Gordon Ramsay’s buffalo wings are buttermilk-marinated, deep fried until shattering crisp, then tossed in hot sauce and melted butter. The whole thing takes about 30 minutes once the wings have soaked, and the blue cheese dressing on the side is non-negotiable.
Ramsay published a buffalo chicken recipe in Quick and Delicious using mini fillets with a buttermilk marinade and Frank’s RedHot Wings Sauce. He calls it “my take on buffalo chicken” after falling for the dish across his eight US restaurants. This version applies his exact marinade and frying method to whole wings, because the technique works the same way and wings are what people actually want for game night.
The buttermilk does two things most recipes skip explaining. It tenderises the meat through its natural acidity, and it gives the flour something to grab onto so the coating actually sticks during frying. Skip the soak and you get bare, sad wings with flaking batter.
Gordon Ramsay Buffalo Wings Recipe
Course: DinnerCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy4
servings15
minutes20
minutes480
kcal35
minutesAdapted from the buffalo chicken recipe in Gordon Ramsay’s Quick and Delicious, using his buttermilk and cayenne marinade with Frank’s RedHot Wings Sauce. The method is applied to whole wings instead of mini fillets, with his blue cheese dressing served on the side.
Ingredients
- For the Buttermilk Marinade:
1kg chicken wings, tips removed, jointed into flats and drumettes
300ml buttermilk
1½ tsp garlic granules
1½ tsp onion powder
1 tsp dried thyme
½ tsp cayenne pepper
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- For Frying:
150g plain flour
Vegetable oil, for deep frying
- For the Buffalo Sauce:
80ml Frank’s RedHot or similar hot wing sauce
30g unsalted butter, melted
- For the Blue Cheese Dressing:
50g Greek yoghurt
50g sour cream
1 tbsp mayonnaise
35g blue cheese, crumbled
Squeeze of lemon juice
2 dashes of Worcestershire sauce
- To Serve:
Celery sticks
Little gem lettuce leaves
Directions
- Marinate the wings: Put the wings in a large bowl with the buttermilk, garlic granules, onion powder, thyme, cayenne and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Mix well, cover with cling film and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Overnight is even better.
- Make the dressing: Mix the Greek yoghurt, sour cream, mayonnaise, crumbled blue cheese, lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce together in a small bowl. Season to taste, then cover and refrigerate until needed.
- Heat the oil: Fill a large heavy-based pan one-third full with vegetable oil and heat to 190°C, or until a cube of bread browns in about 25 seconds.
- Coat the wings: Put the flour in a shallow bowl with some salt and pepper. Take the wings from the buttermilk one at a time, keeping as much buttermilk on them as possible, and coat in the seasoned flour. Shake off any excess.
- Fry in batches: Carefully add the wings to the hot oil in batches of 5 or 6. Fry for 8 to 10 minutes, turning occasionally, until deep golden brown and cooked through. Drain on kitchen paper and keep warm in a low oven at 140°C (275°F) while you fry the rest.
- Make the buffalo sauce: While the last batch fries, melt the butter in a small pan and stir in the hot sauce until combined. Keep warm.
- Toss and serve: Put all the fried wings in a large bowl, pour the buffalo sauce over them and toss until every wing is coated. Pile onto a plate and serve with the blue cheese dressing, celery sticks and lettuce.
Notes
- Adapted from the Buffalo Chicken and Blue Cheese Dressing recipe in Gordon Ramsay’s Quick and Delicious, which uses mini chicken fillets. The buttermilk marinade and frying technique work identically with whole wings.
FAQs
What hot sauce does Gordon Ramsay use for buffalo wings?
He specifies Frank’s RedHot Wings Sauce in Quick and Delicious. It’s a cayenne-based sauce that’s tangy rather than just hot, which is what gives buffalo wings that classic flavour.
Any cayenne hot sauce works if you can’t find Frank’s. Just avoid anything with too much sweetness or smokiness, because buffalo sauce should taste sharp and buttery, not barbecue-sweet.
Can you bake these buffalo wings instead of frying?
You can, but the texture is different. Lay the buttermilk-marinated, flour-coated wings on a wire rack over a baking tray and bake at 220°C (425°F) for 35 to 40 minutes, flipping halfway.
The coating won’t shatter the same way it does from the fryer, but you still get a decent crunch. Toss them in the hot sauce and butter while they’re screaming hot so the glaze clings properly.
What is Gordon Ramsay’s blue cheese dressing recipe?
His version from Quick and Delicious mixes Greek yoghurt with sour cream, mayonnaise, crumbled blue cheese, a squeeze of lemon and two dashes of Worcestershire sauce. It’s lighter than most American blue cheese dips because of the yoghurt.
Our blue cheese sauce article covers the full method and variations. The dressing keeps in the fridge for up to three days, so you can make it well ahead.
Why does Ramsay marinate buffalo wings in buttermilk?
The buttermilk does two jobs at once. Its acidity breaks down the tough fibres in the wing meat, making them more tender. And the thick, clingy texture gives the flour a proper surface to grip, so the coating stays on during frying instead of sliding off into the oil.
Ramsay’s tip in the book: leave them in the buttermilk overnight and they’ll be even more tender. One hour is the minimum if you’re in a rush.
What is the difference between buffalo wings and hot wings?
Buffalo wings are a specific dish from Buffalo, New York. The original version is deep fried, never breaded, and tossed in a sauce made from cayenne hot sauce and butter. The blue cheese dip and celery sticks aren’t optional, they’re part of the dish.
Hot wings is a broader term for any spicy chicken wing. Ramsay’s chicken wings recipe uses a tamarind and chilli marinade, which is spicy but completely different from buffalo. If you want the classic American bar version, this is the one.
Do leftover buffalo wings stay crispy?
No, and there’s no trick to make them. Fried food loses its crunch within hours, and the buffalo sauce speeds that up because it’s wet. They’re a cook-and-eat dish.
If you do have leftovers, store covered in the fridge for a day and reheat on a wire rack in a 200°C (400°F) oven for 10 minutes. You’ll get some crispness back but it won’t be the same.
