Buffalo Wings

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Quick Bite

Buffalo wings are fried chicken wings tossed in buttery hot sauce and served with celery and blue cheese. They are spicy, messy, bar-food royalty, and no, boneless wings are not wings.

History

Buffalo wings were born in Buffalo, New York, and are most famously tied to Anchor Bar. The best-known story credits Teressa Bellissimo with creating them in 1964, frying chicken wings and coating them in a hot, buttery sauce for a late-night snack.

Before wings became a national obsession, chicken wings were often treated as a low-value cut. Buffalo changed that completely. Fry them crisp, toss them in tangy hot sauce and butter, add celery and blue cheese, and suddenly the overlooked part of the chicken becomes the reason everyone is at the table.

Buffalo wings spread from local bars and pizzerias into sports culture, chain restaurants, Super Bowl parties, and every corner of American snacking. The word “Buffalo” became a flavor category of its own.

In Buffalo, though, the rules still matter. The wings should be fried, not breaded like chicken tenders. The sauce should cling but not drown them. And blue cheese is the traditional dip, no matter what ranch country has to say.

Fun Facts

• The classic sauce is mostly hot sauce and butter.
• Blue cheese is the traditional Buffalo wing dip.
• “Buffalo” refers to Buffalo, New York, not buffalo meat.

Where to Try

Anchor Bar Buffalo, New York
The famous birthplace of Buffalo wings and the essential historical stop.

Duff’s Famous Wings Buffalo area, New York
A major Buffalo wing destination known for saucy, spicy wings and blue cheese on the side.

Bar-Bill Tavern East Aurora / Clarence, New York
A Western New York favorite known for carefully sauced wings and classic tavern atmosphere.

About the Game

This recipe is part of Van Life Challenge, a travel-themed board game from Gray Dog Games where players explore the United States, discover regional foods, and collect memorable experiences along the way.

Each featured food celebrates a real place, a local flavor, and the kind of delicious roadside discovery that makes every trip feel like an adventure.

Recipe

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Home-Cook-Friendly Buffalo Wings Serves: 4 Prep: 15 minutes, plus chilling Cook: 20 minutes Difficulty: Medium Style: Buffalo / Western New York Wings

Ingredients

• 3 pounds chicken wings, split into flats and drumettes
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Vegetable oil, for frying
• ½ cup hot sauce, such as Frank’s RedHot
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• Celery sticks
• Blue cheese dressing

Instructions

1. Dry the wings: Pat the wings very dry.
2. Season: Toss with baking powder and salt.
3. Chill: Refrigerate uncovered for at least 1 hour, or overnight for extra-crisp skin.
4. Heat the oil: Heat oil to 375°F.
5. Fry: Fry wings in batches until golden, crisp, and cooked through.
6. Make the sauce: Melt butter with hot sauce and vinegar.
7. Toss: Toss hot wings in the sauce.
8. Serve: Serve immediately with celery and blue cheese dressing.

Traditional note: To make it more traditional, fry the wings, toss them in butter-and-hot-sauce Buffalo sauce, and serve with celery and blue cheese. Skip breading and skip ranch if you want the Buffalo version.

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