These easy grilled chicken wings with buffalo sauce are smoky, spicy, and downright irresistible. Perfectly charred on the grill and tossed in tangy buffalo sauce, they’re a crowd‑pleasing favorite for game day or backyard cookouts. And the best part? A homemade blue cheese dressing that takes every bite over the top.
Jump to:
- ⭐️ The Ingredients
- 👉 Key Ingredients Notes and Substitutions
- ☑️ Tips & Tricks for Easy Grilled Chicken Wings with Buffalo Sauce
- 👩🏼🍳 How To Make Grilled Chicken Wings with Buffalo Sauce
- 🔥 Other Methods for Cooking Chicken Wings
- 🙋🏽♂️ Frequently Asked Questions
- 😋 Other Chicken Wings Recipes To Try
- Easy Grilled Chicken Wings With Buffalo Sauce
⭐️ The Ingredients
Made with simple ingredients like chicken wings, hot sauce, butter, and a few pantry spices—plus a creamy homemade blue cheese dressing—this recipe is big on flavor without being fussy. Find ingredient notes (including substitutions and variations) below.
👉 Key Ingredients Notes and Substitutions
- Chicken Wings: Use whole wings or pre‑cut drumettes and flats. Boneless chicken bites can also work if you prefer.
- Hot Sauce: Classic buffalo flavor comes from a vinegar‑based hot sauce like Frank’s RedHot. Substitute with your favorite hot sauce or even sriracha for a different kick.
- Butter: Balances the heat and gives the sauce a silky texture. Swap with ghee or plant‑based butter for a dairy‑free option.
- Garlic Powder & Paprika: Add depth and smokiness. Onion powder or chili powder can be used if you want to mix up the flavor.
- Blue Cheese Dressing: Homemade is best for bold flavor, but store‑bought works in a pinch. Ranch dressing can be swapped in if you’re not a blue cheese fan.
- Celery & Carrot Sticks (optional): Traditional sides that add crunch and freshness—cucumber sticks also make a great substitute.
See the recipe card (with video) below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
☑️ Tips & Tricks for Easy Grilled Chicken Wings with Buffalo Sauce
- Crispy on the grill: Pat the wings dry with paper towels before seasoning—this helps the skin crisp up instead of steaming.
- Indirect heat first: Start the wings over indirect heat to cook them through, then finish over direct heat for that perfect char.
- Control the heat: Adjust the buffalo sauce by adding more butter for a milder flavor or an extra splash of hot sauce for fiery wings.
- Toss, don’t soak: Coat wings in the buffalo sauce just before serving to keep the skin crisp.
- Make ahead: The blue cheese dressing tastes even better if made a day in advance, giving the flavors time to meld.
Expert Tip
For evenly cooked wings with juicy meat and crispy skin, grill with the lid closed—this traps the heat like an oven, ensuring the wings cook through without burning.
👩🏼🍳 How To Make Grilled Chicken Wings with Buffalo Sauce
- Step 1: In a small bowl, mix together the rub ingredients.
- Step 2: Toss the wings with the rub.
- Step 3: Grill the wings over indirect heat, then transfer to direct heat.
- Step 4: Heat the hot sauce, butter, pepper, and garlic powder in a saucepan.
- Step 5: Take the wings off the grill, place them in a bowl, and add the wing sauce.
- Step 6: Toss and serve at once with homemade blue cheese dressing.
Expert Tip
For maximum flavor, let the seasoned wings chill—covered—in the fridge for at least an hour, or even overnight, so the rub really sinks in. Short on time? You can skip the rest and head straight to the grill, and they’ll still be delicious.
🔥 Other Methods for Cooking Chicken Wings
- Air Fryer: Season the wings as directed, then cook at 380°F for about 20 minutes until golden and crispy. Toss in buffalo sauce and serve hot.
- Deep Fryer: After seasoning, dredge the wings lightly in flour. Fry in 350°F oil for 15–20 minutes until crispy and cooked through, then coat with sauce.
- Oven‑Baked: Season the wings, arrange them on a wire rack set over a baking sheet, and bake at 400°F for 40–45 minutes, flipping halfway, until crispy. Toss with sauce and enjoy immediately.
- Smoker + Grill: For a touch of smoke, add a small handful of hickory chips and smoke the wings for about 5 minutes. Finish them on the grill for crispiness, then toss them in buffalo sauce.
🙋🏽♂️ Frequently Asked Questions
You can prep the wings and even make the blue cheese dressing in advance, but for the crispiest results, grill the wings just before serving.
Reheat in the oven or air fryer to bring back the crispiness—avoid the microwave, which makes the skin soggy.
Yes! You can bake, air fry, or even deep fry the wings and then toss them in the buffalo sauce. See the above section for more details.
They’re medium‑spicy, but you can tone down the heat by adding more butter to the sauce or crank it up with extra hot sauce.
😋 Other Chicken Wings Recipes To Try
Ready to make the best wings in town? Go for it!
And when you do, be sure to take a photo of them, post it on Instagram, and tag @HowToFeedaLoon and hashtag #HowToFeedaLoon!
Easy Grilled Chicken Wings With Buffalo Sauce
Video
Equipment
- Gas, charcoal, or electric grill with lid
Ingredients
For the Rub
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder
For the Wings
- 2 lbs chicken wings flats and drumettes
- ⅓ cup hot sauce i.e., Frank's
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- Homemade blue cheese dressing for serving
- cut celery for serving
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix together the rub ingredients and set aside.1 teaspoon Kosher salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika, ¼ teaspoon chili powder
- Add the chicken wings to a large bowl and stir in the rub. Toss with two large wooden spoons until the wings are evenly coated. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit in the fridge while you make the blue cheese dressing.2 lbs chicken wings
- Set up your grill for 2-zone grilling (one side direct heat and the other side no heat).
- Place the wings on the indirect heat side of the grill and cover the grill. Let cook for 7 to 10 minutes, flipping once.
- Transfer the wings to the direct heat side of the grill and cook until lightly charred and fully cooked, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat the hot sauce, butter, pepper, and garlic powder in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, stir occasionally and let it simmer on low for 5 minutes.⅓ cup hot sauce, ⅓ cup unsalted butter, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- Take the wings off the grill and place them in a large bowl. Pour the sauce over them and toss with two wooden spoons until fully coated.
- Serve at once with cut celery sticks and the homemade blue cheese dressing on the side.Homemade blue cheese dressing, cut celery
Matt says
Buffalo wings are my FAVORITE and I love that these are grilled and not fried. Can I give this recipe 10 stars? In the rotation!
Kris Longwell says
10 stars!!!! We’ll take it!! Thank you so much!!
Mark Lawton says
Have I EVER given you guys less than 5 stars? Don’t believe so, and for good reason! These wings were just crazy good! CRAZY GOOD!!! My wife and I are both big wings fans, and these were just amazing. As she said, “you’ll be making these again … and again!”
I was lazy and just grabbed a jar of bleu cheese dressing at the market. The home made recipe is most intriguing! I’m a big bleu cheese dressing fan and next time will definitely go with your homemade bleu cheese dressing recipe!
As always, thanks my friends. You guys rock, and I love the videos! Keep up the great work!!!
Kris Longwell says
MARK!!!!!! You and your wife make us so happy!!!!!! We are always through-the-roof thrilled when you guys have such great success with one of our recipes! And when you can, give that blue cheese dressing a try…it really is the bomb!!! Thank you so much for always letting us and for the amazing support! We love y’all!!!!! Kris & Wesley
carmen Stone says
The taste IS FABULOUS! Best wings I ever made! I did the air fryer method and then broiled for 5 minutes on high for the crispy skin.
Thank you for sharing your recipe and methods of cooking.
Kris Longwell says
Hi Carmen!! Woo hoo! We are so so thrilled you’ve already made the winds and you loved them so much! And that’s awesome that you did them in the air fryer and then broiled them. Brilliant! Thank you so so much for sharing and for the GREAT review. That means the world to us! Please stay in touch! xoxo Kris & Wesley
Kris Longwell says
The grilled wings are so easy and truly amazingly delicious. The homemade blue cheese puts them over the top!