You always need a recipe like Baked Garlic Buffalo Chicken Wings in your back pocket so you can make the classics at home on a whim!
My version of buffalo chicken wings features an easy sauce you can blend up while the chicken wings are getting crispy in the oven.
Plus, this simple approach is gluten free, dairy free, paleo, keto, and Whole30!
Author’s Note: This post was originally published 1/18/19 and has been updated on 3/12/21.
How to make crispy chicken wings in the oven
Yes, it's totally possible to make crispy-skinned oven baked chicken wings!
No, it's not exactly like fried chicken wings. There's no way you're going to completely recreate an oil-fried food in the oven. I don't care what anyone else on the internet says — if you're handed an oven-baked chicken wing and a fried chicken wing, you're going to be able to figure out which is which.
That said, I don't think oven baked chicken wings are any better or worse than fried chicken wings. Both great, but different!
3 keys to crispy baked chicken wings
Anyway, to make crispy baked chicken wings, keep these tips in mind:
- High heat
- Dry wings
- Wire rack
For the best oven-baked wings, I cook them at a higher heat of 400 degrees F.
Make sure the wings are relatively dry, tossed only in spices, not sauce. The wings should get sauced at the very end, right after they come out of the oven.
For crispiness on all sides, I usually spread my wings out on a wire rack above the baking sheet. This is optional, but if you want the BEST crisp for oven-baked wings, you'll go there.
Bonus tip: use baking powder for ultimate crispy baked chicken wings
You read that right: baking powder!
I'm not going to wade too deep into the science, but baking powder is your secret weapon for crispy baked wings.
To sum it up, baking powder is alkiline, causing the pH level of the chicken skin to raise and kickstarting the browning process. The water in the skin will evaporate faster, causing the skin to get browned and crispy without overcooking the wings!
I first heard this tip from Cristina from The Castaway Kitchen, and I've been utilizing it ever since. The baking powder truly does make a difference!
Is it 100% necessary? No. But trust me, as long as you're using aluminum-free baking powder, you will not notice any lingering baking powder flavor!
As a general rule, use 1 tablespoon baking powder for 3-4 pounds of chicken wings.
How to make a quick buffalo sauce from scratch
Of course, to make good buffalo chicken wings, you need buffalo sauce!
Paleo buffalo sauce doesn't take much time or effort. For this garlicky version, you mainly need hot sauce (I always use Frank's Red Hot), ghee (I make my own), and garlic cloves. Beyond that, a couple more ingredients like coconut aminos adds a touch more depth of flavor.
Now, prepare for things to get really complicated here. Add all the sauce ingredients to a blender and blend. Hope you caught my sarcasm. 🙂
Once everything's blended, the paleo buffalo sauce should last for weeks in the fridge!
More easy chicken wing recipes
Buffalo wings are basic. They're certainly not the end all be all of chicken wings. Here are a few more recipes to explore!
- Baked Sticky Chinese Chicken Wings
- Next Level Chicken Wings
- Thai Curry Chicken Wings
- Sweet & Spicy Baked Chicken Wings
- Mango Habanero Chicken Wings
Did you try this recipe? I'd love to hear what you think! Comment below or tag me on Instagram.
Print📖 Recipe
Garlic Buffalo Baked Chicken Wings
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 8-10 servings 1x
- Category: Entree
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Baked to crispy perfection and tossed in a homemade buffalo sauce, these paleo chicken wings are addictively spicy and easy to prepare!
Ingredients
For the Buffalo Chicken Wings:
- 4 pounds chicken wings, separated into wings and drummettes
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 1 tablespoon aluminum-free baking powder (optional)
- ¾ cup Frank’s Red Hot sauce
- ¼ cup ghee or grass-fed butter
- 1 tablespoon coconut aminos
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 4 garlic cloves, minced (about 2 tablespoons minced)
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
For the Paleo Ranch Dip:
- ½ cup paleo mayonnaise
- ½ cup full fat coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Move and oven rack to the very bottom tier and preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet. Toss the chicken wings in salt, pepper, and baking powder (if using). Lay them out on the wire rack. Bake for 30 minutes, until browned and crispy. You may have to work in batches!
- Meanwhile, prepare the garlic buffalo sauce. Add hot sauce, ghee, coconut aminos, apple cider vinegar, sea salt, garlic, and black pepper to a blender. Blend until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, combine the mayo, coconut milk, dill, garlic powder, onion powder, and parsley, mixing until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Once wings are done cooking, transfer to a large bowl and pour in garlic buffalo sauce. Toss until wings are completely coated. Garnish with sliced scallions or chopped parsley, if desired. Serve immediately, with ranch for dipping.
Keywords: garlic buffalo chicken wings
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