Keto Buffalo Blue Cheese Chicken Wings
Once upon a time, I wasn’t a huge fan of chicken wings. I was still buying into the narrative that dietary fat should be avoided at all costs, so when I learned that the deliciously crispy skin on wings was so tasty because of the fat content, I thought that meant I had to give them up. One of the many things I have to thank keto for is proving that theory wrong so that I can enjoy recipes like these keto buffalo wings!
Chicken wings are actually pretty balanced in fat and protein content, which makes them a pretty keto-friendly choice. Although restaurant wings are traditionally deep fried, I chose to keep it simpler (and less messy) for these keto buffalo wings by sticking to the air fryer (or oven) instead. A quick spice rub makes sure that they still end up crispy either way.
Crispy wings are nice on their own of course, but it’s really necessary for this keto wings recipe to make sure they hold up to the buffalo blue cheese sauce. Like most buffalo sauces, this one starts with a base of butter and hot sauce. Rather than dipping in blue cheese dressing, fresh blue cheese added directly to the sauce itself packs in some extra flavor and richness. I like serving these keto buffalo wings with veggie sticks, steamed broccoli, or a simple side salad.
Looking for more keto chicken recipes? Try this Keto Pimento Cheese Baked Chicken Recipe.
Buffalo Blue Cheese Keto Chicken Wings
Ingredients
- 20 chicken wing sections about 1.67 pound
Keto Wing Rub
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
Buffalo Blue Cheese Sauce
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 cloves garlic minced (optional)
- 1 green onion finely chopped
- 1 tbsp mayo
- 1/2 cup hot sauce
- 1 tbsp granulated Lakanto Classic optional
- 1.5 ounces blue cheese crumbled
Instructions
Prep the Wings
- In a small bowl or other container, combine all keto wing rub ingredients.
- Sprinkle wings with rub and toss to coat, then cook according to one of the options below.
Cook the Wings (Air Fryer Method)
- Add seasoned wings to air fryer. Cook at 380F for 24 minutes, tossing every 8 minutes.
- Increase air fryer temperature to 400F. Cook wings for an additional 5-15 minutes or until crisp, tossing every 5 minutes.
Cook the Wings (Oven Method)
- Preheat oven to 300F. Prepare a baking sheet by lining with parchment paper and/or a baking rack.
- Bake wings for 25 minutes, flipping once about halfway through.
- Increase oven temperature to 425F.
- Bake wings for an additional 30 minutes or until crisp, flipping every 10 minutes.
Make the Keto Buffalo Blue Cheese Sauce
- While the wings cook, melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.
- Add garlic and green onion. Saute until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add hot sauce, mayo, and sweetener, and stir well to combine. Simmer for about 3 minutes, then remove from heat.
- If desired, pulse sauce in blender (or with an immersion blender) until smooth.
- While sauce is still warm, stir in about 2/3 of the crumbled blue cheese.
Add Sauce to Wings
- Add wings and sauce to a mixing bowl and toss to coat. Top with remaining blue cheese and serve immediately.
Notes
- If you prefer deep fried wings, those will work too. I just prefer using the air fryer or oven for less mess.
- FYI: The baking powder helps to make these keto buffalo wings crispy, even when coated in the sauce. It shouldn't have an impact on the taste.
- You can substitute the mayo in the wing sauce for the same amount of ranch or blue cheese dressing.
Nutrition
