Buffalo Chicken Wings: Born in a Bar, Beloved Everywhere

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Buffalo wings have an unusually precise origin story. In 1964, Teressa Bellissimo, co-owner of the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York, needed a late-night snack for her son and his friends. She deep-fried chicken wings — then a low-value cut used mostly for stock — tossed them in hot sauce and butter, and served them with celery and blue cheese dressing. The combination was an instant hit, and it spread nationally through the 1980s and 90s to become a fixture of sports bars and Super Bowl parties everywhere.

What You’ll Need

• 2 lbs chicken wings, split into flats and drumettes
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• Salt, to taste
• ½ cup hot sauce (Frank’s RedHot)
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• Celery and carrot sticks, blue cheese or ranch, for serving

How to Make It

1. Pat the wings very dry, then toss with baking powder and salt.
2. Arrange on a wire rack over a baking sheet and refrigerate, uncovered, at least 1 hour.
3. Bake at 425°F for 45–50 minutes, flipping halfway, until deeply golden and crisp.
4. Melt the butter and whisk in the hot sauce, vinegar, and garlic powder.
5. Toss the hot wings in the sauce until evenly coated.
6. Serve immediately with celery, carrots, and blue cheese or ranch.

Tips for Better Wings

The baking powder trick (not baking soda) is key to crispy oven-baked skin without frying. Don’t sauce the wings until right before serving, or they’ll soften. Blue cheese is the traditional Buffalo pairing, though ranch has become just as popular elsewhere — a matter of regional loyalty more than anything else.