Buffalo Wings with Homemade Blue Cheese Dip
Crispy, classic Buffalo wings tossed in a tangy butter-and-hot-sauce glaze, served with a cool, chunky homemade blue cheese dip. This American bar-food staple is all about contrast: spicy, salty wings balanced by creamy, sharp dip.
Buffalo wings are a true American classic—simple, bold, and built around a signature sauce of hot sauce and butter. The key is getting the wings crisp enough to hold the sauce without turning soggy. Homemade blue cheese dip isn’t just a side; it’s the traditional counterpoint that tames the heat and highlights the wings’ savory richness.
Total Time
1 hr 5 min
Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
45 min
Servings
4
Ingredients
Wings
- •4 lb chicken wings, split into drumettes and flats (tips removed)
- •2 tsp kosher salt
- •1 tsp baking powder (aluminum-free preferred)
- •1/2 tsp garlic powder (optional)
- •1/2 tsp black pepper
Buffalo Sauce
- •1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- •2/3 cup cayenne hot sauce (e.g., Frank’s RedHot)
- •1 tbsp white vinegar
- •1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- •1/4 tsp garlic powder
- •Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional, for extra heat)
- •Pinch of salt, to taste
Homemade Blue Cheese Dip
- •1/2 cup mayonnaise
- •1/2 cup sour cream
- •1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese, plus extra for serving
- •2 tbsp buttermilk (or milk), plus more as needed for thinning
- •1 tbsp lemon juice (or white vinegar)
- •1 small garlic clove, finely grated (or 1/4 tsp garlic powder)
- •1/4 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
- •1/4 tsp black pepper
For Serving
- •Celery sticks
- •Carrot sticks (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Make the blue cheese dip: In a bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, buttermilk, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper. Fold in blue cheese crumbles, leaving it chunky. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes (it gets better as it sits).
- 2
Prep the wings: Pat wings very dry with paper towels (this is crucial for crispness). In a large bowl, toss wings with salt, baking powder, pepper, and garlic powder (if using) until evenly coated.
- 3
Air-dry (optional but recommended): Arrange wings on a wire rack set over a sheet pan and refrigerate, uncovered, for 1–8 hours to dry the skin further.
- 4
Bake: Heat oven to 450°F (232°C). Line a sheet pan with foil for easy cleanup and set a wire rack on top; lightly oil the rack. Arrange wings in a single layer. Bake 20 minutes, flip, then bake 20–25 minutes more until deeply golden and crisp (total 40–45 minutes).
- 5
Make the Buffalo sauce: While wings bake, melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Whisk in hot sauce, vinegar, Worcestershire, garlic powder, and optional cayenne. Keep warm; do not boil.
- 6
Sauce the wings: Transfer hot wings to a large bowl. Pour over Buffalo sauce and toss until evenly coated. For extra-saucy wings, add a bit more hot sauce to taste or reserve a few spoonfuls of sauce for drizzling.
- 7
Serve: Plate wings with celery (and carrots, if using). Serve with the chilled blue cheese dip and an extra sprinkle of blue cheese on top.
Nutrition Facts
Per serving
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Nutrition calculated automatically from ingredients.