So the story goes a guy named Teressa Bellissimo at Anchor Bar in Buffalo made hot wings in the 1960s. Hungry customers and a fridge full of chicken wings led to a delicious creation: pan-fried wings in melted butter and Frank’s spicy cayenne pepper sauce. Another story credits Wings n’ Things, another Buffalo bar, for serving fried breaded chicken wings with a tangy Washington, DC, sauce around the same time. But wings weren’t always this way. An 1857 menu from the Clarendon Hotel in Buffalo included a fried chicken wings dish, though we don’t know if it had ranch or blue cheese dip.

Buffalo chicken wings are so popular because they’re easy to make and can be customised. Sprinkle hot or sweet smoked paprika on the wings for extra flavour (or earthy sweetness). Coat boneless wings or drumettes in the spicy Buffalo wing sauce, or serve a whole chicken with the spicy sauce on the side for dipping. Instead of regular condiments, mix garlic powder or celery salt into Greek yogurt to cool things down. If you’re not in the mood to deep-fry, try this breading-free recipe for barbecuing the wings. You can also make them in the air fryer or bake them on a sheet pan. Reheat leftover cooked wings on a wire rack set inside a baking sheet in the oven, or eat them cold straight from the fridge while everyone else watches the Super Bowl.