Hot Wings

Baking chicken wings instead of deep-frying them delivers the same crisp, craggy skin with a fraction of the mess. An hour at 375°F (190°C) renders out the subcutaneous fat so the skin shatters when you bite into it, while the meat inside stays juicy.

The sauce here is unapologetically Buffalo-style: equal parts melted butter and a big dose of red hot pepper sauce. The butter tames the raw vinegar bite of the hot sauce and gives the glaze its signature silky, clingy texture. Skip the butter and the sauce slides right off the wing.

Dipping each wing individually in the warm sauce (rather than pouring the sauce over a platter) is the move that coats every crevice. It’s more work but it’s why bar wings look and taste better than home-made ones.

Leftover sauce is liquid gold. Refrigerate it and use on eggs, potatoes, or a grilled cheese.

Pro Tips

• Separate the wings at the joint into drumettes and flats, and discard the tips. Evenly sized pieces cook at the same rate.
• Pat the wings completely dry with paper towels before baking. Surface moisture equals steamed skin, not crispy skin.
• Arrange on a wire rack set inside the baking pan if you have one. Air circulation under the wings gives you crispy bottoms.
• Keep the sauce warm in a small saucepan while dipping. Cold sauce seizes the butter and turns greasy.

Variations

• Swap half the hot sauce for barbecue sauce for a milder sweet-and-spicy version.
• Add 2 cloves of minced garlic and a tablespoon of honey to the sauce for a garlic-honey wing.
• Serve with celery sticks, carrot sticks, and blue cheese or ranch dressing for classic bar-style presentation.