W is for: Wings {crispy, oven baked}

I do not profess to be a “wing expert” by any stretch of the imagination.

Start with some good quality wings. It will make a huge difference, I promise. (I like to get mine from Crowd Cow when they have them available, and if you use this link you will get $25 off your first order, which can be used for chicken, pork and beef (even Wagyu!)

Also, start this process THE DAY BEFORE you plan to serve the wings. This is very important.

One of my secrets to achieving crispy wings in the oven is to incorporate a little baking powder in my salt mixture (not to be confused with baking soda.) You get a little dry brine action from the salt, and the baking powder does some crazy science stuff where it changes the pH of the chicken skin and promotes quicker browning. It also helps draw the moisture out of the skin, which can help make it crispier as well. This is especially important when trying to achieve crispy skin in the oven versus frying in oil. Use 1 teaspoon baking powder per every pound of wings and use 2 teaspoons of salt per 3 pounds of chicken.

(This feels like one of those word problems from elementary school, no?)

Basically… I had 3 pounds of wings, so I used 3 teaspoons (or 1 tablespoon) of baking powder, with 2 teaspoons of Kosher salt. Mix them together thoroughly, and distribute evenly over the chicken.

(BTW… this method works for any chicken with skin. I use this with larger drumsticks and bone-in chicken thighs as well.)

Don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty to get it all mixed up.

Set a cooling rack inside a large baking sheet (or in my case two), and spray it with nonstick cooking spray (you can also line the baking sheet with aluminum foil for easier cleanup.) Place the chicken wings on the rack skin side up and, place in the fridge, uncovered, ideally overnight to dry out the skin. (Yes, it takes a little planning, but it’s very much worth it.) At the very least, give it a few hours.

Then season with some coarse black pepper using the cutest, tiniest little scoop. (scoop part is optional… but isn’t it adorable?!)

Place in a 250 degree oven to continue drying out the skin even more. (If you were able to leave the wings overnight in the fridge, you only need to do this part for about 10 minutes. If you weren’t able to do the fridge step, then I would increase this to 25 minutes.) The wings will not look very appetizing at this point… the most important thing is the skin looks good and dry.

Then, increase oven temperature to 450 degrees and cook for another 25-30 minutes, or until skin is bubbling and golden brown. I didn’t find it necessary to flip the wings, but if you feel better about it… then by all means, go for it. You can also run them under the broiler for a couple minutes at the end if the chicken is cooked but the skin isn’t as brown as you’d like.

While wings are cooking, you can prep the Buffalo sauce and the blue cheese dressing, if using. If you follow me on Instagram, then you know I’m obsessed with all of the New Primal Buffalo sauces. I think they are absolutely fabulous as-is (and much healthier to boot), but if you want to get a little fancy, you can add in a little honey (or Mike’s Hot Honey if you have it), and a 1-2 tablespoons of butter.

Pour over the hot chicken wings and give it a good toss with some tongs.

For the blue cheese sauce, all you need is crumbled blue cheese, sour cream, mayo, lemon, Worcestershire sauce, white wine vinegar, granulated garlic, s&p, and freshly snipped chives. Plate the wings next to a little ramekin of the blue cheese dressing.

Sprinkle with some additional chives and serve hot. Then watch them disappear… one by one. What are you making for the games this weekend? (And yes, that is a bread bowl filled with spinach dip… like any good mid-western girl.)

Print Recipe

Crispy Oven Buffalo Wings with Blue Cheese Dipping Sauce

(2 votes, average: 3.00 out of 5)

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Appetizers & Snacks – American

By Jaymee Sire – Serves: 3 lbs

Prep Time: 10 minutes – Cooking Time: 40 minutes – Total Time: 50 minutes

Achieving crispy buffalo wings in the oven is possible! This recipe will reveal two simple secrets to make sure they're a hit at your next party.

Ingredients

• 3 lbs pasture raised chicken wings
• 3 teaspoons baking POWDER (not soda)
• 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
• coarse black pepper, to taste
• 3/4 cup Buffalo sauce (I like New Primal)
• 2 teaspoons honey (optional)
• 1-2 tablespoons butter (optional)
• chopped chives (for garnish)
• 1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese or Gorgonzola
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup mayo
• Juice from 1/2 lemon
• 2 dashes Worcestershire sauce
• 1 dash white wine vinegar (optional)
• 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 1-2 tablespoons chopped chives (for blue cheese dressing and for garnish)
• Freshly ground sea salt & pepper, to taste

Instructions

1

Place wings in a large bowl. Mix together baking powder and Kosher salt. Evenly distribute the salt mixture over the wings. Mix with hands or tongs.

2

Line a large, rimmed baking sheet (or sheets) with aluminum foil and place a cooling rack inside. Spray rack with nonstick cooking spray. Place wings on rack, with a slight space in between each one. Place uncovered in the fridge overnight.

3

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Place chicken in the oven to continue drying out the skin even more. (If you were able to leave the wings overnight in the fridge, you only need to do this part for about 10 minutes. If you weren't able to do the fridge step, then increase this step to 25 minutes.)

4

Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees and cook for another 25-30 minutes, or until skin is bubbling and golden brown. (Optional: run under the broiler for a couple minutes at the very end to achieve more browning.)

5

While wings are cooking, prep the Buffalo sauce and the blue cheese dressing. Mix together Buffalo sauce, honey & butter and heat over low heat on the stove OR microwave for 30-60 seconds in a microwave-safe bowl. In another bowl, mix together the blue cheese, sour cream, mayo, Worcestershire, white wine vinegar, granulated garlic, chives and season to taste with salt and pepper.

6

Once wings are good and crispy, toss them with Buffalo sauce and place on a platter. Sprinkle with chives and serve with blue cheese dressing (and celery & carrots, if desired.)