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Overview

Buffalo Chicken Wings

Buffalo Wings, Anchor Bar Wings

This buffalo chicken wings recipe fries wing sections until the skin is crisp, then tosses them in the classic Frank's RedHot and butter sauce invented in Buffalo, New York. Serve hot with celery sticks and blue cheese dip, the way the Anchor Bar has done it since 1964. One serving is about 360 g.

Buffalo wings were created in 1964 at the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York, when Teressa Bellissimo fried up leftover chicken wings and tossed them in cayenne hot sauce and butter for her son and his friends. The dish spread from Buffalo bars to sports bars across America, and the National Chicken Council reports that Americans eat well over a billion wings around Super Bowl Sunday each year.

Pairs well with: Celery sticks & blue cheese dip, plus a cold lager

Provenance

United States flag United States

Buffalo, New York Classic

North America

Time Dedication

55m

20m prep • 35m cook

Batch Yield

4 Servings

920 kcal per serving

1 serving ≈ 360 g

Technical Skill

Intermediate

Intermediate (Deep Frying)

Meal Timing & Digestive Fit

Breakfast

Not Advised

Lunch

Inappropriate

Dinner

Inappropriate

Snack & Tea

Ideal Light Bite

High Protein Occasions: Super Bowl parties, game nights, bar snacks, casual gatherings Cost: Low — about $3–4 per serving at home
Tags: Chicken Spicy High-protein Fried
A platter of orange-red Buffalo chicken wings with celery sticks and blue cheese dip

Buffalo, New York Classic

Photo: John Tornow, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Heritage Formulary

Measured Ingredients

Estimated cost: Low — about $3–4 per serving at home (USD)

A true Buffalo wing is fried plain, never breaded, and tossed in a simple cayenne-and-butter sauce — the sauce is thin and glossy, never thick or sweet.

Execution Methodology & Culinary Technique

Step-by-Step Cooking Guide

Active 55m
P

Prep Stage: Cut, Dry and Season

20 Mins • Knife Work

Cut the 12 whole wings into 24 drumettes and flats, discarding the tips, and pat every piece bone-dry with paper towels — dry skin is what turns crisp. Season with the salt and pepper, then make the dip by mashing the blue cheese with the sour cream, mayonnaise and lemon juice, and cut the celery into sticks.

Maestro Tip: Wet wings steam instead of frying, so take the drying seriously; a second pass with fresh towels is worth it.

  1. 1

    Heat the Oil

    10 Mins 190°C (375°F)

    Pour the oil into a deep, heavy pot to a depth of about 8 cm and heat to 190°C (375°F). Use a thermometer: too cool and the wings turn greasy, too hot and the skin burns before the meat cooks.

    Never fill the pot more than halfway with oil; it bubbles up when the wings go in.

    Done when: The oil shimmers and a thermometer reads 190°C (375°F).

  2. 2

    Fry the Wings in Batches

    12 Mins per Batch Oil at 175–190°C (350–375°F)

    Lower 8 wing pieces at a time into the oil with tongs, keeping them from crowding. Fry for 10 to 12 minutes, turning once, until deep golden and crisp. Lift out with a spider strainer and drain on a wire rack, not paper towels, so the skin stays crisp.

    Fry in three batches of 8; crowding drops the oil temperature and makes soggy wings.

    Done when: Skin is deep golden and crackling; the thickest part reaches 74°C (165°F) on a thermometer.

  3. 3

    Make the Buffalo Sauce

    5 Mins Low heat, about 60°C (140°F)

    While the last batch fries, melt the butter in a small pan over low heat, then whisk in the Frank's RedHot, vinegar, garlic powder and Worcestershire sauce until smooth and glossy. Keep warm but do not boil, or the sauce will split.

    Warm sauce clings better than cold sauce; toss the wings the moment they leave the fryer.

    Done when: The sauce is smooth, glossy and pourable, with no pools of separated butter.

  4. 4

    Toss and Serve

    5 Mins Serve immediately, wings at about 70°C (158°F)

    Put the hot wings in a large bowl, pour over the warm Buffalo sauce and toss until every piece is coated in a thin orange-red glaze. Pile onto a platter with the celery sticks and the blue cheese dip on the side, and serve at once.

    Toss in the bowl, not on the plate, so the sauce coats evenly and the wings stay crisp.

    Done when: Every wing is evenly glazed and the platter is served within minutes of tossing.

Finishing Touches & Plating

Serve the wings piled high with celery sticks for crunch and the blue cheese dip for cooling contrast. Eat with your hands, and have plenty of napkins ready — Buffalo wings are a gloriously messy snack.

Nutritional Physiology & Benefits

Nutrition

Energy

920

kcal / serving

Protein

59g

Complete AA

Carbs

5g

Complex

Fats

67g

Healthy

Per serving (4 servings · 1 serving ≈ 360 g)
Energy920 kcal
Protein59 g
Carbohydrates5 g
Fat67 g
Fibre0.9 g
Sugar0.8 g
Sodium1363 mg
Per 100g
Energy256 kcal
Protein16.3 g
Carbohydrates1.4 g
Fat18.5 g
Fibre0.2 g
Sugar0.2 g
Sodium379 mg

Nutrition values are estimated — calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients.

Vitamins & minerals: Niacin and vitamin B6 (chicken), vitamin A (butter), vitamin K and folate (celery), calcium (blue cheese).

High-Protein Snack

About 58 g of protein per serving from the chicken wings, which helps keep you full between meals.

Capsaicin Warmth

The cayenne sauce brings capsaicin, the compound that gives chilli its heat, which can briefly raise body temperature and add flavour without calories.

Fresh Crunch on the Side

Celery sticks add fibre, water and crunch for very few calories, balancing the rich, salty wings.

Food Pairings

What to Eat With

To optimize nutrient absorption and elevate the sensory depth, pair with these authentic accompaniments:

Vegetables

Celery Sticks

The classic partner: cold, watery crunch cuts through the heat and salt of the wings, and the fibres help clean the palate between bites.

Sauces

Blue Cheese Dip

Cool, creamy and tangy, the dip tames the cayenne heat and adds a salty, savoury contrast that makes the wings taste even richer.

Drinks

Cold Lager

A cold, lightly bitter lager refreshes the mouth and balances the butter and chilli heat far better than a sweet drink would.

Sides

Crinkle-Cut Fries

A game-day staple alongside wings; the salty, starchy fries soak up any extra sauce left on the plate.

Complete menu

Start with the wings as the centrepiece, with celery sticks and blue cheese dip alongside and crinkle-cut fries to share; finish with a cold lager.

Digestive Guardrails

What NOT to Combine

To prevent digestive distress, sluggishness, or palate clash, avoid pairing the dish with these elements:

Ranch Dressing Instead of Blue Cheese

Ranch is a fine dip, but its herbs and sweetness can mask the cayenne-butter flavour that defines Buffalo wings; if you love ranch, serve it as a second dip rather than a replacement.

Storing Sauced Wings for Days

Wings tossed in sauce go soft quickly and the coating can harbour bacteria if left warm; eat them fresh, and refrigerate any leftovers within 2 hours. This is general food-safety information, not medical advice.

General information only, not medical advice — consult a doctor for personal dietary decisions.

Who Should Eat It

Who Should Eat

  • General adultsA rich, salty snack best enjoyed occasionally as part of a balanced day.
  • ChildrenSuitable in small portions for children over 4 who like mild heat; use a milder sauce or serve the sauce on the side.
  • ElderlyEnjoy occasionally and in modest portions; the wings are high in sodium and fat, so pair with plenty of celery.
  • Pregnant womenGenerally fine in small portions, but the high sodium and the hot sauce may not suit everyone; skip the extra salt if you are watching sodium.
  • Breastfeeding womenGenerally fine in small portions; keep the serving modest and drink water alongside.
  • AthletesA strong protein hit after training, but high in fat and sodium, so treat it as an occasional post-game meal rather than a daily one.
  • Weight gainA good choice: energy-dense, high in protein and very filling.
  • Weight lossBest kept as an occasional treat; choose the flats, go light on the dip, and load up on celery.

Health Conditions — Adjust or Avoid

Conditions

  • DiabetesVery low in carbohydrate, but the sauce and dip are salty; keep the portion modest and ask your clinician if you manage sodium closely.
  • High blood pressureHigh in sodium (about 1,363 mg per serving); eat a smaller portion, go easy on the dip, and ask your clinician about portion size.
  • Kidney diseaseHigh in sodium and protein; a small portion is safest, and ask your clinician about portion size.
  • GoutChicken wings are moderately high in purines; eat occasionally and in smaller portions.
  • Stomach issuesThe vinegar and cayenne in the sauce can irritate a sensitive stomach; try a milder sauce or skip the extra vinegar.
  • Cardiovascular diseaseHigh in saturated fat from the skin, butter and cheese dip; eat occasionally and favour a smaller portion with extra celery.
  • Fatty liverHigh in fat and calories; keep it an occasional treat and favour the flats with less skin.
  • Food allergiesContains milk (butter, blue cheese, sour cream) and egg (mayonnaise). The sauce contains no gluten, but check the hot sauce and Worcestershire labels if you have coeliac disease.
  • Special therapeutic dietsIf you follow a prescribed low-sodium or low-fat diet, use a smaller portion, less sauce and a lighter dip, and check with your clinician.

If you have a medical condition, consult your doctor before changing your diet.

Storage & Use

Storage & Use

How to store
Cool the wings quickly and store unsauced wings and sauce separately in airtight containers.
In the fridge
Cooked wings 2 days in the fridge; sauce and dip 3 days.
In the freezer
Unsauced fried wings up to 1 month; sauce does not freeze well.
How to reheat
Reheat in a hot oven at 200°C (400°F) for 10 to 12 minutes until the centre reaches 74°C (165°F), then toss in reheated sauce; never microwave them or the skin turns rubbery.
Freezing recommended
Only if needed, unsauced, for up to 1 month — the skin is never as crisp after freezing.
Signs it has spoiled
Sour or off smell, slimy skin, or a grey tinge to the meat.

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