Baked Garlic Buffalo Wings with Homemade Wing Sauce
Baked Garlic Buffalo Wings with Homemade Wing Sauce are a crispy oven-baked, wire-rack method wing recipe that delivers bold heat, real garlic flavor, and restaurant-style texture without frying. This baked wings recipe uses pantry spices, baking powder for crisp skin, and a homemade garlic Buffalo wing sauce that clings without soaking, making it ideal for game day, entertaining, or an easy crowd-friendly dinner.
Servings: 4
Calories: 696kcal
Equipment
- Rimmed baking sheet
- Wire rack (fits inside baking sheet)
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Saucepan
- Tongs
Ingredients
Garlic Buffalo Sauce (Yields extra sauce)
- 1 stick unsalted butter (½ cup)
- 1 small head garlic, finely chopped (about 8–10 cloves)
- ¾ cup hot sauce Crystal-style, Frank’s RedHot, or similar
- 1½ tablespoons white vinegar
- ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon celery salt
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Chicken Wings
- 25 party wings (1st and 2nd sections) about 3 pounds, drained and patted very dry
- 1 tablespoon aluminum-free baking powder
- 1½ teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1½ teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper adjust to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top. Lightly grease the rack to prevent sticking.
- In a large bowl, combine the baking powder, smoked paprika, paprika, garlic powder, salt, cayenne, and black pepper. Add the wings and toss until evenly coated.
- Arrange the wings in a single layer on the wire rack, leaving space between each wing for airflow.
- Bake the wings for 40–45 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the skin is golden, blistered, and crisp, and the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- While the wings bake, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the chopped garlic and cook for 60–90 seconds, just until fragrant and softened.
- Stir in the hot sauce, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, celery salt, white pepper, and cayenne. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until smooth and well blended.
- Transfer the hot wings to a large mixing bowl. Start with ½ cup of the garlic Buffalo sauce, tossing gently to coat. Add more sauce as needed, up to ¾ cup total.
- Serve immediately. Reserve extra sauce for dipping or later use.
Video
Notes
Cooking Notes:
These wings are all about dry skin, high heat, and controlled saucing. Patting the wings very dry and baking them on a wire rack lets the skin crisp properly without oil. Start with less sauce. Crisp wings can’t be rescued once they’re over-sauced.
Tips for Best Results:
- Pat the wings completely dry before seasoning so the baking powder can do its job and the skin crisps instead of steaming.
- Bake on a wire rack at high heat so hot air circulates fully around each wing.
- Toss the wings with sauce gradually rather than dumping it all in at once to keep them crispy.
- Flip the wings halfway through baking so both sides brown evenly.
Nutrition
Calories: 696kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 56g | Fat: 49g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 19g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 232mg | Sodium: 2530mg | Potassium: 622mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1418IU | Vitamin C: 38mg | Calcium: 281mg | Iron: 4mg
