Extra Crispy Buffalo Chicken Wings
Updated: 2 days ago
By Chef Jon Ashton | Published April 9, 2025
Why you'll love it: shatteringly crisp · a richer Buffalo sauce · crunch that lasts · made for a crowd · your heat, your way · the proper dippers.
Golden, crunchy, and gloriously spicy, these wings are everything a game day (or any day) dreams of being.
They're my answer to game day: a big platter, a pile of napkins and a crunch you can hear across the room. The secret is a light cornstarch batter and two trips through the hot oil, then a buttery Buffalo sauce tossed on at the very last minute.
As seen on TODAY and The Tonight Show · Parade magazine's chef for 10 years · About Chef Jon →
Before you start: You'll need a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, a deep-fry thermometer and an instant read thermometer. Set a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet before the oil goes on, and have a slotted spoon or spider ready. If your wings are whole, cut them at the joints and discard the tips. The sauce takes five minutes, so make it while the wings rest between fries. New to deep frying or checking doneness? This short Kitchen School lesson will help: Safe internal temperatures
Extra Crispy Buffalo Chicken Wings
Serves 4
Oil: 350°F, then 375°F
Total: about 45 minutes
Level: Medium
Equipment: Rimmed Baking Sheet, Chef Cooling Rack, Sauce Pan, Instant Read Thermometer. Also useful: Dutch Oven.
Ingredients
For Frying
2 quarts (1.9 litres) canola oil
1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons (24 g) cornstarch
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1½ cups (360 ml) water
3 pounds (1.35 kg) chicken wings, cut at the joints, wing tips discarded
For the Buffalo Sauce
8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113 g) unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, finely grated or pressed
1 cup (240 ml) Frank’s RedHot Original Sauce
2 tablespoons (30 ml) Tabasco sauce (or more, to taste)
2 tablespoons (25 g) dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon (15 ml) BBQ sauce
Method
Prepare the Frying Station: Set a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet and place it near your cooking area. Attach a deep-fry thermometer to a large Dutch oven or heavy pot. Fill the pot no more than halfway with canola oil and heat over medium-high to 350°F (175°C). You'll know it's right when the thermometer holds steady at 350°F before the first wing goes in.
Make the Coating Batter: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, salt, and the water until smooth. The consistency should resemble thin pancake batter. If the batter looks thick and gloopy, whisk in a little more water, a spoonful at a time, until it coats the back of a spoon thinly. Too much batter makes a heavy crust.
First Fry: Working in two batches, dip half the chicken wings into the batter, allowing any excess to drip back into the bowl. Gently lower the coated wings into the hot oil. Increase the heat to high and stir once or twice during cooking to keep the wings from sticking together. Fry for 7 minutes, or until the coating is pale golden and just beginning to crisp. Use a slotted spoon or spider to transfer the wings to the prepared rack to drain. Repeat with the second batch. You'll know it's right when the coating is pale golden and just starting to crisp. It will deepen in colour on the second fry. If the oil temperature drops a long way when the wings go in, the batch is too big. Fry fewer at a time and let the oil climb back up before the next batch.
Make the Buffalo Sauce: While the wings rest, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, until fragrant. Whisk in the Frank’s, Tabasco, brown sugar, and BBQ sauce and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Keep warm. You'll know it's right when the sugar has dissolved and the sauce looks smooth and glossy, with no butter pooling on top. If the butter separates and floats on top, take the pan off the heat and whisk hard for a few seconds. Keep it warm, not boiling.
Second Fry: Increase the oil temperature to 375°F (190°C). Carefully return all the wings to the oil for a second fry. Cook for another 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until deeply golden brown and crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to the wire rack. Let them rest for 2 minutes. This brief pause helps set the crust before saucing. You'll know it's right when the wings are deep golden and crisp, and the thickest one reads at least 165°F near the bone.
Sauce and Serve: Transfer the wings to a large bowl, pour over the warm Buffalo sauce, and toss to coat. Serve immediately with celery sticks and blue cheese or ranch dressing. You'll know it's right when every wing is glossy and evenly coated, and you can still hear the crust crackle as you toss them. Sauce the wings right before they go to the table. They'll still crackle when you bite in.
How to Store
Fridge: refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking. Keep in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days.
Reheating: reheat on a rack in a 400°F (200°C) oven or an air fryer until hot and crisp, about 10 minutes, and at least 165°F (74°C) in the centre. The microwave makes them soggy.
The sauce: leftover sauce keeps covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. Warm it gently, whisking, before using.
All About Extra Crispy Buffalo Wings
What Makes These Wings Extra Crispy?
Three things, working together.
First, the batter. A thin mix of flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, salt and water gives each wing a light shell. The cornstarch is what makes it shatter rather than turn bready.
Second, the double fry. The first fry at 350°F (175°C) cooks the chicken through and sets the coating. A short rest, then a second fry at 375°F (190°C), drives off the last of the moisture and turns the crust deep golden and properly crisp.
Third, timing. Toss the wings in the warm Buffalo sauce right before they go to the table. Sauce them early and even the best crust will soften.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Chicken wings. Buy them already split into drumettes and flats if you can. It saves time and makes for even cooking.
Oil. Canola, peanut or any neutral oil with a high smoke point. You need enough to fill the pot no more than halfway.
Frank's RedHot. It gives the sauce its classic tangy, vinegary flavour. Another cayenne and vinegar hot sauce will work, though the flavour will change a little.
Tabasco. This is your heat dial. Add more for fire, or leave it out for a milder sauce.
Dark brown sugar and BBQ sauce. Just a little of each rounds out the sauce. Light brown sugar works fine if that's what you have.
Butter. Not optional. It's what turns hot sauce into Buffalo sauce.
Wings for a Crowd on Game Day
This recipe's 3 pounds (1.35 kg) of wings serves 4 as a main, and stretches further as part of a spread with chili, dips and nibbles.
To make more, multiply everything and fry in batches. Never crowd the pot. Small batches keep the oil hot and the wings crisp.
Keep each finished batch on the wire rack while you fry the next, and make a double batch of sauce in a wide pan so you can toss the wings in rounds as people are ready to eat.
Set out the celery, carrots, blue cheese and ranch before the first wing hits the oil. Then all that's left is the tossing, and the applause.
Can You Make Buffalo Wings Ahead?
Wings are at their very best fried and sauced just before serving, but you can get a head start.
The sauce: make it up to 3 days ahead, cool it and keep it covered in the fridge. Warm it gently, whisking, before tossing.
The prep: cut the wings, mix the dry ingredients for the batter and prepare the celery, carrots and dips earlier in the day. Keep the raw wings in the fridge until you're ready to fry.
Leftovers: refrigerate within 2 hours in an airtight container and eat within 3 to 4 days. Reheat on a rack in a 400°F (200°C) oven or an air fryer until piping hot and crisp, at least 165°F (74°C).
How Do I Know the Wings Are Cooked?
Colour alone can fool you, especially with a batter. Use an instant read thermometer in the thickest part of the biggest wing, close to the bone but not touching it.
Chicken is safe at 165°F (74°C). Wings are full of connective tissue, so they're even more tender a little above that, which the second fry takes care of.
Key Ingredients
Chicken Wings: Cut at the joints with the tips discarded, they cook evenly and give you plenty of crisp skin and juicy meat.
Cornstarch: Whisked into the thin batter with the flour, it is what makes the coating shatteringly crisp.
Garlic Powder: It seasons the batter so the crust itself is full of savoury flavour.
Canola Oil: A neutral oil with a high smoke point, it handles both fries cleanly without adding any flavour of its own.
Frank's RedHot Original Sauce: The tangy, vinegary backbone of the Buffalo sauce, with a fairly mild heat.
Unsalted Butter: Melted into the hot sauce, it softens the heat and makes the sauce rich, glossy and essential.
Tabasco Sauce: It turns up the heat, so add more to taste if you like it fiery.
Dark Brown Sugar and BBQ Sauce: A little of each rounds the sauce out with a touch of sweetness and depth.
Blue Cheese or Ranch?
Blue cheese is traditional. Ranch is controversial. Use whichever brings joy to your mouth, and ignore the purists. This is your wing moment.
Feeding a crowd? Put out both and let everyone choose. Keep the dips chilled until serving, with plenty of celery and carrot sticks alongside.
Watch: How to Make Extra Crispy Buffalo Wings
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Overfilling the pot: fill it no more than halfway; the oil rises when the wings go in
Guessing the temperature: use a deep-fry thermometer for both fries
Saucing too early: toss just before serving so the crust stays crisp
Skipping the rest: two minutes on the rack sets the crust
Crowding the pot: too many wings at once drops the oil temperature and makes them greasy. Fry in batches.
Skipping the doneness check: make sure the thickest wing reaches at least 165°F (74°C) near the bone.
Letting the sauce boil hard: keep it warm and gentle so the butter stays smoothly blended.
What to Serve with Buffalo Wings
Celery and carrot sticks
Blue cheese dressing (traditional) or ranch
Plenty of napkins
A cold beer
Frequently Asked Questions
Why fry twice?
The first fry cooks the chicken through and sets the coating; the second, hotter fry drives off moisture and makes the crust extra crisp.
Can I bake these instead?
Yes, though you'll lose some crunch. Skip the batter, toss the wings with a little baking powder and salt, and bake on a rack at a high heat until crisp.
How spicy is the sauce?
Medium. Frank's is fairly mild; add more Tabasco for more heat, or more butter to soften it.
What oil should I use?
Canola, peanut or another neutral oil with a high smoke point.
What temperature should chicken wings reach?
At least 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part, near the bone. Check the biggest wing in each batch with an instant read thermometer.
Can I make the Buffalo sauce ahead?
Yes. Make it up to 3 days ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. Warm it gently, whisking, before tossing the wings.
How do I keep wings crisp for a crowd?
Fry in small batches, keep the finished wings on a wire rack rather than paper towels, and sauce them in rounds just before serving.
Can I use frozen wings?
Yes, but thaw them completely in the fridge first and pat them dry before they go into the batter.
Blue cheese or ranch?
Blue cheese is traditional. Ranch is controversial. Serve whichever brings you joy, or put out both for a crowd.
How many wings do I need for a game day party?
This recipe's 3 pounds (1.35 kg) serves 4 as a main. For a spread with other dishes it goes further, so scale up and fry in batches.
You Might Also Like
Try my Crispy Fried Calamari, Smash Burgers with Magic Sauce, and Pico de Gallo.
Feeding a game day crowd? Add a pot of Beef Chili with Cast Iron Buttermilk Cornbread or White Chicken Chili with Roasted Green Chiles, and a stack of Crispy Shrimp Tacos.
Made it? I'd love to see it
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Tips for Success
Double Fry, Always
Once is good. Twice is divine. The first fry cooks them through, the second makes them gloriously crisp, like golden brown confetti that bites back.
Respect the Oil
Do not crowd the pot. It’s not a house party. Crowding drops the oil’s temperature and makes your wings limp and greasy. Batch cook like a civilised person.
Sauce at the Last Minute
Let those wings have their crunchy moment. Sauce them just before serving. They’ll still crackle, and your guests will weep with gratitude.
Butter is Not Optional
Buffalo sauce is not just hot sauce. It’s hot sauce gently wooed by melted butter. It’s rich, tangy, a little naughty, and completely essential.
No Fryer? No Problem.
Bake them with baking powder or toss them into the air fryer. You’ll still get that delightful snap, just maybe with less guilt (though I recommend a proper fry at least once per annum for spiritual reasons).
Trust the Thermometer
Oil temperature is everything here. 350°F (175°C) for the first fry, 375°F (190°C) for the second. Let it climb back up between batches and you'll get the same crunch every time.
Rack, Not Paper
Drain the wings on a wire rack rather than paper towels. Air gets underneath, so the bottoms stay as crisp as the tops.
Check the Biggest Wing
Before saucing, test the thickest wing near the bone with an instant read thermometer. You're looking for at least 165°F (74°C).
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