic powder, dude , I love spicy hot foods .
I think in my last life , I was a Hindi :))
THANK YOU for this amazing recipe. I don’t know how it took a pandemic for me to discover your blog (probably because it took a pandemic for me to start cooking….) but it has been a Godsend. The 5 ingredients or fewer filter was made for the likes of me :) FWIW I only had these in the fridge for 8ish hours before baking and they still turned our fantastic. So you can prep these in the morning and bake at night if the night-before prep freaks you out :)
This was delicious! Tossed the wings in the sauce and then popped them back in the oven for a few mins before eating so they were nice and hot!
Made an abbreviated version of this. I was skeptical about the baking powder, but they were delicious and crunchy without frying. Yum,
I used whole wings, left them in fridge for a few hours, cooked them according to your time and temp. They were just for me, so I didn’t care how they looked, and too tired to bother with sauce.
Thanks for the recipe.
Love your newsletter & get lots of inspiration from you!! How would you modify the Baked Buffalo Wings to use drumsticks instead of wings? Thanks
They can need to cook slightly, but not much longer but I’ve definitely done it. Take them out when they’re crisp.
The non stick spray is, in fact, essential or some of that crispy skin will pull off!
This turned out so disappointingly for me. The wings looked great, and I used the low end of the suggested range for both baking powder and salt (Diamond Crystal kosher). Now I have three pounds of very salty, bitter, and acrid tasting wings. I suspect I may have run into the issues that others experienced– did not use an aluminum-free baking powder. Wish this was specified in the recipe!
Do you recommend only baking one tray of wings at a time on the rack in the top half of oven? I have 2 trays of wings (5lbs)… and only one oven! If I must bake 2 trays at one time, will I get the same result?
I think you can, but it can take a few minutes longer. Not always, though. And rotate the trays as they bake for even cooking.
I’m so glad to see these here! I made them following the instructions of J. Kenji Lopez-Alt to the letter and they were by far the best wings I’ve ever made and better than most I’ve ever purchased. I can’t recommend 24 hours in the fridge enough, the crisp you get is worth. the. wait.
These were awesome! I dialed back the salt (i used diamond salt) b/c the other posters. Terrific texture. Had to ration them!
These were delicious, better (and less greasy) than any I could have ordered. I read reviews that said these were too salty. I used about a half teaspoon per pound and it was perfect. We devoured them—wish I’d made more!
My new fav wing recipe! I’ve made serious eats a few times, liked the outcome and was skeptical to try a new one. As a long time fan of SK I gave it a try and I’m so glad I did. Best wings I’ve ever had. They are so easy and turned out crispy and very flavorful. I guess the baking powder and salt step is the game changer. I refrigerated mine as Deb lists for 22 hours. Used ghee in place of butter and organic wings from Whole Foods.
I made these wings for Super Bowl this past Sunday…..4lbs for three people, gone in 4 minutes! And we’re ALL FROM BUFFALO. Seriously, these wings are as close to authentic as it gets, minus the deep fry, and who couldn’t do without that for a change, am I right? Great recipe, it now has a permanent place in my rotation, thanks for another winner, Deb!
These look great!! Have you found the perfect Buffalo cauliflower yet? I’ve been looking around at different recipes. And I wondered if you have any intel on the subject. My husband and I tried them at a hotel in St. Louis a couple weeks ago. They are really delicious and satisfying, flavor and texture. We are all in for making these.
I tried a recipe for wings a few weeks back that had them on a rack like this vs. baking right in the sheet pan in its own fat like I usually make. I thought I would like this technique better but actually nothing could beat the wings that fry and sputter in their own schmaltz. You have to wrestle them off the pan a bit but oh my. Carmelization galore. I will for sure use this blue cheese dip recipe, though! Love your site so much!
Hi Deb,
I love this technique but I’m not a fan of buffalo sauce. What other non-spicy sauce could I use after the wings roast?
Thank you.
Jennifer
Barbecue would work, and I’m also a fan of lemon pepper wings. Eric Kim has a recipe in the NYTimes I haven’t tried, but I love the flavor when I’ve had them elsewhere.
I love this recipe and was so excited to eat these wings tonight- but my husband misread “baking powder” as “baking soda” and now we have a very sad state of affairs. Don’t anyone else make this mistake!
Thanks for sharing this!
This dressing is on point! I knew it would be. And different from the blue cheese coleslaw dressing. Both delicious thanks so much. Hot wings tonight, baby!
I’ve made this twice in the past week and they’re delicious! For cooking time I liked 20 min, 20 min, and 10-15 min to finish. I don’t know that the result is any different but it worked for me. They were good and still juicy even when we accidentally tore some skin. Also, definitely grease your wire rack. Mine stuck a little (thus the torn skin)
Love love this!
And I might never buy commercial blue cheese dressing again !
Will these come out ok if I only let them sit for about 5 hours instead of 8-24?
I was a bit skeptical but my god. No need to do the double fry anymore. These are perfect!
I made these wings & blue cheese dressing and they were GREAT! Can you recommend a specific OVEN SAFE baking rack brand (grid pattern) you like?
I tried your technique a while back and I like it, but I made wings last night using a different technique that I think came out better and they didn’t require as much advanced prep. I seasoned the wings using salt, pepper and garlic powder, then roasted them for about 30 minutes, skin side up, at 350. After 30 minutes I flipped them and turned the over up to 400 for about 20 minutes. Then I flipped them to skin side up again and turned on the convection setting and kept the temperature at 400. They came out perfectly crisp but cooked nicely so the meat was tender and came easily off the bone. I used a combo of franks red hot sauce and butter for the sauce. They were fantastic as good if not better than deep fried wings.
Do you think you could air fry these and get similar results?
If I want to use legs instead (it’s what I have), other than using the larger amounts of recipe ingredients, do I need to do anything else?
This looks great! If you plan to leave a few wings plain for kids, would you still do the baking powder and salt?
The baking powder and salt are to get the wings crispy, although the salt also seasons it a little. Most of it doesn’t stay.
I found these to be incrediby satlty! The crispiness was wonderful but almost inedible!
What kind of salt did you use?
I made these on Sunday using nearly 7 pounds of wings, with the only deviation from the recipe being adding a bit of onion powder and garlic powder to the baking powder/salt brine. I think I could have made an unlimited amount of them, because they were annihilated by our guests. Crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, none of the extra soggy greasiness from fried wings. I’ve never made wings before but I’m definitely making these ones again.