Buffalo Wings
Crispy chicken wings tossed in tangy hot sauce. · United States
Crispy chicken wings tossed in tangy hot sauce.
About Buffalo Wings
Fried chicken wings are coated in a buttery cayenne hot sauce and served with celery and blue-cheese dip. Invented in Buffalo, they are now a bar and game-day staple nationwide.
🏛️ History & Culture
Buffalo wings trace their most famous origin story to Buffalo, New York, where they are widely credited to have been first created at the Anchor Bar in 1964—though the exact circumstances are debated, with several local families also claiming invention. The dish emerged as a bar snack, pairing deep-fried chicken wings with a tangy, buttery hot sauce, and quickly became a staple of American casual dining.
Regional variations abound across the United States, from extra-spicy "suicide" versions to milder barbecue or honey-garlic coatings, but the classic formula of celery sticks and blue-cheese dressing remains iconic. Culturally, buffalo wings are inseparable from sports bars and game-day gatherings, symbolizing communal, finger-food indulgence and a shared love of bold, spicy flavor.
🍳 How to make Buffalo Wings
AI-assisted, not kitchen-testedBuffalo Wings
Crispy fried chicken wings tossed in a buttery cayenne hot sauce, served with celery sticks and a cold blue cheese dip. Born in Buffalo, New York, and now a staple of bars and game-day spreads across the United States.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 35 min
- Serves
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
Recipe ingredients
- 900 g (2 lb) chicken wings, split at the joint into drumettes and flats; wing tips removed or saved for stock
- 120 g (1 cup) all-purpose flour
- 5 g (1 tsp) fine salt
- 2.5 g (½ tsp) ground black pepper
- 1 liter (1 quart) neutral frying oil, canola, peanut, or vegetable; peanut oil is closest to fry-shop tradition
- 120 ml (½ cup) Louisiana-style cayenne hot sauce, Frank's RedHot is the original; any cayenne-forward sauce works
- 60 g (¼ cup (½ stick)) unsalted butter, traditional Buffalo wings use butter, not margarine
- 1 g (¼ tsp) garlic powder, optional, common in modern versions
- 120 g (1 cup (about 4 ribs)) celery, cut into sticks
- 115 g (4 oz) blue cheese, crumbled, preferably a tangy domestic blue such as Danish Blue or Gorgonzola
- 120 ml (½ cup) sour cream, or whole-milk plain yogurt
- 60 ml (¼ cup) mayonnaise
- 15 ml (1 tbsp) lemon juice, freshly squeezed, or white vinegar
- 15 g (1 tbsp) minced shallot, or 1 tbsp finely chopped red onion
- 1 g (¼ tsp) salt for dip
- 5 ml (1 tsp) Worcestershire sauce, optional, for depth in the dip
Steps
- 1 Pat the wing pieces very dry with paper towels; moisture is the enemy of a crisp fry. If you have time, leave them uncovered on a tray in the fridge for 1 hour.
- 2 Toss the wings in the flour mixed with the salt and pepper until each piece is lightly and evenly coated. Shake off excess and rest on a rack while the oil heats.
- 3 Pour the oil into a heavy pot or Dutch oven to a depth of about 5 cm (2 in) and heat to 180 °C (350 °F). Clip a thermometer to the side; oil temperature is the key to non-greasy wings.
- 4 Fry the wings in small batches so the oil temperature doesn't drop below 165 °C (325 °F). Cook each batch for 9 to 11 minutes total, turning once. The wings are safely done when an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads at least 75 °C (165 °F) and the skin is deeply golden and crisp.
- 5 Lift the wings out onto a wire rack (not paper towels) and immediately season with a pinch of salt. Hold all batches in a 95 °C (200 °F) oven on a rack while you finish frying.
- 6 While the last batch fries, make the sauce: gently melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat, stir in the hot sauce and garlic powder, and keep warm. Do not let it boil hard or the butter will separate.
- 7 For the dip, mash the blue cheese with the sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice, shallot, Worcestershire (if using), and salt in a small bowl until creamy but still flecked with cheese. Chill until serving.
- 8 To finish, put all the hot wings in a large bowl, pour about three-quarters of the warm sauce over them, and toss until glossy. Add more sauce as you like; the classic ratio is roughly 1 part melted butter to 2 parts hot sauce by volume.
- 9 Pile the sauced wings on a platter with the celery sticks alongside, and serve the blue cheese dip in a separate bowl. Eat with your hands; provide plenty of napkins.
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Buffalo Wings — frequently asked questions
What is Buffalo Wings?
Fried chicken wings are coated in a buttery cayenne hot sauce and served with celery and blue-cheese dip. Invented in Buffalo, they are now a bar and game-day staple nationwide.
What is Buffalo Wings made of?
Buffalo Wings is made with chicken wings, hot sauce, butter, celery and blue cheese.
Where does Buffalo Wings come from?
Buffalo Wings comes from United States, and is especially associated with Buffalo, New York. Buffalo wings trace their most famous origin story to Buffalo, New York, where they are widely credited to have been first created at the Anchor Bar in 1964—though the exact circumstances are debated, with several local families also claiming invention.
Where can I eat Buffalo Wings?
A sports bar, with extra napkins and a cold drink.
How do you make Buffalo Wings?
Making Buffalo Wings at home takes about 15 minutes of prep and 20 minutes of cooking. The recipe on this page serves 4 and is rated easy. Full ingredient list and step-by-step method are in the recipe section above.
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