Make Buffalo sauce more delicious than ever with olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic. These Fancier Buffalo wings are sure to please.
If you love chicken wings, you’re going to love this Buffalo wing recipe with a great homemade Buffalo sauce. What makes it special? We’re not using butter like in standard recipes, we’re adding olive oil, lemon, and garlic to the hot sauce instead. You’ve got to try it!
Scroll down to read more about how it all comes together or click here to jump straight down to the recipe.
Making Buffalo Sauce Without Butter
When we tackled the difference between hot sauce and wing sauce, we also told you how to make your own wing sauce at home. When we were taste-testing the wing sauce we thought about switching it up a bit to make it more interesting. We came up with a few different ideas that we tried. This was our favorite for a new homemade Buffalo sauce recipe.
You go in with the usual hot sauce and minced garlic. Then instead of Buffalo sauce’s standard melted butter, you use a combination of olive oil and lemon juice. Shazzam! Flavor sensation! The sauce tastes like Buffalo sauce but just a bit different. More refined. It’s seriously good.
Have extra wing sauce? Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Cooking The Chicken Wings
You’ll want to start with par-cooked wings. You can read more about that in this crispy wing recipe, but basically you’ll want to cook them at a low temperature (I suggest 250°F) for about 30 minutes to start to render the fat.
Then, heat the oven to 425°F. Put a rack on a large cookie sheet. Arrange par-cooked wings on the rack in a single layer (if you only just par-cooked them, they’ll already be on the rack. Leave them there). Bake them until very brown and crispy, 40-50 minutes.
Once they are done, you can toss them in the fancy Buffalo sauce you just made. Use tongs, they are hot!
Don’t Forget Dipping Sauce!
For a dip, we chopped up some fresh basil and added it to homemade ranch dressing. You can use store-bought ranch dressing, or mix together 1 cup of sour cream with 1 tablespoon of store-bought ranch seasoning powder, or use a few seasonings from your pantry to make your own ranch seasoning to stir into the sour cream.
Oh, and one little tip before I go. After you’ve tossed the wings in sauce and transferred them to a plate, dip into the remaining sauce with a spoon and get some of that minced garlic. Dot it over the wings so that you get as much garlic on there as possible. You just have to, right?
More Chicken Wing Recipes
Want to use the air fryer? Try our Air Fryer Buffalo Wings recipe. Or check out the other great options below.
Podcast Episode: Making Buffalo Wing Sauce
Listen to me explain briefly about how to make this recipe, with some great tips along the way, by clicking the play button below:
Listen to more Recipe of the Day episodes here.
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Fancier Buffalo Wings Recipe
Jazz up your wing sauce with olive oil, garlic, and lemon juice. It’s like Buffalo sauce made fancy.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 25 wings 1x
- Category: Entrée
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 25 par-cooked wings (learn how to par-cook them here)
- 1/4 cup hot sauce
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Put a rack on a large cookie sheet. Arrange par-cooked wings on the rack in a single layer (if you only just par-cooked them, they’ll already be on the rack. Leave them there). Bake them until very brown and crispy, 40-50 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in large bowl, combine hot sauce, olive oil, lemon juice and garlic.
- When wings are done, add them to the bowl of sauce and use tongs to toss them. Use tongs to transfer wings to a plate.
- Dot wings with any garlic remaining in the fancy Buffalo sauce and serve with a Ranch dipping sauce.
Love this recipe? I’d appreciate it if you could scroll down and add a *5 star rating* to help others know they’ll love it as well!
This post originally appeared in January 2016 and was revised and republished in January 2024.
I’m using this buffalo sauce for cauliflower. I infuse my sauce with roasted garlic, and it’s fantastic! I’m using Tabasco sauce instead of Frank’s Red Hot because Tabasco has less sodium. Tabasco, however, is a lot spicier. Would it help if I cut back on the heat by adding honey? I was also wondering if there was a way I can slightly thicken the sauce, as it is a little thin. Please let me know your thoughts.
Adam, You can try adding some honey or sugar, or even just increase the amount of butter or oil. As to thickening the sauce, you can use a cornstarch slurry. Mix together 1 teaspoon cornstarch with 2 teaspoons of water until smooth. Add it to 1 cup of your sauce. Heat in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until it reaches a simmer. If you want it thicker than that, you can do another slurry, but I think that will be enough.
Best wings ever!!!! My husband loved them and couldn’t stop eating them. He said they were the BEST wings he ever had. That was high praise because he’s very picky! My daughter loved them too 😋 I’ve made them several times now for super bowl and parties. Always a big hit. Thank you for this awesome recipe.
Thank you, Ann! I’m so happy they’ve been enjoyed so much.
Absolutely love the way the chicken turned out- crispy! I was never good with a fryer or cooking chicken but now this recipe is my “fail proof go to.” Haven’t tried the sauce yet but great job! I’ve used this recipe over a dozen times! Thank you
Mrs. Peterson, I’m so happy that you like them. Thanks for letting us know!!
Hats off to your sauce, as I’m a Frank’s Red Hot Sauce and butter mixer! I’m Buffalo-born and raised now living in FL and I have to say, these were great and make me feel like I’m at Wingfest of Buffalo! Just an added note, Anchor Bar is NOT the only place to get great wings!
Kim, It’s great to hear from a die-hard Frank’s and butter lover. I’m delighted that you liked this twist.
I made these last night both the wings and the sauce and they were definitely as advertised! Even my husband who has hated my previous attempts at baking wings loved them. Thanks for the tips on the wings and the sauce!!!
Angela, So delighted that even the tough-critic in your house liked them. Thanks for letting us know!
What kind of hot sauce do you use??
In the post I liked to Frank’s Original Hot Sauce. You can use that or Tabasco.
This is like my 3rd time using this recipe, it’s a homerun!!! We love how crispy they are, and so far every sauce i’ve used compliments these wings perfectly! Thank you for sharing.
I’m excited about this recipe. Ever since my French grandma made baked wings with herbs, wings have been my comfort food. Now I live in a super health-conscious, read radically so, area of Northern calif., there are no local wing joints that are any good. I will try this recipe as soon as I find the aluminum-free baking powder!
Susan, see Paula’s comment about how to make your own aluminum-free baking powder.
Sounds great i never put them on a rack but will definally do that next time! Thamks
LOVE, LUV, LOOOOOOOOVE this recipe!! I am a bonafide, self-proclaimed, die hard and every other cliche you can think of, wing snob!! I have been on a quest for the perfect hot wing for nearly 30 years and Eureka!! I found it!! I can’t believe that all that has been standing between me and super yummy wings, was baking powder and 2 oven temp changes!! The sauce deserves a round of applause on it’s own, as well!! I did however, “jazz” it up a bit by using frank’s buffalo wing sauce and added Thai chili garlic sauce for a little extra kick in the pants! Kudos to you, I’m in love with these wings!! Thank you!!!
didn’t mean to post twice…corrected a typeo and didn’t see any option to delete prior post.
LOVE, LUV, LOOOOOOOOVE this recipe!! I am a bonafide, self-proclaimed, die hard and every other cliche you can think of, wing snob!! I have been on a quest for the perfect hot wing for nearly 30 years and Eureka!! I found it!! I can’t believe that all that has been standing between me and super yummy wings, was baking powder and 2 oven temp changes!! The sauce deserves a round of applause on it’s on, as well!! I did, however, “jazz” it up a bit by using frank’s buffalo wing sauce and added Thai chili garlic sauce for a little extra kick in the pants! Kudos to you, I’m in love with these wings!! Thank you!!!
Will try your wings sounds good miss my buffalo wings here in Tennessee as I did not want to deep fry them this sounds great thanks
I love to cook but ever since my wife turned into a healthy freak I am now searching for the best way to enjoy certain foods that are fried. This recipe for the wings is a 100% hit in my household because my little one loves them also but just not with the sauce. Thank you so much for opening my mind.
Albert, It’s so great to hear that. Thank you for letting us know!
So good worked great, tasted better!! AMAZING sauce! Cheers
Bob, So happy you liked them!!!
I grew up in Niagara Falls, Ontario. Border town. Every Friday we would drive over to the Stares to Niagara Falls, New York for pizza and wings. I have eaten wings from all over New York State, including Buffalo. And I have to admit I am a purist usually when it comes to sauce. Frank’s, butter, a dash of vinegar. But I will only make your fancy wing sauce from now on. Bravo !!! Also the wings turned out perfectly in the oven. Thank you so much for this recipe. I will be making wings at home a lot more now.
Shannon, I’m so happy that you like this sauce and the baked wings. Isn’t it funny how just a small twist in the recipe can make such a difference?
Made the wings this way n it’s the first time ever my wings turn out crispy! My boyfriend LOVED them so much he couldn’t stop complimenting me on them!!!! Ate every single one yummmmmm
Monique, that’s fantastic. Thanks for letting us know!
Thank you so much for sharing. Rave reviews from guests…….all wanting the recipe.
Richard, That’s awesome! Thanks for letting us know!
Love your idea on crisy oven chicken wings. Going to try tonight.
No butter = not buffalo wing sauce. I demand you change the recipe name at once ma’am! Good day to you!
Lol. I said good day!
Asking is almost always better than demanding, although I must agree, I only recently learned that it is the butter that makes it Buffalo Wing Sauce, and it is the key ingredient. Perhaps Pittman’s Wing Sauce, lol
Good answer Chris! Bravo to you for your good manners!!! 🙂
I didn’the know that, about the butter. But i’m not the hot sauce eater in this family. Right now I’ve got 2 trays of drumsticks in the oven using your recipe for crispy wings, I can see how crispy they are getting in there and it’s pretty exciting! (I know, I need to get out more…)
Adrienne, I’m excited that you are trying this method with drumsticks. Please come back and let me know how it turned out.
I love this. Crispy to the max. Best one I have ever tried and I have tried alot….I mean alot. Thank you.
Roxanne, So fantastic to hear. Glad you liked them. Yay!