BEST Buffalo Chicken Wing Sauce Recipe

Football season is in full swing, so you need this buffalo chicken wing sauce recipe for your next game-day party.

It’s tangy, spicy, and a cinch to make.

If you want a spicy, succulent, and sinfully scrumptious appetizer, you can’t beat chicken wings.

They’re small enough to snack on, easy to transport, and ideal for mingling.

And while there are plenty of tasty recipes, I can’t recommend Frank’s RedHot® Original buffalo chicken wing sauce recipe enough (phew, what a mouthful!).

Of course, it doesn’t have to be Frank’s – use whatever hot sauce you prefer.

But if you want authentic buffalo wings, Frank’s is the clear winner.

Frank’s RedHot Buffalo Chicken Wings Sauce Recipe

Buffalo sauce combines hot pepper sauce and some type of fat (typically butter) to make it creamy. 

There are a few other ingredients than just those two, of course. Still, those are the key elements that give the sauce its signature taste and texture. 

Now, onto the important question: why make it at home when you can pick up buffalo sauce in practically every grocery store in the world?  

Well, it’s simple – make it yourself, and you control the flavor.

One of the main ingredients is hot sauce, so it’s gonna be spicy no matter what.

But if you like it really spicy, or maybe a bit more tangy, you can adjust the recipe as you go.

And fortunately, making it at home is easy. In fact, you’ll have it ready to go in just five minutes.

Plus, it lasts in the fridge for quite a while, so you can enjoy it in multiple dishes. After all, buffalo chicken wing sauce is good on more than just wings!

Buffalo Chicken Wing Sauce Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need: 

• Frank’s RedHot® / Hot Pepper Sauce – As mentioned, you can make buffalo chicken wing sauce with whatever hot pepper sauce you like best. But nothing beats Frank’s RedHot® for authenticity.

• Unsalted Butter – Butter helps to thicken the sauce. It also makes it creamier and adds another depth of flavor you don’t want to miss. Unsalted is best, so you can control the flavor.

• White Vinegar – The defining feature of buffalo sauce isn’t just the heat -it’s also that sour tang you get in every bite. One and a half tablespoons of white vinegar will do the trick.

• Worcestershire Sauce – Worcestershire (pronounced ‘wu-stuh-shuh’ or just ‘wu-stuh’) sauce is rich and flavorful. It really brings out the umami notes in your buffalo sauce – so don’t skip it.

• Cayenne Pepper – Cayenne adds a dash of flavor, but it’s mainly here for the heat. Adjust this depending on how hot or mild you like it.

• Garlic Powder – Garlic adds even more earthy, umami flavor to the recipe. Use powder to keep the sauce smooth.

• Salt – Use as much or as little as you need to suit your tastes. If you use salted butter, you can leave it out. 

How to Make Buffalo Chicken Wing Sauce 

You’ll find the list of step-by-step instructions broken down for you at the bottom. 

But when it comes to homemade buffalo sauce, there are really only two things to remember: mix and heat.

1. Mix all the ingredients until smooth.

Combine all the ingredients, except the butter, in a mid-sized pot on the stove.

I like to use a heavy-bottomed pot with tall sides to keep it from spitting as it bubbles.

Whisk everything together until well-blended, then throw in the butter.

2. Heat until silky and shiny.

Once everything is in the pot, turn the stove to medium heat.

Bring the sauce to a simmer, then remove it from the heat as soon as it bubbles. It shouldn’t take more than 5 minutes.

Whisk continually until the butter melts and set aside to cool.

Tips for The Best Buffalo Chicken Wing Sauce

Here are a few tips to remember: 

• Be careful with the cayenne, and keep in mind that a little goes a long way. So start slow, and taste the sauce frequently before adding more. And if you do add more, do so in tiny amounts.
  • Also, remember the hot sauce already has some level of heat. So if you’re sensitive to spice, you may want to leave out the cayenne entirely. 

• Watch the salt. Just as hot sauce already has heat, most of it has plenty of salt, too. So even if you use unsalted butter, you may not need extra salt. But, again, taste the sauce before going nuts with your salt shaker.

• If you want a sweet-n-spicy buffalo sauce, try adding a teaspoon of natural honey to the recipe. You can add more or less after tasting it. 

• Use Frank’s hot sauce if you can get it. It truly is the best option for a buffalo sauce base.
  • If you can’t find it, use hot sauce with a cayenne base for the closest taste.

How to Store Buffalo Chicken Wing Sauce

Storing this sauce is just as easy as making it. Allow it to cool before transferring it to an airtight container. Mason jars work great for this purpose. 

Stick the container in the fridge, and it should last for a couple of weeks. 

That said, it will sometimes separate or develop a strange consistency if it sits too long.

That doesn’t mean it’s gone bad! It just needs a little TLC to bring it back to normal. 

Pour however much of the sauce you plan to use into a microwave-safe bowl. Then, microwave it for about a minute on 100% power, and it’ll smooth back out. 

What to Serve with Buffalo Chicken Wing Sauce

Obviously, you’ll want to serve this sauce with chicken wings. Fortunately, there are other things it tastes great on.

Here are a few options: 

• Grilled cheese and other sandwiches
• Salads
• Eggs
• Hash browns
• Fried chicken
• Roasted cauliflower
• Veggies
• Tacos, burritos, and quesadillas
• Fried fish
• Crispy tofu
• Pizza

I think this sauce is excellent as a dipper with fries and quesadillas. And it’s incredibly scrummy on a fried chicken sandwich with cool, creamy slaw.

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Baked Teriyaki Chicken Wings
Jamaican Jerk Chicken Wings
Honey Sriracha Chicken Wings
Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings