If you’ve ever sat elbow-to-elbow with friends, digging into a basket of crispy, saucy wings with ranch on your fingers and a game on in the background, you know the magic of Buffalo Wild Wings Traditional Wings. It’s not just the crunch or the sauce, it’s that familiar, slightly smoky heat, the deep-fried crackle of skin, and the cool relief of a carrot stick between bites.
This copycat Buffalo Wild Wings Traditional Wings recipe gets you ridiculously close to the real thing. Bone-in, skin-on wings fried in beef tallow for that signature golden crust, then spun in homemade sauces that cling just right. Whether you lean into the classic Medium, go wild with Mango Habanero, or try your hand at a homemade Parmesan Garlic, you’ll be licking your fingers like you’re back at B-Dubs on a Friday night.
Make them as spicy, sweet, or savory as you like. They’re gluten-free, naturally low carb, and you can tweak the fat or heat level to fit your cravings.
Table of Contents
How to Make Copycat Buffalo Wild Wings Traditional Wings
Start with large bone-in chicken wings. Pat them dry, toss in a mix of baking powder and salt, then refrigerate uncovered to dry out the skin. This helps mimic the tallow-crisped texture from the restaurant. Fry them hot and fast in beef tallow, yes, beef tallow, for that nostalgic flavor and perfect crackle. After a short rest, toss the wings in your favorite sauce and serve immediately with crisp veggies and cool ranch or bleu cheese.
Nutrition facts (per 6 wings, sauced)
Calories: 480
Total Fat: 36 g
Saturated Fat: 13 g
Carbohydrates: 2 g
Sugar: 1 g
Protein: 43 g
Sodium: 1,560 mg
Ingredients (Serves 2–3)
Prep Time: 10 minutes (plus 8 hours drying)
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 22 minutes (active)
Servings: 12 wings (6 whole or 12 split)
- 2 pounds chicken wings (drumettes and flats, split)
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder (aluminum-free)
- Beef tallow or tallow blend, for frying
Optional Medium Sauce:
- ¾ cup Frank’s RedHot Original sauce
- 6 tablespoons clarified butter or beef tallow
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅛ teaspoon xanthan gum (or ½ tsp cornstarch slurry)
To Serve:
Tools You’ll Need
- Mixing bowl
- Sheet pan with rack
- Paper towels
- Deep fryer or Dutch oven
- Instant-read thermometer
- Metal tongs
- Heat-safe bowl for saucing
- Whisk or stick blender (for emulsifying sauce)
Instructions
Dry the wings
Pat the wings dry with paper towels. Toss with salt and baking powder until evenly coated. Spread them out on a wire rack set over a sheet pan and refrigerate uncovered for 8 hours or overnight. This draws out moisture and crisps the skin during frying. (8 hours passive)
Heat the fat
Add beef tallow to a deep fryer or heavy pot. Heat to 350°F (175°C), monitoring with a thermometer. (10 min)
Fry the wings
Working in batches, fry wings for 10–12 minutes until golden and crispy, and the internal temp reaches 185°F for bite-through texture. Let rest on a wire rack. (12 min)
Make the sauce
While wings rest, whisk together Frank’s RedHot, melted butter or tallow, vinegar, and garlic powder. Add xanthan gum if using, and blend briefly to emulsify. (2 min)
Toss and serve
In a large metal bowl, add wings and pour sauce over. Toss 6–8 times until evenly coated. Serve with carrot, celery, and a big scoop of ranch or bleu cheese. (1 min)
Optional Twists
- Add a pinch of sugar to the sauce for a slightly sweet Buffalo finish.
- Mix a dry rub with smoked paprika, cayenne, onion powder, and sugar for a no-sauce version.
- Blend mango purée and habanero sauce with honey for a homemade Mango Habanero spin.
Tips
- Beef tallow gives the most authentic result. If unavailable, use duck fat or a 50-50 blend of tallow and peanut oil.
- Don’t skip the drying step, this is how you get that restaurant-style crisp without breading.
- To keep sauce from separating, emulsify with a stick blender or a dash of mustard powder.
- Want hotter? Add 1 teaspoon cayenne or Louisiana hot sauce to the base.
- You can bake instead of fry (425°F for 40–45 minutes), but you’ll miss that tallow flavor.
What to Serve With
Fresh and Crunchy
Celery & Carrot Sticks – The classics. Cooling, crunchy, and perfect with creamy dip.
Cucumber Spears with Vinegar – Bright, fresh, and tangy to cut through the fat.
Shredded Cabbage Slaw – Crisp and peppery, with a vinegar dressing for balance.
Comforting Treats
Garlic Parmesan Fries – Hot, salty, and cheesy. Excellent next to Buffalo heat.
Mac & Cheese Bites – Creamy inside, crispy outside, and wildly indulgent with wings.
Buttermilk Biscuits – Soft, flaky, and made for catching extra sauce.
Savory Counterpoints
Loaded Potato Skins – Bacon, cheese, and sour cream meet spicy wings like old friends.
Chili Cheese Nachos – Big flavors, perfect for game-day grazing.
Fried Pickles – Tangy and salty with a golden crust that pairs perfectly with buffalo zing.
Variations
Baked Wings
Use a wire rack and convection oven at 425°F. They won’t be quite the same, but they’ll still crisp up well.
Air Fryer Wings
Toss lightly in oil, then air fry at 390°F for 25 minutes, flipping once.
Dry Rub Version
Toss hot wings in a mix of salt, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and brown sugar.
Boneless Bites
Use cubed chicken breast, coat lightly in cornstarch, and deep fry until golden before saucing.
No Tallow?
Try duck fat, lard, or peanut oil. Avoid vegetable oil blends, they lack that signature flavor.
Ingredient Substitutes
Chicken Wings
Original: Bone-in split wings
Substitutes: Drumsticks (longer cook time), boneless thighs (cut and fried), vegan wings (cauliflower florets)
Beef Tallow
Original: Rendered tallow
Substitutes: Duck fat, lard, peanut oil, ghee
Frank’s RedHot
Original: Cayenne pepper sauce
Substitutes: Crystal, Louisiana, Texas Pete, or homemade hot sauce
Butter/Tallow in Sauce
Original: Clarified butter or beef tallow
Substitutes: Ghee, plant-based butter, neutral oil (last resort)
Xanthan Gum
Original: Used to emulsify sauce
Substitutes: ½ tsp instant pudding mix, tiny bit of mustard powder, or omit
Celery/Carrot Sticks
Original: Raw garnish
Substitutes: Bell pepper strips, cucumber, jicama sticks
Ranch/Bleu Cheese
Original: Dipping sauce
Substitutes: Yogurt-based ranch, avocado crema, sour cream with garlic salt
Ingredients
Servings: 12 wings (6 whole or 12 split)
-
2 pounds chicken wings (drumettes and flats, split)
-
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
-
½ teaspoon baking powder (aluminum-free)
-
Beef tallow or tallow blend, for frying
Optional Medium Sauce:
-
¾ cup Frank’s RedHot Original sauce
-
6 tablespoons clarified butter or beef tallow
-
1 tablespoon white vinegar
-
½ teaspoon garlic powder
-
⅛ teaspoon xanthan gum (or ½ tsp cornstarch slurry)
To Serve:
-
Celery sticks
-
Carrot sticks
-
Ranch or bleu cheese dressing
Instructions
Dry the wings Pat the wings dry with paper towels. Toss with salt and baking powder until evenly coated. Spread them out on a wire rack set over a sheet pan and refrigerate uncovered for 8 hours or overnight. This draws out moisture and crisps the skin during frying. (8 hours passive)
Heat the fat Add beef tallow to a deep fryer or heavy pot. Heat to 350°F (175°C), monitoring with a thermometer. (10 min)
Fry the wings Working in batches, fry wings for 10–12 minutes until golden and crispy, and the internal temp reaches 185°F for bite-through texture. Let rest on a wire rack. (12 min)
Make the sauce While wings rest, whisk together Frank’s RedHot, melted butter or tallow, vinegar, and garlic powder. Add xanthan gum if using, and blend briefly to emulsify. (2 min)
Toss and serve In a large metal bowl, add wings and pour sauce over. Toss 6–8 times until evenly coated. Serve with carrot, celery, and a big scoop of ranch or bleu cheese. (1 min)
Notes
Calories: 480 Total Fat: 36 g Saturated Fat: 13 g Carbohydrates: 2 g Sugar: 1 g Protein: 43 g Sodium: 1,560 mg
