Easy Buffalo Wings (Two Versions, One Gluten Free)

Why buffalo wings?  Because I love them, and I can’t eat them out anymore. Buffalo wing sauce is generally made with butter or margarine, and therefore contains milk. And depending on the particular restaurant, the breading may contain milk and they might use an egg to coat the chicken before breading it. And many restaurants use wings that are delivered to them already breaded/coated so they have no clue what’s in them unless they still have a box kicking around with the label on it. You can imagine just how much fun this conversation with restaurant servers would be and why it’s not even worth the bother to try – Oh, can you make me a special sauce that doesn’t contain any milk or milk products, and by the way, margarine contains dairy.  And even though you get the wings pre-breaded, can you find some wings that aren’t coated and cook them for me? Yeah, right. Not happening in this universe. Secondly, although I learned how to deep fry with a stockpot and a candy/frying thermometer while we were working on one of our recipes, I’m not frying on a work night and cleaning that up. So the recipe had to be baked. I started with this recipe and modified it to be dairy free, and then did a gluten-free version too, even though Mary Kate doesn’t really care for buffalo wings. The nice thing about this recipe is that you can take the cooked chicken wings and make any sauce you want and then coat them with it. So if you don’t like buffalo wings, experiment. Tell us what you used for alternate sauces.

Easy Buffalo Wings (Dairy-free, BUT NOT gluten-free version)

Easy Buffalo Wings (Dairy-free, BUT NOT gluten-free version)

Wings and Coating:

  • 36 chicken wing pieces
  • 2 Tablespoons canola oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt or spicy seasoned salt, such as Penzey’s Spicy 4/S Salt or Slap Ya Mama Cajun Seasoning
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon of Penzey’s Forward Seasoning (If you don’t have this, mix some black pepper, onion powder, paprika, garlic powder, and turmeric together to equal 1 teaspoon)

Buffalo Wing Sauce:

  • 1 1/2 Tablespoons cider vinegar
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed garlic
  • 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 6 Tablespoons Frank’s Red Hot
  • 6 Tablespoons Earth Balance Soy Free Vegan margarine
Wings Coated on Baking Sheet
Cooked Wings on Baking Sheet

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  In a bowl toss the wings with the oil, and salt. Place flour and Forward seasoning into a gallon zip lock bag and seal closed.  Shake to evenly distribute flour and Forward seasoning.  Add a few wing pieces and shake to coat evenly. Remove wings from the bag, shaking off excess flour, and spread out evenly on oiled baking pan(s). Do not crowd. Repeat until all wings are coated. Bake for about 20-25 minutes, turn the wings over, and cook another 20-25 minutes, or until the wings are cooked through and browned.

Sauce Ingredients in Saucepan
Completed Buffalo Sauce

While the wings are baking, mix all the ingredients for the sauce in a pan, and over low heat bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, and then turn off.

Wings being tossed with sauce

After the wings are cooked, transfer to a large mixing bowl. Pour the sauce over the hot wings and toss with a spoon or spatula to completely coat.

Easy Buffalo Wings (Gluten-Free Version)

Easy Buffalo Wings (Gluten-free version)

Wings and Coating:

  • 36 chicken wing pieces
  • 2 Tablespoons canola oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt or spicy seasoned salt, such as Penzey’s Spicy 4/S Salt or Slap Ya Mama Cajun Seasoning
  • 1 cup all-purpose gluten-free baking mix, either a commercial mix or your own. (I used a mix of 100g sorghum flour, 100g Masa Harina, 150g sweet rice flour, and 150g potato starch.  You will have leftovers, store it in an airtight container, and use it for next time.  This the best mix I’ve tried for this.  My husband and I could not tell the difference between this and the flour coating above.)
  • 1 teaspoon of Penzey’s Forward Seasoning (If you don’t have this, mix some black pepper, onion powder, paprika, garlic powder, and turmeric together to equal 1 tsp)

Buffalo Wing Sauce:

  • 1 1/2 Tablespoons cider vinegar
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed garlic
  • 1/4 teaspoon Balsamic vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 6 Tablespoons Frank’s Red Hot
  • 6 Tablespoons Earth Balance Soy Free Vegan margarine
Gluten-Free Coated Wings on Baking Sheet
Cooked Gluten-Free Wings

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  In a bowl toss the wings with the oil, and salt. Place gluten-free baking mix and Forward seasoning into a gallon zip lock bag and seal close.  Shake to evenly distribute baking mix and Forward seasoning.  Add a few wing pieces and shake to coat evenly. Remove wings from the bag, shaking off excess coating, and spread out evenly on oiled baking pan(s). Do not crowd. Repeat until all wings are coated. Bake for about 20-25 minutes, turn the wings over, and cook another 20-25 minutes, or until the wings are cooked through and browned.

Gluten-Free Sauce Ingredients
Gluten-free sauce completed

While the wings are baking, mix all the ingredients for the sauce in a pan, and over low heat bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, and then turn off.

Gluten-Free Wings being tossed with sauce
Gluten-Free Cooked Wings in Bowl

After the wings are cooked, transfer to a large mixing bowl. Pour the sauce over the hot wings and toss with a spoon or spatula to completely coat.

    1. These look great! I have the gluten free version in the oven as we speak… I didn’t have penzey’s forward seasoning, so I made the alternative mix (except I didn’t have onion powder.. Who DOESN’T have onion powder!?!?!) Anyways… I also used butter instead of margarine cause that $#!t will kill ya!
      The sauce is ready on the stove and in just minutes my wings will be ready!! I may have over crowded the pan a bit… I know this is an important step not to mess up but I didn’t have the time to cook 2 pans. Tho, thinking now, I prob coulda used 2 pans in there at once and just rotated the two throughout. Again… ANYwaaaayyyys…. LOL
      Ok, will keep ya posted on how these turned out – tho they smell amazing right NOW!!! 🙂

        1. Alright, they’re done! Next time I will cook a little longer, 5 mins or so more each side… Mine didn’t brown up as much as I woulda liked. Also, I found there not to be enough sauce. Part of the “butter” portion, I used coconut oil. Thought it would add a little nutrition in all that “badness”!!
          The garlic clove I crushed was much bigger than the 1/2 tsp your recipe called for, but that sauce mixture tastes FANTASTIK on these wings!! Wow! I’m going to throw on some more frank’s red hot while the wings are still hot…
          Thanks for sharing this recipe! I’ll def be trying it again with just a few alterations… AND WITH onion powder!!!!!!!! LOL

      1. Yay!! Please keep us updated! Since I made up this recipe I tested positive and failed a challenge for chicken, so I can’t have them anymore. (Seriously, I have to be allergic to chicken too??) Enjoy!

        1. Oh nnnnoooooOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! Allergic to chicken!?!?! Oh my! *gasp*
          I wouldn’t survive. I’m so sorry for your loss. *wipes tears* :,(
          Ok so what about 100% organic, free range chickens??? Perhaps your allergy is to the garbage that’s pumped into regular chickens they’re holding compacted in tiny little spaces unable to move…… ??????
          Maybe there’s still a chance you can have it?? How did they figure out you were allergic to chicken? I’m seriously dying for you right now. Also, I think I just added more Frank’s Red Hot to these wings as an excuse to eat a couple more before they go in the fridge.
          Mission accomplished.

          1. Yeah, nope. I tested positive on a skin prick test at the allergist’s office and did a food challenge to confirm with the cleanest chicken, organic, etc., etc., I could lay my hands on and had all kinds of nasty reactions. I’m allergic to it, no question.

            1. That makes me VERY sad for you 🙁
              But I have Celiac and I’m “off the chart” allergic, so I understand what its like.
              I don’t know if it will help you, but growing up, if I knew something was good for me, I convinced myself that I LOVED it… And then did. I had to do the same after my diagnosis, only slightly different: if I couldn’t have it, I just told myself, “I never liked it anyway!” And I would believe it. Mostly. Didn’t work with beer and poutine. I can make my own poutine when I feel the need to, but it doesn’t beat a good ole dirty Quebec poutine… And beer.. Ugh. I have found New Grist to be the closest tasting to beer, tho I find it too sweet. (This doesn’t stop me from drinking it btw!).
              The good news, is that the more of us who find out about our allergies, the more we talk to others about it, the more awareness there is… So companies are becoming more accomodating to those of us who are dietarily limited. Is that a word? Guess it is now…
              So hopefully a brilliant chicken-free chicken substitute will be invented and you won’t even notice you’re not eating it anymore. 🙂

    2. I tried this recipe tonight for dinner and my family loved it! The wings were crispy and the sauce was just right (I omitted the salt and Tabasco sauce and subbed paprika for cayenne). This is also the first time I made buffalo wings at home and we liked it even better than restaurant made because it’s not so salty. I’m allergic to gluten and dairy so this is perfect and so very easy. Thanks for a great recipe!

      1. You’re welcome! I made these before my chicken allergy developed and I really miss them. Although for me, being the spice person I am, you took out all the good stuff 🙂 But I’m glad you made the recipe your own for what you like.

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