Skip to Content
Menu

Beer-Brinded Buffalo Wings

  • Save Recipe
  • Prep 20 min
  • Total 1 hr 25 min
  • Servings 12
  • Save
  • Print
  • Pinterest
  • Facebook
  • Email
Ready to Make?
  • Save
  • Shop
  • Share
  • Keep Screen On
Created in a bar in Buffalo New Yor, original Buffalo chicken wings were so named for the deep-fried chicken wing appetizer splashed with hot sauce and dunked in blue-cheese dressing. These can’t-resist snacks have become a staple in bars and restaurants around the country.


Our buffalo wings recipe adds an extra layer of flavor by brining the wings with beer, brown sugar, and salt, for an intensified flavor that heightens the spicy, savory Buffalo seasonings. You can quickly brine the wings while you prep the other ingredients and get ready for game night, watching the game or just great gatherings with good friends.

These Buffalo chicken wings are a cinch to make because we skip any chopping, using pantry seasonings to coat the flavorful wings. These amazing chicken wings are oven fried for not only less work and mess, but less calories, as well!

Just begging for the classic accompaniments-- ranch or blue cheese dressing and celery--who could turn down Buffalo chicken wings this delectable? They are the perfect app for any occasion or skip takeout and make them for dinner with your favorite French fries and veggies on the side.
By Jessica Walker
Updated Mar 10, 2024
  • Save
  • Shop
  • Share
  • Keep Screen On

How to Make Buffalo Chicken Wings

Quick to prepare, our best Buffalo wings recipe has not one, but three layers of flavor! First up on the flavor train—a quick brine of your favorite beer, brown sugar and salt infuses the chicken wings with a ton of flavor. Next up, onion and garlic powder as well paprika coat the wings with savory spice. And last but not least, melted butter swirled with hot sauce are poured over the seasoned wings, adding more spicy-rich flavor that also helps these baked chicken wings a lightly crispy texture when baked. No big pots of hot, messy oil to deal with or all the calories deep frying adds. Maybe now you can eat even more wings than you thought you could?
If you like them super spicy, serve them with additional hot sauce on the side. Bowls of either blue cheese or ranch dressing alongside are a match made in heaven to tame the spice. Celery sticks not only add a lot of crunch and color, they also can help tame your tongue between each hot and spicy, lip-smacking bite of these Buffalo chicken wings.

What to Serve with Buffalo Wings

If you are having an appetizer party, plan on having 4 or 5 options for your guests to choose from. For the most appealing spread, strive for a variety of snacks that range from spicy to mild, different colors and textures and served at different temperatures (room temperature to hot or even cold)! Not only will the assortment be fun to eat, but it can take the pressure off hosting as well (you won’t have to have everything that needs to come out of the oven at the same time).
Choose a recipe or two that can be made ahead. You can’t go wrong with Deviled Eggs. They are aways one of the first snacks to disappear and you can select a variation that works with the other foods. Another sure-fire winner is Original Chex Mix. For even more ideas, check out these appetizers.

Or don’t go it alone! Pick the recipes you want to serve (like these baked Buffalo wings) and ask your guests to each bring an app.

If you want to serve these restaurant-style for a family dinner that won’t break the bank, serve them with our Oven-Fried Potato Wedges or Sweet Potato Oven Fries.

What is the Best Buffalo Wing Dipping Sauce?

Cool and creamy is the way to go, when it comes to finding a Buffalo wing sauce that is perfect partner for dunking the spicy chicken wings in. Our favorite Buffalo wing sauce recipe to serve with chicken wings would be either a blue cheese dressing or a ranch dressing. These freshly homemade dressings have dairy-based creaminess that complement the spiciness of the wings while blending seamlessly with the flavors. Best of all, they can be made ahead! The flavors of the dressings get a chance to blend and get even better while it takes the pressure off any last-minute prep. Or feel free to substitute your favorite blue cheese or ranch dressing you have on hand.
For those that like really spicy things, you can also serve up a spicy hot sauce alongside a dressing, so people can customize how they devour their wings.

Buffalo Wing Sauce Ingredients


We make our fresh buffalo wing sauce recipe from ingredients you already have in your kitchen. But instead of them all being in a liquid form (which could make your crispy Buffalo wings soggy), we cleverly add Buffalo wing sauce ingredients in the form of a brine and dry and wet coatings to boost the flavor of the chicken wings without all the sauce.

Red Pepper Sauce: adds heat and their signature red color, red pepper sauce is the spicy ingredient that can be increased or decreased, to make the Buffalo chicken wings as hot as you like them.

Seasonings: Onion, garlic add a savory factor that balances the red pepper sauce. They give a depth of flavor to the wings.

Beer: In our signature recipe, it adds zing and an intriguing flavor to Buffalo wings, enhancing all other ingredients.

Butter: The rich flavor of butter and the fat it contains helps balance the piquancy and spiciness of the other ingredients. It also helps to lightly crisp the chicken wings without the added fat and fuss of deep-fat frying.

How to Reheat & Store Chicken Wings


Reheating Chicken Wings: For chicken wings that have crispy edges and are moist to eat, it is best to enjoy chicken wings right after baking. If you do find yourself with leftover wings, see the Storage Tips below. How you reheat your wings will depend on how many you are reheating at a time and whether you are reheating them in the microwave, oven, or air-fryer. Regardless of the appliance you use, it’s important to make sure that they reach 165°F to be safe to eat. Use a meat thermometer to check the temperature in the thickest part of several pieces (without touching the bone).

Storing Chicken Wings: For the best chicken wings texture and moistness, it’s best to cook and serve the chicken wings on the same day. Chicken wings that have been stored and reheated will be softer and less moist than freshly cooked wings. If you do find yourself with leftover wings, be sure to store them only if they have not been out at room temperature longer than 2 hours. If they have been out longer than 2 hours, it’s best to throw them out, rather than risk any food borne illness. Cooked and cooled chicken wings can be covered and stored in the refrigerator for 5 to 7 days or wrapped tightly and frozen for no longer than 9 months.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon coarse salt
  • 1 bottle (12 oz) beer
  • 2 lb fresh or frozen (thawed) chicken wing sections
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1/4 cup red pepper sauce

Steps

  • 1
    Heat oven to 350°F. Line cookie sheet with foil.
  • 2
    In large bowl, beat brown sugar, salt and beer with whisk. Add chicken wings; toss gently to coat. Refrigerate 30 minutes to brine.
  • 3
    In large resealable food-storage plastic bag, mix onion powder, garlic powder and paprika. Drain chicken; pat dry with paper towels. Discard brine. Add chicken to bag; toss until evenly coated. Place chicken on cookie sheet.
  • 4
    In 1-quart saucepan, melt butter. Stir in pepper sauce. Heat to a simmer. Pour mixture over wings.
  • 5
    Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until juice of chicken is clear when thickest part is cut to bone (165°F). If desired, shake extra pepper sauce over wings after baking.

Tips from the Betty Crocker Kitchens

  • tip 1
    Serve with a side of blue cheese or ranch dressing and celery.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are variations to this Buffalo chicken wing recipe?

Buffalo chicken wings can be made in so many ways! You can vary the spiciness; change the way the sauce is added to the wings, change the coating or sauces you dip them into, change the flavor completely or even cook the wings using different methods. Whatever suits your mood, wings can satisfy.
Try our hot and spicy recipe, if you are a “the hotter, the better” chicken wing connoisseur. Love taco flavors? Our taco wings let you have the best of both worlds!

Or take your wings on a flavor ride, with other ingredients, for an entirely new taste. Try bacon wrapped wings or garlic-Parmesan wings. Enlist the help of your slow cooker, for these amazing teriyaki wings that you can fix and forget. If you’re a wing aficionado, check out these oodles of other wings recipes.

Can I use frozen chicken wings for this recipe?

Yes, you can use either fresh or frozen chicken wing sections for this baked chicken wings recipe. Keeping frozen wings on hand is a terrific way to be able to make chicken wings whenever the craving strikes!
Using Frozen Chicken Wings: Thaw frozen wings completely overnight in the refrigerator (no ice crystals remaining) before cooking them. If they are at all still frozen, ingredients cannot stick to the frozen chicken and will slide right off (and you lose all that fabulous Buffalo flavor), and the wings will be less crispy.

Wing Sections or Whole Wings: We call for chicken wing sections—which means you can use either drummies, the flat (paddle) pieces or both! You can also use whole chicken wings; however, they are more difficult to coat and eat. 2 pounds of chicken wing sections is about 8 whole chicken wings or 16 wing sections. If your store does not carry the chicken wing sections, see below for helpful tips on how to cut whole wings into sections.

How long to Cook Buffalo Chicken Wings in the Oven?

For this baked Buffalo wings recipe, Cook the wings at 350°F, so that they have enough time to cook through without the Buffalo seasonings burning. Be sure to spread out the wings, so they get a chance to get those delicious crispier edges.
Always make sure to cook chicken wings all the way through, to kill any lurking bacteria that can lead to food borne illness. Start by baking them for the minimum time. Using an instant-read meat thermometer, check if the temperature of the thickest parts has reached 165°F. Or, cut a few pieces through to the bone, and see if the juice runs clear. If either of these doneness tests hasn’t been achieved, add a few additional minutes and test again.
Can you Air Fry Chicken Wings? We love these chicken wings in the oven, as you can make them all in one batch and get to enjoying them faster! If you made these in the air fryer, you would have to do them in batches, which can leave the first batch getting cold while you make the next one, or you must keep working on the batches while trying to entertain your guests. We do have some other scrumptious chicken recipes that can be made in the air fryer. Check out this flavorful Southern-Fried Chicken recipe or our very moist and yummy recipe for Air-Fryer Chicken Thighs.

How to make Baked Buffalo Wings Extra Crispy?

Spreading out the wings on the cookie sheet will help expose all the areas of the chicken wings to the heat, so that you will get crispier parts on the wing pieces. For the crispiest chicken wings, you’d need to deep-fat fry them. You can have crispier chicken wings by using a oven-fried recipe that contains a coating for the chicken at a higher temperature. Try our Hot and Spicy Chicken Wings, for a crispier crust, more reminiscent of deep-fried wings.

How to Reheat Chicken Wings

Chicken wings can come in packages of whole wings (where the drummies, flat pieces (paddles) and tips are connected) or come in packages with just drummies or both drummies and paddles. If you buy them whole and wish to separate the pieces (it really helps for eating the wings), use these easy-to-follow cutting directions.
Chicken wings can be found either fresh or frozen. Either will work for this recipe, however, if they are frozen, be sure to completely thaw them first as directed in Can I use frozen chicken wings for this recipe section above. Keeping a bag of frozen wings on hand in your freezer means you can make them any time you get the craving, with the simple pantry ingredients you have in your cupboard.

Nutrition

100 Calories, 8g Total Fat, 6g Protein, 0g Total Carbohydrate, 0g Sugars

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 Serving
Calories
100
Calories from Fat
80
Total Fat
8g
13%
Saturated Fat
4g
19%
Trans Fat
0g
Cholesterol
50mg
16%
Sodium
230mg
10%
Potassium
70mg
2%
Total Carbohydrate
0g
0%
Dietary Fiber
0g
0%
Sugars
0g
Protein
6g
% Daily Value*:
Vitamin A
4%
4%
Vitamin C
2%
2%
Calcium
0%
0%
Iron
0%
0%
Exchanges:
0 Starch; 0 Fruit; 0 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk; 0 Vegetable; 0 Very Lean Meat; 1 Lean Meat; 0 High-Fat Meat; 1 Fat;
Carbohydrate Choice
0
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

More About This Recipe

  • Chicken wings are such a tasty and dare we say indulgent snack to enjoy any time of the day or for any occasion. They are a welcomed appetizer (or make for a fun dinner) wherever they appear—it is finger food at its best! From wings to tenders, skewers to a roasted whole chicken, there are endless ways chicken can fit into any eating occasion and on any budget. Check out these chicken recipes for even more fail-proof ways to enjoy chicken any night of the week.
© 2024 ®/TM General Mills All Rights Reserved
< div class="recipeContentBottom">