Spicy Buffalo Chicken Wings

Why This Spicy Buffalo Chicken Wings Works

In the oven, the flour coating dries out on the chicken wings and forms a thin crust. That crust gives the skin something to cling to as the fat under the skin melts. As the fat slowly renders, the outside of the wings firms up and browns, while the meat inside stays juicy instead of drying out. Turning the wings halfway lets more of the surface hit the hot air, so more of the skin tightens and crisps.

While the wings bake, the butter and hot sauce melt together into a smooth, slightly thick sauce. The butter softens the sharp heat of the hot sauce and lets it cling to the wings instead of sliding off. Once the hot wings are tossed in the warm sauce, that dry, crisp flour layer soaks in just enough of the butter and hot sauce to get sticky and glossy, but not soggy. So the wings end up with tender meat, a bit of crunch under the sauce, and a coating that actually stays on each piece.

Mistakes To Avoid

Letting the wings go into the oven wet or sticky from the fridge keeps the flour from clinging properly. The coating then turns patchy and gummy instead of forming a dry crust, so the sauce later soaks in unevenly and the wings feel soggy instead of crisp on the outside.

Crowding all the wings onto one baking sheet in a tight layer makes them steam instead of roast. The skin never really dries out, fat doesn’t render well, and the wings come out pale and soft rather than browned with a slight crunch.

Pulling the wings out of the oven too early leaves the meat near the bone undercooked and a bit rubbery. The skin also stays flabby, so even with a good sauce, the bite feels chewy and slightly slippery instead of firm and cooked through.

Letting the butter get too hot when melting it for the sauce causes it to brown or separate. The hot sauce then doesn’t blend smoothly, so the coating looks oily, slides off the wings, and leaves greasy puddles on the plate.