Getting that perfect sticky, crispy buffalo wing can be tricky. The last thing you want is naked chicken wings with buffalo sauce pooling at the bottom of the plate. There are a few tricks to ensure the buffalo sauce adheres nicely to the wings.
First, let’s go over what makes a great buffalo wing. The key is crispy skin and juicy meat. Baking powder helps dry out the skin so it gets ultra crispy in the oven or air fryer. Letting the wings sit overnight in the fridge also helps dehydrate the skin. Fry the wings prior to saucing for extra crispiness. When it comes to the meat, brining keeps it moist and seasoned throughout.
The buffalo sauce itself should have a nice balance of heat and butteriness. Frank’s RedHot and melted butter is the classic combination. Adding extra butter helps the sauce cling to the wings. Other creamy ingredients like sour cream, ranch dressing, and blue cheese dressing also boost adhesion. The more viscous and fatty the sauce, the better it will stick.
Now let’s get into the nitty gritty techniques to get that sauce to adhere perfectly:
Coat Wings Evenly
Make sure the buffalo sauce goes on evenly. The easiest way is to toss the wings in a large bowl with the buffalo sauce. Use enough sauce to generously coat each wing. Turn frequently with tongs or a silicone brush so there aren’t any naked spots. The more evenly covered, the better the sauce will cling.
Pouring sauce straight onto plated wings often leads to uneven coverage. Consider putting the wings back in the empty bowl after saucing and toss again. This helps distribute any excess pooled at the bottom.
Let The Sauce Set
After tossing the wings in the hot sauce, let them rest for a few minutes before serving. Some recipes even recommend overnight refrigeration. What does time do? As the wings sit, the sauce sets on the skin, forming a tacky layer that adheres better. The longer the rest, the stickier the sauce gets. Even 5 minutes makes a difference.
For a party, sauce the wings early and let them sit while you prep other items. Just before guests arrive, pop the wings into the oven or air fryer to reheat. The sauce will caramelize and become extra sticky.
Fry Before Saucing
Frying wings before saucing is crucial for crispy skin, but it also helps the sauce stick. Oil clings to the nooks and crannies of the fried skin. This gives the buffalo sauce something to grab onto.
Baked or raw wings tend to repel sauce since they are so dry on the exterior. The residual oil acts like a binding agent. For ultimate stickage, fry between 325 and 375oF. Make sure the wings are cooked through before applying the sauce.
Keep Wings Dry
It may seem counterintuitive, but super dry wings allow buffalo sauce to adhere better. Why is that? Dry skin is ultra crispy with crevices that catch sauce. Excess moisture creates steam that causes the sauce to slide right off.
Pat fried or baked wings dry before tossing in sauce. Let excess oil drain off on a cooling rack or paper towel lined pan. The drier the wings when sauced, the more nooks and crannies for sauce to cling to.
Use A Bindering Agent
For even better stickage, add a binder to your buffalo sauce. These ingredients thicken the sauce so it attaches firmly to the wings. Great options include:
| Binder | Benefit |
| Melted butter | Adds fat for adhesion |
| Flour | Creates a crispy layer |
| Cornstarch | Thickens the sauce |
| Brown sugar | Increases stickiness |
Try whisking in 1-2 tablespoons of one of these binders right before tossing the wings. The sauce consistency will be thicker with enhanced tackiness.
Use A Sticky Sauce
The simplest way to get buffalo sauce to stick is using an ultra sticky sauce. Thicker, gloppier sauces have more tack and adhesion power.
Making your own sauce? Use less hot sauce and more melted butter. Or, stir in honey, brown sugar or ketchup to increase viscosity. Bottled sauces like Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce will cling nicely.
You can also reduce basic hot sauce to make it thicker. Simmer frank’s red hot sauce with some butter to decrease the water content. The thicker it becomes, the better it will coat wings.
Brush On Sauce
Rather than tossing, brush the buffalo sauce on with a silicon pastry brush or basting brush. Use upward strokes to work the sauce into the crevices. Brush on an even layer, covering every nook.
Brush on a few coats for extra sticky adhesion. Let each coat set for a couple minutes before adding more. The advantage of brushing is you can directly control sauce coverage. Target especially dry spots.
Add Sauce Below Skin
Here is an advanced technique for supreme sauce adhesion: get buffalo sauce underneath the skin. Carefully loosen the skin from the flesh, avoiding tears. Brush sauce directly onto the meat. Flip skin back over and smooth into place. The sauce infuses flavor directly into the meat. As the skin crisps, the sauce stays put on the meat. This gives "inside-out" sauced wings!Bread Wings First
Breading wings before saucing creates a crisp shell that really grabs onto buffalo sauce. After frying or baking, coat wings with flour, followed by egg wash, then breadcrumbs or panko.
Fry the breaded wings till golden brown. Then toss in buffalo sauce. The textured breading holds sauce in all its nooks and crannies. Let sit 5 minutes before serving so the sauce seeps into the crevices.
Deep Fry After Saucing
For ultimate sauce adhesion, fry the wings after saucing. The bubbling hot oil helps set the sauce directly into the skin.
Toss fried wings in buffalo sauce. Let sit 5 minutes, then fry again at 350°F for 1-2 minutes. The quick refry makes the sauce really stick. Drain on a rack before serving so the skin stays crispy.
Blot Sauce
Here is a unique technique to get buffalo sauce into the skin, not just on top. After tossing in sauce, lightly blot wings with a paper towel. Press gently to soak up excess on the surface.
The sauce adheres in a thin, blotchy layer over crisp skin. The blotting pushes it into crevices without removing it entirely. This gives “stained” wings with great texture for grabbing sauce.
Use Flavored Oil
Oil is the glue that makes sauces stick to wings. Infusing oil with extra flavor compounds also enhances adhesion.
After frying, toss hot wings in a bowl with 2 Tbsp melted butter, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and cayenne. Toss quickly till coated. The seasoned oil mixture helps bind the buffalo sauce.
Let Wings Rest After Frying
Ever notice steam coming off hot wings right after frying? That moisture causes sauces to slide right off.
After frying, let wings rest until no longer steaming. This allows moisture to evaporate so sauce sticks better. Place wings on a baking rack over a pan. Give at least 5 minutes for optimal drieness before saucing.
Double Fry The Wings
Double frying is the secret to extra crispy wings. It also creates skin with better sauce adhesion.
Fry raw wings once at 325°F till partially cooked. Let cool completely, then fry again at 375°F till browned and crispy. When the wings are double fried, skins have more nooks and crannies for clinging to sauces.
Bake Wings Upside Down
Baking wings upside down on a wire rack over a pan allows air circulation all around. The underside gets ultra crispy, creating cavities that grab sauce.
Coat both sides of the wings in baking powder and seasoning before baking. Flip halfway through for even crispiness on top and bottom. Let wings cool before tossing in buffalo sauce so it properly adheres.
Air Fry Before Baking
An air fryer yields wings with crispy skin and tender meat. Baking after air frying further dries the skin for sauce stickage.
Air fry raw wings at 400°F for 20 minutes, flipping halfway. Then bake on a rack over a pan at 425°F for 10-15 minutes till browned. The extra baking crisps up the skin so it grips the buffalo sauce.
Deep Frying
Deep frying is ideal for crisping up wings with saucy grabable surfaces. Use a thermometer to maintain oil between 325-375°F. Cook wings for 12-15 minutes till browned and cooked through.
The bubbling oil dehydrates the skin beautifully. Let excess oil drain off before tossing in buffalo sauce. The fried wings grab all that sauce and hold it tight.
Baking Powder
Baking powder is the crisping miracle for baked buffalo wings. Just a small amount gives the skin an airy crunch that sauce sticks to easily.
Toss raw wings with 1 teaspoon baking powder per pound. Bake at 425°F for 25-30 minutes, flipping once. The baking powder even makes the underside of the wings crispy. Let cool before coating with sauce.
Low Simmer The Sauce
Simmering buffalo sauce on the stovetop reduces water content so the sauce clings better. Melt 1 stick butter in a saucepan. Add 1/2 cup Frank’s red hot sauce and 1 tablespoon white vinegar.
Simmer 5 minutes till slightly thickened. The reduction makes the sauce extra tacky for sticking to the wings. Toss with fried or baked wings for finger licking results.
Brush With Oil Before Baking
Before roasting or baking, brush wings with a light coat of oil. This gives the skin a lightly fried texture perfect for grabbing sauce.
Coat wings with a mixture of 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon paprika, salt and pepper. Bake on a rack over a pan at 425°F for 25-30 minutes till crisped. The oil boosts skin texture and flavor.
Cool Wings Before Saucing
Steaming hot wings lead to slippery sauce coverage. Allowing the wings to cool before tossing prevents this effect.
After frying or baking, place wings on a rack for at least 5 minutes. This stops excess steam and moisture build up. When wings are cooler, the sauce evenly adheres for sticky, saucy wings.
Bake With Baking Soda
For extra crispiness, add baking soda along with baking powder before baking. The combo dehydrates the skin for improved texture.
Toss wings with 1 teaspoon each baking powder and baking soda per pound of wings. Bake at 450°F for 25 minutes till browned and crispy. The chemical reaction makes the skin perfect for gripping sauce.
Pat Away Moisture
Excess surface moisture on wings prevents sauces from sticking properly. Simply patting with paper towels absorbs the moisture.
After tossing wings in sauce, gently pat with paper towels. Don’t wipe sauce away entirely. This just removes unwanted dripping wetness so the sauce stays put.
Use Thick Blue Cheese Dressing
Mixing blue cheese dressing into buffalo sauce makes it creamier and more clingy. The thick texture helps the sauce adhere to the wings.
Whisk equal parts Frank’s red hot sauce and blue cheese dressing. Toss cooked wings in the mixture or brush it on. The creamy dairy coating gives great coverage.
Smoke The Wings First
Smoking wings before saucing adds incredible depth of flavor. It also dries out the skin so sauce sticks better.
Smoke wings with your favorite wood chips for 1-2 hours at 225°F. The smoky dehydration helps the skin grab and hold onto buffalo sauce beautifully. Just toss and serve.
Let Wings Air Dry
Drying wings in the open air helps remove excess moisture from the skin. Place cooked wings on a cooling rack set on a baking sheet. Refrigerate uncovered overnight.
The drying effect allows the skin to really soak up sauce when tossed. Make sure wings reach room temp before coating for ideal crispness.
Coat In Cornstarch
Cornstarch gives baked or fried wings an extra crispy exterior to hold buffalo sauce. Toss cooked wings in a bowl with 2 Tbsp cornstarch.
The cornstarch fries onto the skin, forming mini crevices and divots for the sauce to cling to. Shake off any excess before tossing wings in buffalo sauce.
Use Creamy Blue Cheese Dressing
Creamy, thick blue cheese dressing mixed into buffalo sauce helps it better adhere to wings. Whisk 3/4 cup Frank’s red hot sauce with 1/2 cup blue cheese dressing.
Toss cooked wings in the mixture. The creamy dairy texture helps the sauce really stick to all the nooks and crannies.
Brush With Mayo Before Baking
Slathering wings with mayo before baking gives the skin a crispy, browned exterior. Mayo helps the skin grab onto buffalo sauce after cooking.
Coat raw wings on all sides with a thin layer of mayo. Sprinkle on any seasonings. Bake at 425°F for 25-30 minutes till done. Cool then toss with prepared buffalo sauce.
Use Thick Sweet Baby Ray’s Sauce
Sweet Baby Ray’s Original BBQ sauce gives buffalo wings great sticky coverage. It contains sugar and molasses for enhanced tackiness.
Mix equal parts Sweet Baby Ray’s and Frank’s RedHot sauce. Toss cooked wings to coat. The thick, sweet glaze makes the sauce really adhere to the wings.
Fry Twice At Different Temps
Frying wings twice at different oil temps gives the skin great texture for grabbing sauce. Fry once at 325°F then again at 375°F.
The second fry makes the skin extra crispy. Let wings drain and cool before tossing in prepared buffalo sauce. The sauce clings beautifully.
Mix In Melted Butter
For improved sauce adhesion, whisk extra melted butter into prepared buffalo sauce. Melt 2 Tbsp butter in the microwave then mix into Franks RedHot sauce.
The butter adds moisture and fat to help the sauce better stick to the chicken wings. Toss cooked wings in the butter buffalo mixture before serving.
Air Fry After Baking
Get the benefits of baking and air frying by doing both. Bake wings first to cook through, then air fry to finish with ultra crispy skin.
Bake raw wings at 400°F for 20 minutes. Let cool slightly then air fry at 400°F for 10 minutes till browned and crispy. The dual cooking makes the skin perfect for gripping sauce.
Brush With Sauce Multiple Times
Rather than tossing, use a brush to repeatedly coat wings with buffalo sauce. Brush on sauce, let sit 5 minutes, then repeat.
Building up thin layers of sauce allows it to caramelize onto the skin. Do about 3 coats for fully sticky, sauced wings. The sauce adheres beautifully.
Let Sauce Thicken Before Using
For better cling, simmer buffalo sauce to reduce and thicken it. Melt 1 stick butter then whisk in 3/4 cup Frank’s RedHot sauce.
Simmer 10 minutes till slightly thickened. Toss cooked wings in the thicker sauce. It will coat wings and stick to all the crispy spots.
Conclusion
Getting buffalo sauce to properly stick to chicken wings takes a few tricks. Start with ultra crispy skin using baking powder, baking soda or double frying. Allow wings to fully dry after cooking before tossing in sauce. Use a thick, creamy buffalo sauce made with melted butter or blue cheese dressing. Brush sauce on in layers and let it set to caramelize onto the wings. Employing a few of these tips leads to perfect saucy wings everyone will love. The sauce clings to every crispy, fried, baked or smoked wing for finger licking satisfaction.