Restaurant-Style Buffalo Wings and Sauce
Make restaurant-style buffalo wings at home with a buttery tangy sauce. Bake then broil for crispy skin. Includes full sauce recipe and tips.
Every good restaurant that serves wings will make their own buffalo sauce in-house, and it's easy to make your house too. This is a traditional recipe, but feel free to add something intresting like ground allspice or hotter ground chiles like habanero. All buffalo sauces are simply doctored up Louisiana-style hot sauce; a pre-bottled sauce made with cayenne or tabasco chiles and vinegar. Look for brands like Frank’s Original, La Preferida, Louisiana, Crystal, Texas Pete’s, Trappey’s, Slap Ya Mama, etc.. Extra cayenne pepper, melted butter, and honey are the typical ingredients that turn Louisiana-style sauce into Buffalo Sauce. Many restaurants will bake their wings ahead of service and then fry them crispy to order. You can achieve wing perfection without a fryer by baking and broiling your wings. (Works great for any other skin-on cut too!) Comment below to tell us how you like to make your own Buffalo Sauce.
Submitted by: Geoff Marshall M from Chicago, IL
Yield: 2.5 cups of Buffalo Sauce | 32 chicken drumettes and wingettes
- Buffalo sauce is a simple mix of Louisiana-style hot sauce, melted butter, honey, and cayenne; simmer briefly to blend flavors.
- Bake wings at 350 F until cooked, then finish under the broiler to get crisp skin without a fryer.
- Adjust heat with cayenne or honey, store sauce separately, and watch your broiler because every oven is different.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a different hot sauce than the recipe calls for?
Yes. The recipe uses Louisiana-style cayenne hot sauces because they give the classic flavor. You can swap brands like Frank's, Crystal, or Texas Pete. If you only have one bottle, use two cups of that brand instead of the 1 cup + 1 cup split in the recipe. Taste and adjust since brands vary in heat and vinegar.
How do I make the sauce less or more spicy?
To tame the heat, cut the cayenne powder, add extra honey, or increase the butter slightly. To boost heat, add more cayenne or a small pinch of hotter chile powder like habanero. Change the spice a little at a time, simmer, then taste before serving.
How can I get crispy wings without a deep fryer?
Pat wings very dry, toss with a bit of oil and seasoning, then bake at 350 F until the meat reaches 165 F. Move to the top rack and broil on high for 5 to 10 minutes per side while watching closely. Use space on the pan so air can circulate. A short, high-heat broil gives the crisp finish.
Can I make the sauce dairy-free or vegan?
Yes. Replace the unsalted butter with a plant-based butter or a neutral oil. The flavor will change slightly, but you keep the vinegar, hot sauce, and honey. For fully vegan, swap honey for maple syrup or agave.
How long can I store the sauce and leftover wings?
Cool sauce and refrigerate in a sealed container for up to one week. It can be frozen for up to three months but texture may change. Cooked wings keep 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Reheat in the oven to regain crispness and heat to an internal 165 F before eating.
How do I thicken the buffalo sauce if it is too thin?
Simmer the sauce a few minutes longer to reduce and concentrate it. For a quicker fix, whisk in a small cornstarch slurry (1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water), simmer until glossy. You can also whisk in a touch more melted butter to help emulsify and thicken.
What internal temperature should the wings reach and any broiler tips?
Cook wings until the thickest part reaches 165 F for safety. Many cooks go to 175 F for more tender meat. When broiling, watch constantly because broilers vary. Flip once and move the pan so wings brown evenly. Let wings rest a few minutes before tossing in sauce.
Can I use a different hot sauce than the recipe calls for?
Yes. The recipe uses Louisiana-style cayenne hot sauces because they give the classic flavor. You can swap brands like Frank's, Crystal, or Texas Pete. If you only have one bottle, use two cups of that brand instead of the 1 cup + 1 cup split in the recipe. Taste and adjust since brands vary in heat and vinegar.
How do I make the sauce less or more spicy?
To tame the heat, cut the cayenne powder, add extra honey, or increase the butter slightly. To boost heat, add more cayenne or a small pinch of hotter chile powder like habanero. Change the spice a little at a time, simmer, then taste before serving.
How can I get crispy wings without a deep fryer?
Pat wings very dry, toss with a bit of oil and seasoning, then bake at 350 F until the meat reaches 165 F. Move to the top rack and broil on high for 5 to 10 minutes per side while watching closely. Use space on the pan so air can circulate. A short, high-heat broil gives the crisp finish.
Can I make the sauce dairy-free or vegan?
Yes. Replace the unsalted butter with a plant-based butter or a neutral oil. The flavor will change slightly, but you keep the vinegar, hot sauce, and honey. For fully vegan, swap honey for maple syrup or agave.
How long can I store the sauce and leftover wings?
Cool sauce and refrigerate in a sealed container for up to one week. It can be frozen for up to three months but texture may change. Cooked wings keep 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Reheat in the oven to regain crispness and heat to an internal 165 F before eating.
How do I thicken the buffalo sauce if it is too thin?
Simmer the sauce a few minutes longer to reduce and concentrate it. For a quicker fix, whisk in a small cornstarch slurry (1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water), simmer until glossy. You can also whisk in a touch more melted butter to help emulsify and thicken.
What internal temperature should the wings reach and any broiler tips?
Cook wings until the thickest part reaches 165 F for safety. Many cooks go to 175 F for more tender meat. When broiling, watch constantly because broilers vary. Flip once and move the pan so wings brown evenly. Let wings rest a few minutes before tossing in sauce.
Made them during the ncaa basketball games everyone luv them.. thank you . Spice house