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Enjoy the flavor of chicken wings without the bones using this recipe for crispy, crunchy buffalo boneless wings! Inspired by Buffalo Wild Wing's Boneless Buffalo Wings, this recipe delivers intense flavor with minimal effort!
What are Boneless Wings?
Boneless wings are not made with actual chicken wings. Instead, this delicious appetizer mimics the flavor and texture of traditional chicken wings but without the bone.
Boneless Wings are made using boneless, skinless chicken breast thighs, or tenderloins which are breaded in a crispy coating and baked or fried before being tossed in a flavorful sauce.
I think of boneless wings as a cross between a chicken wing and a chicken nugget. You get the flavor of a chicken wing, and the crispy coating of a chicken nugget, leaving the bones behind. The best of both worlds!
why you will love these boneless wings
- Super Flavorful. Flavored with, like Instant Pot Chicken Wings, and crispy like Air Fryer Chicken Wings these boneless wings are crispy, crunchy, juicy, and perfectly spiced. The contrast between crispy breading, juicy meat, and flavorful sauce is irresistibly good!
- Party-Favorite. Boneless Chicken Wings are always a hit. Not to mention much less messy than serving classic chicken wings.
- Endless Options for Flavoring. While buffalo sauce may be traditional, you can toss these boneless wings with BBQ sauce, teriyaki sauce, honey mustard, or Sweet Chili Sauce.
- Baked Rather than Fried! I use the same technique for breading and baking these boneless chicken wings as I do for my crispy chicken tenders. This ensures an even, crispy, crunchy exterior without the need to fry the chicken.
Notes on Ingredients
- Chicken: To create boneless wings, use boneless skinless chicken breasts, boneless skinless chicken thighs, or chicken tenders.
- Buttermilk: Marinating the chicken in buttermilk, helps to tenderize and flavor the chicken. But you do not need to purchase buttermilk if you don't have it on hand. I have included directions in the recipe card for making homemade buttermilk using regular or nondairy milk.
- Breadcrumbs: Use panko bread crumbs rather than traditional bread crumbs as the texture is much crispier and lighter.
- Flour: Use all-purpose flour, gluten-free 1:1 all-purpose, or whole wheat flour.
- Seasonings: It is important to season each step. Adding salt, pepper, garlic, and paprika to the marinade and the breading for the most flavor.
- Finishing Sauce: Use anything you like to toss your baked boneless chicken wings to finish with flavor! Buffalo sauce, BBQ sauce, teriyaki sauce, honey mustard, or Sweet Chili Sauce are all great options.
recipe modifications
- For Gluten Free Boneless Wings use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend and gluten-free breadcrumbs.
- For Dairy-Free Boneless Wings use unsweetened, unflavored non-dairy milk in place of buttermilk and omit butter from the Buffalo Sauce.
How to Make Boneless Chicken Wings
Step One. Prepare Chicken. Trim off any fat from the chicken and then cut into 2-inch bite-size chunks.
Step Two. Marinate Chicken. To help tenderize and flavor the chicken, whisk together the buttermilk, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Pour this mixture over the chicken and toss to coat. Seal the bag or cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes or up to 12 hours.
Step Three: Bread Boneless Wings. To give the wings their signature crispy coating, you want to bread them after marinating in a mixture of flour and panko breadcrumbs.
Step Four: Bake. To help the baked boneless wings brown, spray them with an olive oil cooking spray before baking. And then bake them until they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
Step Five. Toss and Serve. After the chicken is baked, allow it to cool slightly, and then brush or toss the baked boneless wings with the sauce of your choice. Serve immediately with a side of ranch dressing.
∗ Tips for The Best Boneless Wings ∗
- Remove all fat and tendons before dicing the chicken into bite-sized wings.
- Don't skip marinating the chicken! This helps this recipe to mimic the flavor of Buffalo Wild Wing's boneless wings.
- Use panko breadcrumbs for a super crispy breading.
- Bake the chicken on a sheet pan lined with a baking rack. This will allow the air to circulate the boneless wings, ensuring even cooking and crispy breading on all sides.
- Serve immediately so that the boneless wings retain their crispy, crunchy texture.
Storage & Reheating Instructions
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.
More Classic Game Day Recipes
Pair these boneless wings any of the following game day recipes for the ultimate spread.
Boneless Chicken Wings
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- cooking spray
For the Marinade
- ½ cup buttermilk, (see note for homemade buttermilk)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
For the Breading
- ¼ cup flour
- ½ cup panko bread crumbs
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
For Serving
- Buffalo Sauce or BBQ Sauce, etc
Instructions
- Trim off any fat from the chicken and then cut into 2-inch chunks. Place the chicken into a large mixing bowl or large storage bag.
- In a small mixing bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the buttermilk, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Pour this mixture over the chicken and toss to coat. Seal the bag or cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes or up to 12 hours.
- Once the chicken has been marinated, preheat the oven to 425℉. Spray a baking sheet lined with a baking rack with nonstick spray and set it to the side.
- Combine the flour, panko, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and paprika in a small shallow dish.
- Remove the chicken from the buttermilk, shake off excess liquid, dip each chicken piece into the flour mixture, toss to coat, shake off excess flour, and place the coated chicken onto a baking rack that is on top of a baking sheet. Spray the chicken lightly with cooking spray.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until chicken is browned and cooked to 165℉. There is no need to flip the chicken, as the heat will circulate around the baking rack, ensuring each side gets crispy.
- After the chicken is baked, allow it to cool slightly, and then brush the baked boneless wings with the sauce of your choice. Alternatively, you can toss the "wings" with the sauce in a large bowl.
- Serve immediately.
Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Oh my gosh, the pop of buffalo flavor in these was SOOO good. It's my new go-to recipe. I love that they're a healthier alternative, too, but it's the taste that really sold me!
So happy to hear you enjoyed these Micki 🙂
We love the flavor of chicken wings but not the calories for the little bit of meat on them! Can't wait to try your recipe with more meat made healthy!
This is a great substitute Cathy! Hope you give them a try!
This looks so good I want to eat it right now. I would love to eat these on salad ......pinning!
Oh great idea--on a salad would be fab!!
so good!
I would much rather have more meat and this recipe worked great.
I love chicken wings, but I agree with you, it's a lot of work for not a lot of meat! I love your recipe.
You will really enjoy these "wings" Great crunch and flavor just like a traditional wing!
I love panko and I think actual wings are way too annoying to eat! My husband loves them, though. I think this would be a great compromise for us! Thanks for sharing and for stopping by my blog earlier. =)
Sounds like your house is very similar to mine! My hubbie thought these were the PERFECT compromise. I hope your does as well 🙂