Baked Frank's Buffalo Chicken Wings

Written by
John Mitzewich
John Mitzewich is a food writer, recipe video producer, and culinary school instructor with more than 20 years of experience in the food industry.
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John Mitzewich
Updated 02/28/21
Frank's basic buffalo hot wings recipe

The Spruce / Cara Cormack
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 40 mins
Total: 60 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
1108 Calories
79g Fat
2g Carbs
90g Protein
See Full Nutritional Guidelines Hide Full Nutritional Guidelines
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 1108
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 79g 102%
Saturated Fat 29g 143%
Cholesterol 574mg 191%
Sodium 1497mg 65%
Total Carbohydrate 2g 1%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 90g
Vitamin C 28mg 142%
Calcium 77mg 6%
Iron 3mg 19%
Potassium 863mg 18%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Although there are many stories as to why the crispy and saucy chicken wings are called Buffalo wings, most stories point to Buffalo, NY, being the place of birth of this party food that has been an American staple since the '60s.

Flavorful and decadent, chicken wings are a wonderful appetizer for gatherings of family and friends, but also can be a fun meal for a weeknight family meal. Classic Frank's hot sauce, a mild-in-spice sauce, has been an ingredient used for decades in creating the succulent sauce that coats the wings—the sauce is also good on ribs, fries, hot dogs, or other snacky foods. If you are making the sauce with a spicier brand, be sure to taste and adjust accordingly.

We swapped the frier for the oven to make a simple variation on classic Buffalo chicken wings, equally tasty but without the extra calories from the frying oil. Some added sugar in the sauce and optional cayenne to make the wings even hotter complete our take on the classic. For a fully authentic experience, serve with celery stalks and blue cheese dressing on the side. This recipe makes about 40 wings by the time you get them cut into flats and drums. If transporting them, place the finished wings in a slow cooker. Low heat will keep them nice and warm.

Ingredients

For the Wings:

  • 5 pounds whole chicken wings

  • Salt to taste

  • 1 cup Frank's hot sauce, or another mild hot sauce

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, or margarine

  • 2 tablespoons white vinegar

  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar

  • cayenne pepper

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for Frank's red hot buffalo wings
    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  2. Preheat oven to 450 F. Cut the whole wings into two pieces, discarding the tips.

    Cut up chicken
    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  3. Season the wings with salt and spread them out evenly on a baking pan. Do not crowd them and use two pans if necessary.

    Season wings with salt
    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  4. Bake the wings for about 20 minutes.

  5. Remove from the oven and turn the wings over. Cook for another 20 minutes until the wings are cooked through and well-browned.

    Buffalo wings
    The Spruce / Cara Cormack 

  6. While the chicken wings are baking, mix the hot sauce, butter, vinegar, and brown sugar in a saucepan over medium heat.

    Mix hot sauce, butter, vinegar
    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  7. Bring it to a simmer, stir, then turn off the heat. Taste the sauce and add cayenne pepper, if using, to suit your taste.

    Stir sauce
    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  8. Transfer the fully-baked wings to a large mixing bowl. Pour the sauce over the hot wings, tossing with a spoon or spatula to completely coat.

    Transfer wings to large bowl
    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  9. Let sit for 10 minutes and toss again. The chicken wings will soak in the sauce while resting.

    Buffalo wings
    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  10. Toss one last time and transfer to a serving platter. Serve with celery stalks and a bowl of blue cheese dressing. Enjoy!

    Serve buffalo wings with celery
    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

Break Tradition

Traditionalists will tell you that blue cheese and celery sticks are always served with Buffalo wings. While it is a great combination, there's no shame in trying something new. Serve the wings with your favorite sauce, like ranch dressing, chipotle, or mustard mayonnaise. Perhaps a refreshing bowl of cucumber-dill tzatziki, yogurt sauce, or a simple labneh. Try adding fresh carrots, sliced green apples, or jicama sticks into the platter. There's nothing like trying something new.