Boneless Chicken Wings

Boneless Chicken Wings have all the flavor of Buffalo Chicken Wings, minus the bones! Seasoned perfectly, these Baked Boneless Buffalo Chicken Wings are a game-day favorite! 

This recipe was inspired by Buffalo Wild Wing's Boneless Buffalo Wings. Flavored like Instant Pot Chicken Wings and crispy like Air Fryer Chicken Wings, these boneless wings are crispy, crunchy, juicy, and perfectly spiced.

While not made with actual chicken wings, these Boneless Wings are every bit as flavorful as classic Buffalo Wings and feature a lot more meat!

Chunks of chicken are marinated in buttermilk and then coated in a panko breading before being baked until crispy. These boneless wings have a crispy, crunchy exterior, yet the chicken is tender and juicy. And of course, these boneless chicken wings are finished with tender spicy buffalo sauce, for the ultimate flavor.

Notes on Ingredients

• Chicken--use boneless skinless chicken breasts, boneless skinless chicken thighs, or chicken tenders. You can cut the chicken into 2-inch cubes or chicken strips. I find chicken breasts give the best texture to these boneless wings.
• Buttermilk--if you don't have buttermilk at home, no need to purchase any! Add 1 teaspoon vinegar or lemon juice to regular milk or non-dairy milk and let sit for 5 minutes--and then you have homemade buttermilk.
• Breadcrumbs--I prefer panko bread crumbs to traditional bread crumbs as the texture is much crispier and lighter.
• Flour--A little bit of flour helps the bread crumbs stick to the chicken.
• Hot Sauce--Use your favorite Cayenne sauce, like Frank's Red Hot.
• Honey--The honey helps to balance the heat of the cayenne sauce for a perfect homemade buffalo sauce.
• Butter (optional)--If you want your buffalo sauce to be a bit richer, add in some melted butter--this is what most restaurants do.
• Seasonings--It is important to season each step. By adding salt, pepper, garlic, and paprika to the marinade and the breading for the most flavor. I also add some garlic to the Buffalo Sauce for a more well-rounded flavor.

How to Make Boneless Buffalo Wings

Step One: Prepare Chicken Strips

• Cut boneless, skinless chicken breasts into 2-inch chunks. Alternatively, you can use chicken tenders--just be sure to trim off the tendon.

Step Two: Marinate Chicken

• Whisk buttermilk with salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder.
• Submerge chicken strips in buttermilk mixture (either in a Ziploc bag or sealed container) and refrigerate.
• Marinate the chicken for 30 minutes up to 12 hours.

Step Three: Bread Chicken

• Mix together flour, panko, and seasonings.
• Remove chicken from marinade and then dredge in the breading mixture, shaking off excess.

Step Four: Bake Boneless Wings

• Place breaded chicken on a baking sheet lined with a baking rack. It is best to bake these boneless wings on a baking rack so the heat can circulate evenly and all parts of the chicken can crisp up.
• Bake until crisp and browned and chicken has reached 165 degrees, for about 10-12 minutes.

Step Five: Toss with Buffalo Sauce

• Mix together hot sauce, honey, and butter if using.
• Toss cooked chicken with sauce and serve immediately with homemade ranch dressing or bleu cheese.

Storage

These boneless wings are best served immediately so they remain crisp and crunchy.

If you do happen to have leftover boneless wings, store them in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat by placing on a sheet pan and broiling for 2 minutes per side, or until warmed through. I don't recommend reheating using the microwave, as the breading will get soggy.

Recipe Modifications

• For Dairy-Free Boneless Wings--use unsweetened, unflavored non-dairy milk in place of buttermilk and omit butter from the Buffalo Sauce.
• For Gluten Free Boneless Wings--use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend and gluten-free breadcrumbs.
• Barbecue Boneless Wings--Instead of buffalo sauce, toss the baked boneless wings with your favorite BBQ sauce. The seasoning in the marinade and breading remain the same.
• Honey Mustard Boneless Wings--Omit the paprika from the marinade and add 1 tablespoon of mustard. Once boneless wings have been baked, toss with honey mustard sauce.

More Classic Game Day Recipes

• Taco Dip
• Spinach Artichoke Dip
• Jalapeno Poppers
• Texas Caviar

If you enjoyed this recipe for Boneless Chicken Wings, I would love for you to leave a comment and review below.