American
Buffalo Wings
Born in Buffalo, NY in 1964 — crispy, spicy and buttery, from A Guide to American Gastronomy.
Recipe by Cyman Huang
Cooked, styled and photographed in his kitchen.
The story goes that Teressa Bellissimo of the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York, deep-fried some leftover chicken wings on a whim in 1964 and tossed them in hot sauce and butter. She invented one of the most beloved snack foods in American history.
The genius of the Buffalo wing is its balance: the vinegar-forward heat of the hot sauce tempered by cold, rich butter; the crunch of the fried skin; the cool, creamy blue cheese alongside. Every element earns its place.
Watch it come together
Ingredients
For the wings
- 3 lbs chicken wings, separated into flats & drums
- 1 tbsp baking powder (aluminum-free)
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- Neutral oil for frying (if deep-frying)
For the Buffalo sauce
- ¾ cup Frank's RedHot Original (or Crystal)
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- Pinch of cayenne (optional, for more heat)
For serving
- Blue cheese or ranch dressing
- Celery sticks
- Carrot sticks
Method
- 1
DRY BRINE (highly recommended): Pat wings completely dry. Toss with baking powder, salt and garlic powder. Arrange on a wire rack set over a baking sheet and refrigerate uncovered for at least 1 hour, ideally overnight. This is the single biggest upgrade you can make — the baking powder draws moisture to the surface and creates an extraordinary crispy skin.
- 2
MAKE THE SAUCE: Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add hot sauce, vinegar, Worcestershire, garlic powder and cayenne. Whisk to combine. Keep warm over the lowest possible heat. Do not boil.
- 3
OVEN METHOD: Preheat oven to 425°F. Place wings on a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet. Bake 25 minutes, flip, then bake another 20–25 minutes until deeply golden and the skin is crackly-crispy.
- 4
DEEP-FRY METHOD: Heat oil to 375°F in a Dutch oven or deep pot. Fry wings in batches of 8–10 for 10–12 minutes until golden and cooked through (165°F internal). Drain on a paper towel-lined rack.
- 5
TOSS: Working in two batches, toss hot wings in the Buffalo sauce until thoroughly coated. Serve immediately with celery, carrots and blue cheese dressing.
Substitutions
- Chef's Tip: The ratio of Frank's to butter is everything. More butter = milder, richer sauce. More Frank's = sharper, hotter sauce. The classic ratio is roughly 2:1 hot sauce to butter — don't go below 1:1 or you'll lose the personality.
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