Buffalo wings are the ultimate game day appetizer and party food. But guess what? We don’t have to confine these hot wings to just football season! Here’s my recipe for the best buffalo wings, which are a spicy spin on these delicious double fried wings.
That means we’ve got the flavor of classic Buffalo wings — plus some extra sweetness — paired with the smoking, frying and saucing masterpiece that is double fried wings. Add some ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing and it’ll be like your personal Super Bowl party any day of the week.
Why You’ll Love Buffalo Wings
Buffalo wings were invented in western New York city. There are plenty of stories about how classic Buffalo chicken wings came to be, but all I need to know is that they’re so freakin’ delicious.
Because I love putting my own spin on an oldie but goodie recipe, we’ve got local honey in our homemade Buffalo sauce to add a tinge of sweetness to the heat of the wings. The double frying method really gets us those extra crispy Buffalo wings. The smoking step helps to add some savory smoke to the whole combo!
In this recipe I utilize the process of smoking and then frying the wings. This process works amazing for wings, as can also be seen in Smoked Double Fried Wings and Smoked and Fried Sticky Wings. I also used this process for my Ribs, Turkey and even Chicharrones! It’s a cooking process that definitely worth trying since it results in a crispy exterior texture while also keeping the meat inside tender and juicy!
Buffalo Wings Ingredients
- Chicken Wings: We’ll season our 2 pounds of chicken wings — either whole chicken wings or what are known as “party wings,” where the drumette and the flat are already separated — with kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder and cayenne powder. You’ll also want about a quart of frying oil on hand.
- Buffalo Wing Sauce: To make our homemade buffalo sauce, we’ll use 1 cup of cayenne pepper sauce (Frank’s Hot Sauce is a great option) with local honey, unsalted butter and kosher salt.
Homemade Ranch Dressing
I’ve used this easy ranch dressing recipe for my smoked jalapeño poppers. It’s super simple, and it works just as well here if you want something different than blue cheese dip! In a small bowl, mix together 1/2 cup of sour cream, 1/3 cup of buttermilk, 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise, 2 teaspoons of lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt, 1 minced fresh garlic clove and chopped fresh herbs of your choice (I like to use cilantro, dill and parsley). Stick it in the fridge for about 15 minutes to let the flavors meld, then serve and enjoy.
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How to Make Buffalo Wings
Get ready for the best wings that Buffalo has ever seen!
Grilling the Wings
First, slather your chicken wings in canola oil. In a bowl, mix together 1 tablespoon of kosher salt, 1 tablespoon of black pepper, 1/2 tablespoon of cayenne and 1 tablespoon of garlic powder. Then, add the spice mixture to the chicken and mix thoroughly. Set chicken in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Preheat your grill to 250 degrees Fahrenheit for two-zone indirect cooking. If you’d like some extra smoke flavor, add some wood chips to the fire. Then, place your chicken wings on the smoker and cook for about 2-2.5 hours or until 165F internal. Once the wings are done, pull them off and keep them warm until you’re ready to use them.
Frying the Wings
Next, kick up the heat in your grill to 400 degrees F. Add 1 cup of hot sauce, 1/2 cup of local honey, 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter and kosher salt to taste to a cast-iron skillet. Bring those ingredients to a simmer; once the sauce has begun to bubble up on the sides for 1 minute, pull it off the fire and keep it warm you’re ready.
If you’re a fan of buffalo sauce, make sure to also check out my Buffalo Chicken Quesadilla, Cheesy Buffalo Chicken Sliders and Easy Buffalo Chicken Dip with Stuffed Crust. All of which are great to enjoy on your own, or shareable for a party!
Next, place a Dutch oven on the smoker and carefully add your frying oil. You’ll want to heat the oil up to 350 degrees F before you add your chicken wings. Carefully add the cooked wings to the frying oil, in small batches as needed, and cook for 2-3 minutes. Flip and stir occasionally.
After the wings have fried for the first time, pull them off and place them in a large bowl. Toss chicken wings with about 1 cup of your buttery Buffalo sauce.
Then, add the tossed Buffalo wings back to the frying oil at the same temperature and fry for another 2-3 minutes, again in small batches if needed. Once they’re done frying, toss the Buffalo wings again in more sauce.
Serving Buffalo Wings
When you’ve finished cooking the wings, place them on a plate with ranch dressing or blue cheese dip. Serve and enjoy!
What to Serve with Buffalo Wings
Celery sticks, of course. But really any crunchy vegetable would be great here — especially if you can dip it in the ranch or blue cheese dressing! A simple Caesar salad is a delicious option too.
Leftovers and Reheating
For leftover Buffalo wings, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. To reheat, use a 350 degree F oven or air fryer to help maintain the crispy texture. Microwaving can make these wings soggy, and no one is happy about a soggy wing!
For More Chicken Wings
FAQs
Spice is such a personal preference. Fortunately, Buffalo recipes give you the option to make your wings mild or with a super spicy kick. Just use less or more cayenne pepper when you first season the chicken to match your taste buds.
Sure! These Buffalo wings taste the best when they’re fresh and crispy, you can partially make them ahead of time. Smoke and fry the wings, then refrigerate or freeze them. When you’re ready for your party, complete the second fry and toss the wings in the Buffalo sauce.
Like I said, there are plenty of origin stories out there about Buffalo wings, but a lot of stories point to Buffalo’s Anchor Bar as home to the geniuses who invented Buffalo wings. The restaurant now has locations all over the U.S., so grab me a Buffalo wing T-shirt if you go!
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Buffalo Wings
Ingredients
Chicken Wings:
- 2 lbs of Chicken Wings
- 1 tbsp Kosher Salt
- 1 tbsp Black Pepper
- 1 tbsp Garlic Powder
- ½ tbsp Cayenne Powder
- Canola Oil as needed
- 1 qt Frying Oil peanut or vegetable
Buffalo Sauce:
- 1 cup Hot Sauce cayenne based
- 1/2 cup Local Honey
- 2 tbsp Unsalted Butter
- Kosher Salt to taste
Instructions
- Slather your chicken wings in oil.
- In a bowl, mix together your salt, pepper, cayenne and garlic then add to the chicken. Mix thoroughly.
- Set chicken in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Preheat your grill to 250F for a two zone indirect cooking. Add some wood chips for added smoke flavor if desired.
- Add your chicken wings to the smoker and cook for about 2-2.5 hours or until 165F internal.
- Once the wings are done, pull them off and keep warm until ready to use.
- Next, kick up the heat in your grill to 400F. Add a cast iron skillet with all the ingredients for the Buffalo Sauce and let come to a simmer. Once it has begun to bubble up on the sides for 1 minute, pull off and keep warm till ready to use.
- Next, add a dutch oven to the grill and *carefully* add your frying oil heating up to 350F.
- Carefully add wings to frying oil (cooking in batches as needed) and cook for 2-3 minutes. Flip and stir occasionally.
- After they have fried for the first time, pull them off and add to a large bowl. Add about 1 cup off your buffalo sauce and toss.
- Next, add the tossed wings back to the frying oil at the same temperature and fry for another 2-3 minutes (cooking in batches as needed).
- Once fried, toss them again in more buffalo sauce.
- When the wings are done, place them on a plate with ranch or blue cheese. Serve and enjoy!
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