Buffalo Wings with Blue Cheese Dip
Crispy chicken wings in a spicy, buttery Buffalo sauce, served with a cool blue cheese dip.
- Preparation
- 15 min
- Cook/bake time
- 45 min
- Total
- 1 hr
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 777 kcal
- Servings
- 4
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cooking & baking
- 45 min
Crispy chicken wings in a spicy, buttery Buffalo sauce, served with a cool blue cheese dip. The secret to crispiness without frying is baking powder in the dry rub, which breaks down the skin and lets it become glassy and crispy in the oven. A staple of every American game night since 1964.
Why this works
Baking powder is alkaline and raises the pH level of the chicken skin. Two things happen as a result: the Maillard reaction runs much faster in an alkaline environment, and the connective tissue of the skin loosens, allowing water to escape more easily. The result is glassy, crispy skin without a deep fryer. Pure baking soda would have the same effect but would taste soapy and metallic in this quantity. Baking powder contains an acid component that neutralizes the excess.
Step-by-step instructions
- 1
Dry the wings
Pat the split wings really thoroughly dry with paper towels, as any remaining moisture will cost you crispiness later. Then toss them in a bowl with baking powder, salt, and garlic powder until all pieces are evenly and thinly dusted. The baking powder raises the pH level of the skin, causing it to break down and become crispy in the oven.
- 2
Pre-bake in the oven
Preheat the oven to 130 °C convection and place the wings spaced apart on a wire rack over a baking sheet. Bake them initially for 25 minutes at a low temperature. During this phase, the fat under the skin renders out, which is the prerequisite for them becoming truly crispy rather than rubbery later.
- 3
Bake until crispy
Increase the temperature to 220 °C convection and bake the wings for another 20 minutes until they are deep golden brown and the skin is visibly bubbling. Flipping is not necessary thanks to the wire rack, as the heat circulates from all sides. They should sound light when tapped.
- 4
Sauce and dip
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat, remove it from the stove, and stir in the pepper sauce, honey, vinegar, and garlic powder until a smooth, bright orange emulsion forms. For the dip, mix the blue cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, and lemon juice, intentionally leaving a few cheese chunks whole.
- 5
Toss and serve
Place the hot wings in a large bowl, pour the sauce over them, and toss them quickly until every piece is glossy. Work fast and serve immediately, because they lose crispiness with every minute in the sauce. Serve with the dip and celery sticks, whose freshness wonderfully balances the heat.
Our best tips
- Be sure to use baking powder, not baking soda. Baking soda tastes distinctly soapy in this quantity.
- Do not shortcut the two-stage baking method. The low first phase renders the fat, without which they will never get truly crispy.
- If you want less heat, simply increase the amount of butter. Butter is the regulator, not the pepper sauce.
Tasty variations
Honey Garlic
Instead of Buffalo sauce, briefly boil down 4 tablespoons of honey, 3 tablespoons of soy sauce, and 4 grated garlic cloves.
From the deep fryer
Deep-fry at 180 °C for eight to ten minutes, then the pre-baking is completely omitted.
Nutrition facts
| Calories | 777 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 43 g |
| Carbohydrates | 15 g |
| – of which sugar | 11 g |
| Fat | 60 g |
| Fiber | 2 g |
Where the 777 kcal come from
per serving
Calculated from the ingredients – how we do it
We add up reference values for every ingredient and divide by the number of servings. These assumptions are baked in:
- Reference values per 100 g – for the raw ingredient, exactly as listed.
- Tinned goods count at drained weight, bone-in meat at purchase weight: you eat about 70 per cent of a chicken thigh and leave the rest.
- Water evaporates as you cook. The energy stays in the pot, the weight does not – so the figure is per serving, not per 100 g of finished dish.
- Anything listed without a quantity – “salt and pepper” – is not counted.
A guide value, not a lab measurement: no two onions weigh the same, and fat content varies from pack to pack.
Frequently asked questions
Can I prepare the wings in advance?
Yes. You can do the first baking phase hours beforehand. Before serving, finish baking for 20 minutes at 220 °C and then toss immediately.
Which pepper sauce do I need?
A mild, vinegar-based cayenne pepper sauce is classic, not Tabasco. Tabasco is significantly hotter and more acidic, so you only need half the amount.
Why celery on the side?
That is part of the original recipe from 1964. The cool, watery crunch is the perfect counterpart to the spicy, fatty sauce.
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