Crispy Oven-Fried Buffalo Wings: No Deep Frying Needed! 🍗🔥
Ingredients:
- 10-12 frozen wing sections (drumettes or flats)
- 1 tablespoon baking powder (not baking soda)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1/2 cup buffalo sauce (store-bought or homemade)
- 1 tablespoon melted butter (optional, for mixing with sauce)
- Optional: Blue cheese or ranch dressing for dipping
- Optional: Celery or carrot sticks for serving
Instructions:
-
Preheat Oven:
- Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C), convection if you have it.
-
Arrange the Wings:
- Place your frozen wing sections on a rack inside a baking tray (this allows air to circulate around the wings and helps them crisp up).
- Spread the wings out in a single layer. You don’t want them overlapping.
-
First Bake:
- Bake the wings for 30 minutes. This will help melt the ice and start cooking the skin, but they won’t be crispy yet.
-
Drain the Water:
- After the first 30 minutes, take the tray out of the oven. You will notice some water has collected in the tray.
- Use a turkey baster (or spoon) to remove the water from the tray. This step is crucial for achieving crispy skin!
-
The Secret to Crispy Skin:
- Lightly sprinkle baking powder over the top of the wings. You can use a small mesh strainer to evenly distribute it.
- This baking powder trick will help make the wings extra crispy without deep frying!
-
Increase the Oven Temp:
- Now, increase the oven temperature to 450°F (230°C) and return the wings to the oven.
-
Second Bake:
- Bake for 20 minutes. After this, check if the wings are crispy and golden brown on one side.
-
Flip & Repeat:
- Flip the wings over, and then sprinkle baking powder on the other side.
- Bake for an additional 10 minutes or until the wings are crispy on both sides.
-
Coat with Buffalo Sauce:
- While the wings are baking, heat up the buffalo sauce (and butter if you’re using it) in a small saucepan or microwave.
- Once the wings are crispy, toss them in the buffalo sauce until evenly coated.
-
Serve:
- Serve your crispy oven-fried buffalo wings hot, with optional blue cheese or ranch dressing on the side and some celery or carrot sticks.
Enjoy your crispy, delicious buffalo wings without the hassle of deep frying! 😋