Chicken Wings are a popular, low-cost appetizer for casual parties; they’re substantial enough for a main dish at dinner, too. Buffalo Wings, which originated in 1964 at The Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York, became very trendy a few years ago and elevated the lowly chicken wing from a soup and stock flavoring to a mainstream hors d'oeuvre and main dish favorite. So popular are chicken wings, they are now featured on the menu of many major chain restaurants across America. Of course the chain restaurant versions are dreadfully substandard (as is most chain food) to the original Anchor Bar Buffalo Wings, but that doesn’t seem to stop people from ordering them. With the popularity of the hot and spicy Anchor Bar and copycat versions, restaurants everywhere have expanded their menus to include chicken wings in countless flavors. In fact, fast-food chains featuring nothing but wings in a variety of sauces have even emerged and are a trendy diversion from mundane burgers and tacos.

Chicken wings are inexpensive to make at home, and are very easy to prepare. The cooked wings freeze well, too. While many restaurants deep-fry their wings to get them crisp before adding sauces, baking is much easier, much less messy, and as a bonus, gets rid of some of the fat. Don’t get me wrong, even baking doesn’t make wings diet food, but because they have a fairly high fat content, they stay very moist during baking, and the finished product is identical in taste and appearance to the fried version.

This Basic Chicken Wing Module will be a real timesaver when an appetizer is needed on the spur of the moment. Once the wings are in the freezer, the only difficulty will be to decide which sauce to glaze them in. I’ve also included a copycat version of the famous Anchor Bar Buffalo Wings.

Basic Chicken Wing Module

75-100 Wings

10 pounds chicken wings

1. Wash the wings and place them on parchment-lined baking sheets, making sure they are not crowded and don't touch.


2. Bake in a preheated 400° oven for 45 - 60 minutes until they are crisp.


3. Cool, then package in Ziploc bags, 12 to a bag.


4. Label and freeze.

Amount Per Wing (approximate as they vary in size)
Calories 96 Calories from Fat 60
Percent Total Calories From: Fat 62% Protein 38% Carb. 0%

Nutrient Amount per Serving
Total Fat 7 g
Saturated Fat 2 g
Cholesterol 29 mg
Sodium 28 mg
Total Carbohydrate 0 g
Dietary Fiber 0 g
Sugars 0 g
Protein 9 g

Vitamin A 1% Vitamin C 0% Calcium 0% Iron 2%

Buffalo Style Wings

24 Wings

2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup Frank's Red Hot Sauce, or other Louisiana style hot pepper sauce

24 Cooked chicken wings from the Chicken Wing Module

1. Mix the butter and hot sauce; microwave until the butter is melted and the sauce is hot


2. Stir the mixture, then pour over the wings, coating well.


3. Transfer the wings to a parchment lined baking sheet, spacing so that they don't touch.


4. Bake in a preheated 400° oven for 20 minutes, turning once.


5. Serve with blue cheese dressing and fresh celery sticks.

Amount Per Serving
Calories 113 Calories from Fat 73
Percent Total Calories From: Fat 65% Protein 35% Carb. 0%

Nutrient Amount per Serving
Total Fat 8 g
Saturated Fat 3 g
Cholesterol 33 mg
Sodium 43 mg
Total Carbohydrate 0 g
Dietary Fiber 0 g
Sugars 0 g
Protein 10 g

Vitamin A 2% Vitamin C 0% Calcium 0% Iron 3%