Classic Buffalo Chicken Wings Recipe for Parties & Catering

Buffalo chicken wings are the most searched wing recipe in America — and for good reason. Crispy skin, buttery hot sauce, served with celery sticks and blue cheese on the side. They work at every event from game days and backyard parties to wedding receptions and corporate catering.

This recipe is scaled for one 13"x9" aluminum catering pan and uses the baking powder technique for genuinely crispy wings that hold up beautifully in a chafing dish. Scale up by simply adding more pans.

About This Recipe

The original and still the most searched wing recipe online. The key is the two-stage bake — low heat first to dry out the skin, then high heat to crisp it. From there the Buffalo sauce comes together in under five minutes. 

Frank's RedHot Original is the classic choice and the base of the original Anchor Bar Buffalo wing recipe. It has the right balance of heat, tang and flavour. Crystal and Louisiana hot sauce are good alternatives. Avoid Tabasco as the only sauce — it is too vinegary on its own. Always combine hot sauce with butter for a proper Buffalo glaze.

Ingredients ~50–60 pieces (6 lbs / 2.7kg)    Chicken wing pieces (flats & drumettes, pre-split) 2 tbsp Baking powder (NOT baking soda — essential for crispy skin) 1.5 tsp Salt 1 tsp Garlic powder 1/2 tsp Black pepper 1/2 cup / 115g Unsalted butter 3/4 cup / 180ml Frank's RedHot sauce (or similar hot sauce) 1 tbsp White vinegar 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce 1/4 tsp Cayenne pepper (optional — for extra heat) 1 cup / 240ml Blue cheese dressing (to serve) 6–8 stalks Celery, cut into sticks (to garnish & serve)

Method

1. Pat wings completely dry with paper towels — this is the single most important step. Any surface moisture will prevent the skin from crisping.
   
2. Toss wings in baking powder, salt, garlic powder and black pepper until every piece is evenly coated.
   
3. Spread on a wire rack set over a baking sheet in a single layer. Do not stack — air circulation under and around each piece is what creates crispy skin.
   
4. Bake at 250°F / 120°C for 30 minutes to dry out the skin, then increase heat to 425°F / 220°C for a further 40–45 minutes until deeply golden and crispy.
   
5. While wings finish baking, melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add Frank's RedHot, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and cayenne. Stir to combine. Do not boil — keep on low heat until ready to use.
   
6. Remove wings from oven and immediately toss in Buffalo sauce until every piece is fully coated.
   
7. Transfer sauced wings to the 13"x9" aluminum pan. Arrange celery sticks along the edge of the pan as garnish.
   
8. Cover with foil and place in chafing dish. Serve with blue cheese dressing in a small bowl alongside.
   

Pro Tip
or large events, bake wings dry up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerate uncovered. Reheat at 400°F / 200°C for 15 minutes until crispy, then toss in sauce and transfer to the chafing dish just before service.

Chafing Dish Setup

• Scaling up:  Allow 4–5 pieces per person. One 13"x9" pan holds ~50–60 pieces / 6 lbs (serves 10–14). For 50 guests: 4 pans. For 100 guests: 7–8 pans.
  

• Baking powder is non-negotiable:  It pulls moisture from the skin so wings stay genuinely crispy in a chafing dish. Do not substitute baking soda for flour.
  

• Sauce the wings last:  Toss wings in Buffalo sauce just before transferring to the chafing dish — never sauce early or the skin will soften.
  

• Fuel choice:  Use Caterpax 6-hour chafing fuel cans for events over 2 hours. For shorter service windows, the 2-hour fuel cans are ideal.
  

• Wet Wipe towels:  Put a small stack next to the chafing dish — Buffalo wings are hands-on food and guests will appreciate it.

Make-Ahead Tips
Properly crisped Buffalo wings can stay in a chafing dish for up to 2–3 hours. After that the skin begins to soften from steam. For longer events, bake wings in batches and refresh the chafing pan every 2 hours with a hot fresh batch. Always start with fully cooked, piping hot wings.

Serving Ideas

Serve with:

• Garden Salad
• Coleslaw
• French Fries or Tater Tots
• Onion Rings
• Macaroni and Cheese
• Cornbread
  

Scaling This Recipe

This recipe fully fills one 13×9 inch pan for a large crowd. For very large events, make two separate pans — don't try to combine into one larger pan as it won't bake evenly.

Complete Your Spread

Pair this dish with:

• Blue Cheese or Ranch
• Cucumber Salad
• Crunchy Veggies
  
• Mac and Cheese