For “health month” (which we are still technically in, FYI, even though January seems to have sprawled itself out over like a decade already) I thought I’d do a baked chicken wings recipe.
When we first did hot wings on the show, it was my first time with chicken wings, both eating and cooking them. I’ve mentioned that I was a vegetarian for many years — 8 — and it took me quite a while after that to become comfortable with eating meat off of bones. Something about my teeth on bones really skeeved me out bad. While I doubt that I am alone in the world with my bony squeamishness, the popularity of that video indicates that I am certainly in the minority. I’m still a little touchy about it, which is why we also did boneless Buffalo wings.
But I’m getting braver now. It’s like my resolution or something. So baked wings it is. The sauce here is pretty classic, but with much less butter than is traditional and the boiling/baking method renders out much of the chicken fat that would otherwise stay in the wings and then crawl inside your body and camp out around your organs or wherever. Plus, with this baked method, your house and hair won’t smell like a KFC for weeks afterwards and that is also fantastic.
To make these ahead of time is also totally possible and rad. You can boil the wings, then cool and refrigerate up to two days before pulling them out and baking off. I guess you could even freeze them for longer storage.
If you can’t find Frank’s RedHot (it’s really the only traditional sauce I think for real Buffalo wings) you can substitute another vinegar-based hot sauce. I’d suggest something with a little body to it, like Crystal, Cholula, or Sriracha. Crystal would probably be the closest in flavor to Frank’s.
AAAANDDDD … you can make your own blue cheese dip! S’easy!
- 3 pounds chicken wings
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2-4 dried red chilies (optional)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- Water
- ½ cup hot sauce
- 2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
- To serve: blue cheese dip, celery sticks
- Cut wings into portions if not already separated (see video for demo).
- Put in a large pot with garlic, chilies, salt, pepper, and enough water to cover. Bring to boil. Simmer 15 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 450ºF. Lay wings out on a rack on a baking sheet.
- Mix hot sauce with melted butter and brush lightly over wings.
- Bake 30 minutes.
- Toss with remaining sauce.
Click here to watch this baked chicken wings recipe video on YouTube.
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{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
My recipe is very similar but I’ve never thought of boiling them first. Brilliant!
Also, Frank’s Red Hot is the best but you have to get the original Hot Sauce, NOT the Wing Sauce. Trust me.
Yay! I’m glad to show you a new way. And I agree on the sauce. When I went to the store, I saw the Franks “wing sauce” and ew, it looked gross. I started to freak a little thinking that maybe they didn’t make the regular Red Hot sauce anymore, but it was just on a different aisle. Weird.
You have to be talking about HEB…it took me 20 minutes to find regular Frank’s!
Hilah! You’re killin’ me! I cook for 7+ people 7 days a week, have lived a very full life, and never cooked chicken wings. Never. You sold me on this. I have seen videos of Buffalo wings deep fried, but yours sound much better. Yeah, not all that oil to deal with. And I love the ‘stainless flip’ you do with the stainless steel bowl (I have a whole set) and will do that too. Stay tuned for my rave reviews. GO RAVENS!
Sweet!!! Man, yeah, cooking for that many people, baking wings is the only way to go, I think. I bet you could get two big trays in the oven at once and cook many more than you could fry at once. Go RAVENS! Have an awesome Superbowl Sunday.
Hey Hilah can you please make something sweet like chocolate recipes for valentines. I also suggest that can you make some Chinese recipes for Chinese New Year. Thank you. And I want to say that your chicken was perfectly awesome!
Hi Yana! I’ve got some chocolate coming up for you!
Glad you liked the chicken wings.
I made these today for a superbowl party Hilah. It’s a miracle I didn’t bite off a finger they were so yummy!
Ha! Thanks, Kandice. Glad you enjoyed them.
Hi Hilah! I just made these to go with the “beyonce concert” and it was a match made in heaven! Wings in under an hour costing a fraction of the price and fat. Thank you ever so.
Awesome!
It’s crazy how much restaurant wings cost, isn’t it? So glad y’all liked them. Thanks for writing, Donna.
Dude Hilah! I just made these wings and they are AMAZING! Just started a diet and I don’t feel awful for eating like so many. Can’t wait to make them for company
. Also I love your flour tortilla recipe, now I can’t eat them any other way…keep the great recipes and videos coming
YAY! That’s great, Genavie! It’s a good way to do it for guests, too, since you can boil them ahead of time and just bake when you’re ready. Thanks for writing!
I made these and then a batch with Teryaki marinade. They were A-mazing and a big hit with the hubby!
Yay! Thanks, Sarah! xo