Oven-Baked Buffalo Wings with Blue Cheese Dip

It may sound like a cliché, but I actually enjoy visiting Hard Rock Cafés in the cities I travel to. No matter where you are, the buffalo wings taste exactly the same: crispy, tangy, and fiery with that buttery hot sauce coating. After ordering them so many times, I wanted to try making them at home. Here’s my attempt at recreating that classic flavor, complete with the cool blue cheese dip on the side.

Crispy oven-baked buffalo wings coated in spicy buttery sauce, served with celery sticks and creamy blue cheese dip.

Ingredients

Wings

• 1 kg chicken wings (split into drumettes and flats)

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

Buffalo Sauce

• 3 tablespoons butter

• 2 teaspoons white vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)

• ½–1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)*

• 1 teaspoon chili flakes

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

• 1 teaspoon sugar or honey (optional, for balance)

• Pinch of salt

*If you don’t have cayenne pepper at home, you can use a little extra chili flakes or paprika. The wings will still have that classic color and flavor, just with slightly less heat.

Blue Cheese Dip

• 100 g blue cheese (crumbled)

• 120 g sour cream (or Greek yogurt)

• 80 g mayonnaise

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice (or white wine vinegar)

• 1 small garlic clove, grated (optional)

• Salt and black pepper, to taste

• Splash of milk (optional, to thin)

Instructions

Wings

Pat the chicken wings dry with kitchen paper. Toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika.

Preheat oven to 200°C (fan). Line a baking tray with parchment paper.

Arrange wings in a single layer and bake for 40–45 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and crispy.

Buffalo Sauce

Tip: Start making the sauce during the last 5 minutes of baking so it’s ready and warm when the wings come out. Toss the wings in the sauce immediately while both are hot for the best coating.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan.

Whisk in vinegar, cayenne, chili flakes, garlic powder, paprika, and sugar (if using). Simmer 1–2 minutes until smooth.

Toss the hot, crispy wings in the sauce until evenly coated.

Blue Cheese Dip

Mash the blue cheese with a fork in a bowl.

Stir in sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and garlic until smooth, leaving some cheese chunks for texture.

Season with salt and pepper. Add a splash of milk if you prefer a thinner dip.

Chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving. Take out 10–15 minutes before serving so the flavors shine and the texture softens slightly.