Hooters was an OG, but Not the top OG of Buffalo Wings
Before we get into the Hooters Buffalo wings recipe, lets chat more about where Buffalo wings came from.
The idea of Buffalo wings is from Buffalo, New York in the 1960’s by two men: John Young’s Wings & Things, and the owners of the Anchor Bar. There is a back and forth debate as to who was the true originator of the Buffalo Wings.
Being the first, doesn’t necessarily mean you’re the best, however. Hooters opened in 1983 out of Clearwater, Florida with 6 founders and became the talk of the town. The founders were trying to build a catchy sports bar and the name Hooters was coined from a Steve Martin Saturday Night Live monologue.
The outfits and the ‘Hooters Girls’ brought the explosion of fame in the 80’s, but the Hooters Wings recipe really left their mark as one of the best in the business.
Hooters Expands Beyond Buffalo Wings
Hooters spent a significant amount of time and money to move into other branding ideas besides just a fast food restaurant. Below are some of the hits but also some of the misses they probably wish would we all forget.
- Hooters Calendar – Successful: The Hooters Calendar has been a successful project, launched annually since the mid-1980s. It features Hooters Girls from various locations and is popular among patrons, contributing positively to the brand’s merchandising revenue.
- Hooters Racing – Mixed Success: Hooters sponsored NASCAR vehicles and drivers, most famously Alan Kulwicki, under Hooters Racing. This venture saw mixed results with high visibility in the motorsports community but fluctuating returns on investment.
- Hooters Television – Failed: In the 1980’s, Hooters attempted to enter the television space with its own channel, Hooters TV, which featured sports, comedy, and other entertainment reflecting the brand’s fun and casual essence. However, this venture did not gain sufficient traction or audience and was discontinued.
- Hooters Air – Failed: Launched in 2003, Hooters Air was an airline intended to extend the Hooters brand into the travel sector. It featured flight attendants dressed in the company’s signature uniforms serving flights across the U.S. The airline struggled with high operational costs and limited demand, ceasing operations in 2006.
- Hooters Snow Angels – Successful: Similar to the calendar, Hooters launched the Snow Angels program, which is a special winter-themed edition featuring Hooters Girls in snowy settings. It successfully added to the brand’s range of themed merchandise.
- Hooters Casino Hotel – Failed: In 2006, Hooters purchased the Hotel San Remo near the Las Vegas strip and rebranded it as Hooters Casino Hotel. Despite the strong brand name, the casino faced financial difficulties and underwent several changes in ownership before being rebranded as OYO Hotel & Casino in 2019.
- Hooters Magazine – Failed: Hooters Magazine was introduced as a bi-monthly publication featuring sports, entertainment, and interviews with Hooters Girls. Despite initial interest, it struggled with circulation numbers and was discontinued.
The Buffalo Wings Competition
The classic Buffalo wing sauce and original Mambo sauce were key flavors for many years; with Hooters mastering their own version of the Buffalo sauce. But with any success comes fierce competition.
- Buffalo Wild Wings: 1982 in Columbus, Ohio
- Wingstop: 1994 in Garland, Texas
- Popeyes
- Zaxby’s
- Checkers & Rally’s
- Dave & Busters: Don’t sleep on the D&B wings! Big fan of their lemon pepper rub. 😎
Let’s Talk About the Hooters Buffalo Wings Recipe
If you don’t have an electric deep fryer, I highly recommend it if you are planning on frying more than 5-10 times a year. The simplicity and convenience is a time saver instead of dumping oil in a pan, dutch oven, or pot. We were also told from employees that peanut oil is what they use to fry the wings.
A great buffalo wing requires a great sauce and the chicken needs a nice crispy crunch on the outside, moist on the inside. Hooters has both, and achieving this level of wings is a challenge if you plan on using an air fryer or oven. It’s not impossible, just really challenging if you’re trying to do a copycat recipe.
Hooters Buffalo Wings Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Mixing Bowl Set Large enough to fit all the dry coating ingredients and chicken pieces
- 1 Electric Deep Fryer Or a large pot with a thermometer for frying
- 1 Refrigerator To chill the coated chicken
- 1 Tongs For safely handling and tossing the chicken in the hot sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper ground
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 20 chicken wings or drumsticks
- 1 cup butter or light butter halved
- 1 cup hot sauce halved
- 1 teaspoon black pepper halved
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder halved
Instructions
Preparation
- Begin by combining 1 cup of flour, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon of paprika in a mixing bowl.1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon paprika
- Take 20 chicken wings or drumsticks and thoroughly coat each piece in the flour mixture until well-covered. Use more if needed.20 chicken wings or drumsticks
- Once the chicken is coated, transfer it to a plate or container and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to set the coating.
Cooking / Creating
- In a large saucepan, melt 1/2 cup of butter (or light butter, if preferred).1 cup butter or light butter
- To the melted butter, add 1/2 cup of hot sauce, 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder. Warm the mixture just until the butter is fully melted and the ingredients are well combined, then keep it warm.1 cup hot sauce, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Heat oil in a deep fryer or a large pot to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Fry the chicken in batches, about 10 pieces at a time, to avoid overcrowding. Cook each batch for 13 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.
- As the chicken cooks, prepare a Tupperware or large bowl for tossing with the sauce.
Serving / Presentation
- Begin by combining 1 cup of flour, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon of paprika in a mixing bowl.
- Take 20 chicken wings or drumsticks and thoroughly coat each piece in the flour mixture until well-covered. Use more if needed.
- Once the chicken is coated, transfer it to a plate or container and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to set the coating.
