Secret to Perfect and Easy Crispy Buffalo Wings (No Breading!)

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Listen, I’ve been making buffalo wings for game day parties for years, and I’m about to let you in on the secret that changed everything: you don’t need flour or breading to get ridiculously crispy wings. In fact, skipping the breading actually makes them CRISPIER. I know, it sounds backwards, but hear me out – this baking powder trick creates the most insanely crispy, restaurant-quality buffalo wings you’ve ever made at home.

Why I’m Obsessed with Game Day Food

You guys know me – I am a HUGE football fan. I mean, I look forward to fall all year long. It’s my absolute favorite season. Between the boots, the sweaters, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and most importantly, football – what’s not to love? And when there’s football, there’s food, folks, and fun. Those are my favorite ‘F’ words!

My perfect game day spread? These crispy buffalo wings, loaded baked potato skins, easy taco dip, and Fluffernutter brownies with an icy cold Angry Orchard (that’s my jam!). Sure, I could just go to Buffalo Wild Wings – and trust me, I love B-Dubs – but there’s something so satisfying about making wings at home that are just as good (or better!) for a fraction of the price.

The No-Breading Method: Why It Works

I know what you’re thinking: “Nicole, don’t I need flour to make wings crispy?” Nope! Actually, the opposite is true.

Here’s the deal: when you coat wings in flour or batter, you’re adding a barrier between the oil/heat and the skin. Yes, you get crispy breading, but the SKIN underneath stays kind of soggy and rubbery. Not what we want!

When you skip the breading entirely:

• The chicken skin makes direct contact with the heat
• All the moisture evaporates from the skin (this is KEY)
• The skin gets ultra-crispy and renders out its fat
• You taste actual CHICKEN flavor, not just fried batter

Plus, it’s WAY easier. No messy flour station, no egg wash, no sticky hands. Just season and cook. Done.

The Baking Powder Secret (This is the Magic!)

Okay, here’s where I blow your mind: 1 tablespoon of baking powder on 3 pounds of wings is the secret to making them extra crispy.

I learned this trick from my Air Fryer Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wings, and now I use it on ALL my wings, whether I’m deep frying, baking, or air frying.

What baking powder does:

• Raises the pH of the chicken skin
• Helps break down proteins in the skin
• Allows the skin to brown and crisp up faster
• Creates that ultra-crunchy texture that restaurants achieve

This is literally the same trick professional kitchens use. You’re not going to taste the baking powder at all – you’re just going to taste perfectly crispy, golden wings that make everyone think you’re a culinary genius.

IMPORTANT: Use baking powder, NOT baking soda! They’re different. Baking soda will make your wings taste weird and soapy. Baking powder is the move.

3 Ways to Make These Buffalo Wings

Not everyone has a deep fryer sitting in their kitchen (I do, but I get it!), so I’m giving you three different methods. All of them work beautifully:

Method 1: Deep Fryer (My Original Method)

Best for: Traditional buffalo wing texture, authentic experience
Time: 10-12 minutes per batch
Crispy level: 10/10

This is how I originally make them in the post, and honestly? There’s something about deep-fried wings that just hits different. That crackling sound when you bite into them? Chef’s kiss.

Method 2: Oven-Baked

Best for: Making large batches, less mess, no special equipment
Time: 45-50 minutes
Crispy level: 8/10 (still really crispy!)

Perfect for when you’re making wings for a crowd and don’t want to stand over a fryer for an hour. You can fit way more wings in the oven at once.

Method 3: Air Fryer

Best for: Small batches, maximum crispiness with less oil
Time: 24-27 minutes
Crispy level: 9/10

The air fryer gives you that deep-fried texture without all the oil. It’s my go-to when I’m making wings just for my husband and me.

The 3 Secrets to Extra-Crispy Wings (No Matter Which Method)

After making literally hundreds of batches of wings over the years, I’ve learned these three non-negotiables:

Secret #1: Pat Them BONE DRY

This is the #1 most important step and where most people mess up. Wet skin = soggy wings. Period.

When you take the wings out of the package, there’s moisture everywhere. You need to:

• Use a ton of paper towels (I’m talking 6-8 sheets for 3 lbs of wings)
• Pat every single wing completely dry
• Let them air-dry on a wire rack for 15-20 minutes

I know it seems obsessive, but trust me – this step alone will make or break your wings.

Secret #2: Let Them Come to Room Temperature

I used to throw cold wings straight from the fridge into hot oil, and they’d turn out fine but not amazing. Then I learned this trick:

Let wings sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes before cooking.

Why? When cold chicken hits hot oil (or a hot oven), the temperature drops dramatically. The oil/oven has to work overtime to get back up to temp while your wings are cooking, which means:

• Uneven cooking
• Less crispy skin
• Greasy wings (for fried version)

Room temp wings = consistent temperature = perfectly crispy results every single time.

Secret #3: Don’t Overcrowd

Whether you’re using a deep fryer, oven, or air fryer – give your wings SPACE.

Crowded wings = steaming instead of crisping. And we definitely don’t want steamed wings!

• Deep fryer: Only 5-7 wings at a time
• Oven: Single layer on a wire rack, wings not touching
• Air fryer: One layer, no stacking

Yes, this means working in batches. Yes, it takes longer. But it’s worth it for crispy wings that don’t turn into a soggy mess.

How to Make Extra Crispy Buffalo Wings (Step-by-Step)

PREP THE WINGS (All Methods Start Here)

Step 1: Dry the Wings Take your 3 lbs of party chicken wings out of the package and pat them DRY. Like, completely, totally dry. Use tons of paper towels. I’m serious about this!

Step 2: Season with the Baking Powder Magic In a large bowl, toss the wings with:

• ½ tsp kosher salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp baking powder

Mix them around until every wing is lightly coated. It’s going to look like barely any seasoning – that’s normal! We’re keeping it simple because the buffalo sauce has all the flavor.

Step 3: Air Dry This is where the magic happens. Place the seasoned wings on a wire rack and let them sit for 30 minutes at room temperature.

During this time:

• The baking powder penetrates the skin
• The skin dries out even more
• The wings come to room temp for even cooking

You can even do this step in the fridge overnight if you’re meal prepping! Just cover them loosely and let them sit uncovered in the fridge for up to 24 hours. The longer they dry, the crispier they’ll be.

METHOD 1: DEEP FRYER WINGS (My Original Method)

Step 1: Heat Your Oil Fill your deep fryer (or a large, heavy pot) with vegetable oil. Heat to 375°F. Use a thermometer! Temperature matters.

Step 2: Fry in Small Batches Add only 5-7 wings at a time. Don’t overcrowd! The oil temperature will drop when you add the wings, so you don’t want to drop it too much.

Step 3: Listen for the Crackle Fry for 10-12 minutes. You’ll know they’re ready when you hear this crackling, popping sound. It’s like ASMR for buffalo wing lovers. That sound means the skin is perfectly crispy.

They should be golden brown and floating. If you’re unsure, the internal temperature should hit 165°F.

Step 4: Drain Remove wings to a wire cooling rack set over a baking sheet (or a paper towel-lined plate). This lets excess oil drip off while keeping the bottom crispy.

Important: Let the oil come back up to 375°F before adding your next batch!

METHOD 2: OVEN-BAKED WINGS

Step 1: Preheat & Prep

• Preheat oven to 425°F
• Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil (makes cleanup SO much easier)
• Place a wire cooling rack on top of the foil
• Spray the rack with nonstick spray

Step 2: Arrange Wings Place wings on the rack in a single layer. Make sure they’re not touching – air needs to circulate around each wing.

If you have more wings than fit on one rack, use two baking sheets. Don’t stack them!

Step 3: Bake Low, Then Flip

• Bake for 25 minutes
• Flip each wing over
• Bake another 20-25 minutes

Total time: 45-50 minutes

How to tell they’re done:

• Skin should be golden brown and crispy
• Wings should look dry (not wet or oily)
• Internal temp should hit 165°F

METHOD 3: AIR FRYER WINGS

Step 1: Preheat Preheat your air fryer to 400°F for 3-5 minutes.

Step 2: Arrange in Batches Place wings in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Don’t stack! You’ll probably need to do 2-3 batches for 3 lbs of wings.

Step 3: Cook & Flip

• Cook for 12 minutes
• Flip each wing
• Cook another 12-15 minutes

Total time per batch: 24-27 minutes

Pro tip: Keep the finished batches warm in a 200°F oven while you cook the rest.

The Homemade Buffalo Sauce (Better Than Store-Bought!)

Okay, y’all. I could use bottled buffalo sauce and call it a day. But making your own takes literally 5 minutes and tastes SO much better. Plus, you can control the heat level!

What You’ll Need:

• 1¼ cups hot sauce (I use Frank’s RedHot – it’s classic)
• 1½ sticks (12 tbsp) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• ¼ tsp garlic powder
• ¼ tsp onion powder
• ¼ tsp smoked paprika (heaping)
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar

How to Make It:

Step 1: Heat the Sauce In a small saucepan over low to medium heat, add the hot sauce and all the spices (garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and vinegar).

Whisk everything together and heat until it’s steaming – NOT boiling. If it boils, it can break and separate.

Step 2: Add Cold Butter Gradually This is important! Add the cold butter about 4 tablespoons at a time, whisking after each addition until it’s fully melted and incorporated.

Why cold butter? It emulsifies into the sauce instead of just melting on top. This creates that thick, glossy, stick-to-the-wings coating we’re after.

Step 3: Keep It from Breaking Once all the butter is incorporated, remove from heat. If you have a mason jar with a lid, pour the sauce in there and shake it every few minutes to keep it emulsified.

If the sauce sits too long and starts to separate, just shake it vigorously and it’ll come back together!

Make-ahead tip: You can make this sauce 2-3 days ahead! Store it in the fridge and gently reheat in a saucepan over low heat before using. Just don’t boil it

How to Toss Wings Like a Pro

There’s a right way and a wrong way to sauce wings. The wrong way = soggy, over-sauced wings that fall apart. The right way = perfectly coated, still-crispy wings.

The Right Way:

Step 1: Place your hot, just-cooked wings in a large mixing bowl

Step 2: Pour about ⅓ of your buffalo sauce over the wings

Step 3: Use tongs to gently toss, OR put a lid on the bowl and shake

Step 4: Transfer to a serving platter or cooling rack

Step 5: Drizzle just a tiny bit more sauce on top for presentation

Why not dump all the sauce at once? Too much sauce makes the wings soggy and you lose that crispy texture we worked so hard for! Plus, you want to serve extra sauce on the side for people who want to dip.

Pro tip: I sauce half the wings and leave half naked (or lightly sauced) for people who don’t like spicy food or kids. Everyone’s happy!

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Super Bowl Game Plan: How Many Wings Do You Need?

The Super Bowl is coming up (February 9!), and wings are basically a requirement, right? Here’s how to plan:

Per person estimates:

• If you have other food: 6-8 wings per person
• If wings are the main thing: 10-12 wings per person
• If you know wing fanatics: 12-16 wings per person

For typical parties:

• 10 people (with other apps): 5-6 lbs wings (about 60-70 pieces)
• 10 people (wings are the star): 8-10 lbs wings (about 90-110 pieces)
• 20 people (mixed crowd): 12-15 lbs wings (about 130-165 pieces)

My advice: Always make MORE than you think you need. I have literally never had leftover buffalo wings. People will keep eating them until they’re gone. It’s just science.

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Game Day Timeline (So You’re Not Stressed!)

Here’s how I time everything for a typical Sunday game with 6:30 PM kickoff:

2-3 DAYS BEFORE:

• Buy wings and all ingredients
• Make buffalo sauce (store in fridge)

DAY BEFORE:

• Pat wings dry
• Season with salt, pepper, and baking powder
• Place on wire rack, loosely cover
• Refrigerate overnight (dries out skin even more!)

GAME DAY – 2 HOURS BEFORE:

• Take wings out of fridge (come to room temp)
• Preheat oven/fryer
• Cut up celery and carrots
• Set up serving station

GAME DAY – 1 HOUR BEFORE:

• Start cooking wings
• Gently reheat buffalo sauce

30 MINUTES BEFORE KICKOFF:

• Toss wings in sauce
• Arrange on serving platter with veggies and dips
• Pour yourself that Angry Orchard because you earned it!

DURING GAME:

• Keep extra wings warm in 200°F oven
• Bring out fresh batches at halftime

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What to Serve with Buffalo Wings

The classic setup is what I do every time:

Must-Haves:

• Celery sticks – the traditional palate cleanser
• Carrot sticks – adds color and a little sweetness
• Ranch dressing – cooling and creamy (my preference!)
• Blue cheese dressing – the traditional buffalo wing pairing

My Full Game Day Spread:

• These buffalo wings (duh)
• Loaded potato skins
• Easy taco dip
• Chips and salsa
• Fluffernutter brownies for dessert

Drinks:

• Angry Orchard (my favorite!)
• Beer selection
• Soda
• Iced tea
• LOTS of water (spicy wings = thirsty people!)

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How to Keep Wings Crispy for Hours

Nothing’s worse than making perfect crispy wings only to have them turn soggy by halftime. Here’s how I keep them crispy:

Trick #1: Don’t Sauce Them All at Once Only sauce what you’re serving immediately. Keep the rest warm and unsauced in a 200°F oven on a wire rack. Sauce new batches as needed throughout the game.

Trick #2: Use a Wire Rack for Serving Don’t just pile wings on a plate! Use a wire rack set over a platter. This prevents wings from sitting in sauce and getting soggy underneath.

Trick #3: Serve at Room Temp Piping hot wings actually steam themselves and get soggy. Let them cool for about 5 minutes after saucing. Room temp wings stay crispy way longer.

Trick #4: Keep Extras Warm the Right Way Store extra unsauced wings in a 200°F oven on a wire rack. Bring out fresh batches every hour or so, sauce them, and watch them disappear!

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Storage & Reheating (For Meal Prep)

Refrigerator:

• Store cooked, unsauced wings in an airtight container for 3-4 days
• Store sauce separately in a jar for up to 1 week
• Reheat and sauce fresh when ready to eat

Freezer:

• Freeze cooked, unsauced wings in a single layer on a baking sheet
• Once frozen, transfer to freezer bags
• Keeps for up to 3 months
• DON’T freeze sauced wings (sauce gets weird)

Best Way to Reheat:

• Oven: 375°F for 10-15 minutes on a wire rack (crispiest!)
• Air fryer: 350°F for 5-7 minutes (almost as good as fresh)
• Microwave: Only if desperate, 30-second intervals (they lose crispness)

Important: Always reheat wings first, THEN sauce them. This keeps them crispy instead of soggy.

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Troubleshooting: When Wings Go Wrong

Problem: Wings aren’t crispy

What went wrong:

• You didn’t pat them dry enough
• You skipped the baking powder
• You overcrowded the pan/fryer/air fryer
• Wings were too cold when they went in

Fix it:

• Next time, be more aggressive with drying
• Don’t skip the baking powder step!
• Give wings more space
• Let them sit at room temp for 30 minutes first

Problem: Wings taste bland

What went wrong:

• Not enough seasoning before cooking
• Not enough buffalo sauce

Fix it:

• Don’t be shy with the salt before cooking!
• Use more buffalo sauce when tossing
• Add extra garlic and onion powder to the sauce

Problem: Buffalo sauce is too runny

What went wrong:

• Butter wasn’t cold enough
• Sauce was too hot when adding butter

Fix it:

• Use cold butter straight from the fridge
• Let sauce cool to steaming (not boiling) before adding butter
• Whisk vigorously to emulsify

Problem: Wings are burnt outside but raw inside

What went wrong:

• Temperature too high
• Wings too large/thick

Fix it:

• Lower temp by 25°F
• Use smaller party wings
• Check internal temp with thermometer (should be 165°F)

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Buffalo Wing Variations (Mix It Up!)

Once you master the basic buffalo wing, try these variations:

Honey Buffalo

Add 2-3 tablespoons of honey to the buffalo sauce. Creates a sweeter, sticky glaze that’s less spicy.

Garlic Parmesan

Skip the buffalo sauce. Toss wings in melted garlic butter and grated parmesan. So good! (I have a whole recipe for these: Air Fryer Garlic Parmesan Wings)

BBQ Buffalo Fusion

Mix ½ cup buffalo sauce with ½ cup BBQ sauce. Best of both worlds!

Extra Spicy

Use cayenne-based hot sauce instead of Frank’s, and add ½ tsp cayenne pepper to the sauce.

Asian-Inspired

Replace vinegar with rice vinegar, add 1 tsp sesame oil, and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Commonly Asked Questions

Similar Recipes

If you like this chicken wing recipe, you will like the ones below:

• Chargrilled Chicken Wings Recipe
• Mango Habanero Chicken Wings
• Honey Ginger Barbecue Chicken Wings
• Air Fryer Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wings
• Pineapple Tequila Sticky Chicken Wings

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