This Baked Buffalo Chicken is a crowd pleaser. You get tender, juicy meat and crispy skin without the hassle of deep frying. And with only 5 basic ingredients, it’s an easy keto meal for the whole fam. With only 1.2g carbs per serving!
We are a family of Buffalo chicken addicts. My son loves it so much that he orders it any chance he can get. I can’t even fathom how many Buffalo wings he’s eaten in his short life so far. It numbers in the thousands, easily.
Knowing how much he loves them, I have racked my brains to find a way to make a Keto friendly version at home. And I am delighted to say that this easy Baked Buffalo Chicken lives up to the promise.
It has crispy skin and succulent, tender meat, with plenty of that tangy, buttery flavor. And there’s no need to drag out the deep fryer and make your house smell like fried food for days!
There are so many wonderful ways to make Keto Buffalo Chicken. If you love it like we love it, check out Buffalo Chicken Soup as well!
Why you must try this recipe
When it comes to cooking chicken, baking often can’t hold a candle to frying. You just can’t get the skin crispy enough. Unless, of course, you know the baking powder trick.
I would love to tell you that this amazing hack was my own discovery, but it was not. I came across it on another blog called RecipeTin Eats. And I could hardly believe that a simple pantry staple was the magic ingredient for crispy Keto Buffalo Chicken.
I know that dusting chicken with baking powder seems mighty strange. But it really works, believe me. And I’ve used this same hack on Keto Chicken Wings too.
How does it work? Well, baking powder is mostly sodium bicarbonate and the salt helps draw moisture out of the chicken skin as it bakes. The baking powder also becomes a gas during the baking process, which leaves tiny bubbles on the chicken skin, creating a crunchy texture.
My kids adore drumsticks (or “chicken on the bone”, as they like to call them), and they provide an easy and inexpensive meal for my hungry family. So I often use drumsticks for my baked Buffalo chicken. But thighs work nicely as well.
Simple, easy, and seriously crispy. This is my favorite way to make Baked Buffalo Chicken and I think you will love it too.
Reader Reviews
“My family absolutely LOVES this recipe! I never dreamed that a baked chicken recipe could be this crispy, but also falling off the bone at the same time. I don’t even typically like drumsticks but these are so dang good that I ate 6 of them all by myself.” — Erin
“I am originally from upstate NY (aka Buffalo, NY- home of the first chicken wings) and am admittedly a bit of a chicken wing snob, so I was skeptical. Baking powder? Really? Well,i made them last night for New Years Eve and they were a hit! I’ll be making them again!” – Liz
“I made these tonight and just had to tell you how good they were! My husband and I both loved them! I had never heard of the baking powder tip and I was amazed by how crispy the skin got! Thanks so much for the great recipes!” – Bethany
Ingredients you need
This post may contain Amazon or other affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
- Chicken pieces: This crispy baked method works best on skin-on, bone-in chicken like drumsticks and thighs. My kids love the drummies but I prefer the thighs. They take about the same time to cook. You can also do this with chicken wings, but they don’t need as much time in the oven.
- Baking powder: Make sure you use baking POWDER, rather than soda. I also recommend aluminum free baking powder, to avoid that strange metallic taste.
- Butter: Classic Buffalo wings take butter in the sauce, so I use that here as well. For a dairy free version, you can use coconut oil or avocado oil.
- Buffalo sauce: The original Frank’s Hot Sauce is keto friendly, but make sure you don’t purchase the wing sauce, which has some additives like canola oil and butter flavor. For super clean ingredients, check out the sauce from The New Primal. It’s my absolute favorite!
- Salt and pepper: Go lightly with the added seasoning until you taste the chicken, since baking powder adds salt as well.
Step-by-step directions
1. Pat the chicken dry and place half of it in a large ziploc bag. Add half of the baking powder, salt, and pepper and shake vigorously to coat. Lay the chicken on the prepared rack and repeat with the remaining chicken, baking powder, salt, and pepper
2. Place the rack in the lower third of the oven and bake at 250ºF for 30 minutes.
3. Increase temperature to 425ºF and move the tray to the upper middle rack of the oven. Bake another 30 to 40 minutes, flipping the chicken partway through, until the skin is crisp.
4. In a small bowl, whisk the Buffalo sauce and melted butter together. Brush over the chicken. At this point, you can return them to the oven for another 5 to 10 minutes, if you like the sauce to be baked on.
Expert tips
Make sure you pat the chicken very dry. Any amount of surface moisture will make the baking powder clump in that spot, instead of dusting the chicken lightly. I also recommend tossing the chicken with the baking powder in batches, to ensure more even coverage.
The first stage of baking at a lower temperature helps render some of the fat from the chicken, allowing it to crisp up more easily.
Air fryer method: This Keto Buffalo Chicken recipe can easily be made in an air fryer and you don’t need the baking powder at all. Just air fry with some salt and pepper on about 400ºF for 25 to 30 minutes. I recommend starting them skin side down and flipping them at the half way point. Then brush them with sauce after they are done.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, many buffalo sauces and hot sauces are keto friendly. Just be sure to read the labels and use the regular hot sauce that has no carbs, rather than a pre-mixed wing sauce. The wing sauces often contain additives that raise the carb count. The New Primal makes a fabulous keto and paleo Buffalo sauce that comes in mild, medium, and hot.
As long as they aren’t breaded in high carb coating, deep fried foods are generally keto friendly. That doesn’t necessarily mean that they are healthy, however. Much depends on the oils used for frying. Steer clear of inflammatory canola and soybean oil, and choose high heat oils such as lard or light olive oil.
There really is no shame in deep-frying, as far as I am concerned. The only reason I don’t do it much myself is that it’s a lot of work and uses huge amounts of oil. And it makes your house smelled like fried food for at least 24 hours!
This recipe for crispy baked Buffalo chicken has only 1.2g of carbs per serving.
Popular Keto Chicken Recipes
Baked Buffalo Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 ½ lbs chicken drumsticks or a mix of thighs and drumsticks
- 2 tablespoon baking powder not baking soda!
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ⅓ cup Buffalo sauce
- 1 tablespoon butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 250ºF and set a wire cooling rack over a large baking sheet. Spray the rack with cooking oil.
- Pat the chicken dry and place half of it in a large ziploc bag. Add half of the baking powder, salt, and pepper and shake vigorously to coat.
- Lay the chicken on the prepared rack and repeat with the remaining chicken, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Place the rack in the lower third of the oven and bake 30 minutes.
- Increase temperature to 425ºF and move the tray to the upper middle rack of the oven. Bake another 30 to 40 minutes, until the skin is crisp. You can flip the chicken halfway through, if desired.
- In a small bowl, combine the Buffalo sauce and melted butter. Brush over the chicken on both sides. At this point, you can return them to the oven for another 5 to 10 minutes, if you like the sauce baked on.
Patti says
Timing is way off on these. I followed instructions exactly. They’re in the oven now and they’re weirdly coated with baking powder and not done. I have an oven thermometer and it is exactly 425. Drumsticks are 135 degrees per my digital thermometer after 40 minutes.
Ugh, this is the last time I follow a Pinterest recipe from a page I know nothing about.
Ps. I was a rep,for Tyson Chicken for 20 years! I know chicken!
Carolyn says
Hi Patti. I think you can see from the overwhelmingly positive feedback that this recipe is indeed a good one. Perhaps it’s your digital thermometer that is off. I’ve made them about 6 times myself. Please, if you want help rescuing a recipe, I am here for you. But if you just want to tell me how awful I am, don’t bother. I am an excellent cook, and I too know chicken. Anyone who knows anything about chicken knows that it would be WELL cooked at 40 minutes in a 425F oven.
Gloria says
I tried these and I must say omit the salt. I couldn’t tell if the salty taste was coming from the baking powder or the salt. Otherwise they came out good and crispy!
Mari says
Do you boil your chicken drumsticks or put them ram i to the oven the picture looks like the chicken might have been cooked.
Carolyn says
Read the recipe…no boiling.
Carolyn says
Absolutely delicious, made it twice using different sauces!
Ab
plasterers bristol says
This is a awesome recipe. thanks for sharing this ours turned out great…
simon
Susan Mahar says
Hi Carolyn,
I am originally from upstate NY (aka Buffalo, NY- home of the first chicken wings) and am admittedly a bit of a chicken wing snob, so I was skeptical. Baking powder? Really? Well,i made them last night for New Years Eve and they were a hit! I’ll be making them again!
Thank you!!
Carolyn says
Oh yay, glad you liked them!
Cari says
Do I start with the chicken drummies fully thawed or frozen? Looking to try this recipe soon and want to get it right!
Carolyn says
Thawed and patted very dry.
Maribeth says
Always looking for different ways to make chicken. My husband prefers it skinless. Would this work without skin? Showing my ignorance, is Buffalo sauce just bought at the store or do you make your own?
Carolyn says
Purchased buffalo sauce. And I think some readers have made it skinless? Check the comments, you might find some info.
Rhonda says
I made these this weekend with thighs are they’re fantastic! Sooo crispy! A nice new recipe in my chicken thigh rotation.
Christie says
These are delicious! I am one of those that the chicken was soggy on the bottom and my oven got smoky from grease splattering everywhere. But I will flip them next time and lower my oven temp a little as it must run a little hotter.
Carolyn says
Interestingly, the last time I made these, it happened to me as well. I’ve made them 8 or 10 times and this was the only time it’s happened. I am going to try to pinpoint what the issue is.
Christie says
They are still delicious though and I am making them again tonight, I loved them that much. Thank you! And I need to get an oven thermometer so I can see how hot my oven is running.
Twila says
My husband & I love this we have even tried it without the buffalo sauce & it makes a great baked/almost fried chicken. We have even used barbeque sauce & it is great.
Thanks for sharing this great way to cook drumsticks!
Laurie says
I made these for dinner tonight and OH.MY.GOODNESS! So unbelievable good! I followed the recipe exactly as written. I did throw the drumsticks back in the oven for a couple of minutes after adding the sauce. They were absolutely amazing and family approved!
Carolyn says
Glad you liked them!
Jessica says
I don’t have a baking sheet, would a pan work? Such as one that you would use for a cake? I have a clear and a darker one!
Carolyn says
It would work, but you just need to make sure it’s big enough to set your rack over it.
Bethany says
I made these tonight and just had to tell you how good they were! My husband and I both loved them! I had never heard of the baking powder tip and I was amazed by how crispy the skin got! Thanks so much for the great recipes!
Carolyn says
Glad you liked them!
Amber Walden says
Made these tonight OMG they are amazing!! I made drumsticks for the kids and wings for me (ran out of drumsticks!). So good I dare say the best I’ve ever had and all done from home so much cheaper than buying them out! I loved it so much! Thanks!
Carolyn says
I love hearing that!
Lesley says
I only have thighs. How long do you think you’d cook thighs for the same crispiness?
Carolyn says
Yup, it should work.
Melanie says
OMG!!! These are the best wings! Seriously, these are amazing! I had seen a video from a big time chef that used baking powder in the past, but I hadn’t tried it until tonight. People…do yourselves a favor and make these!
Ekim says
I just started Keto two weeks ago, and I love this recipe. I’ve made it twice already. I don’t cook them in the oven, though, I cook them in my pellet smoker. I’m able to treat it the same as the oven procedure, but with a nice smoky flavor added to it.
Robin says
So eager to try this! Thank you!
Melissa says
These looks amazing! Anything crispy/buffalo is A+ in my books! I’m going to try these this weekend! One question: If I remove the skin, will I need to alter the recipe in any way?
Thanks!
Carolyn says
If you remove the skin, I am doubtful that they will get crispy.
Marta Johnston says
I removed the skin and followed the directions exactly and they came out great!!!