Here's how to make Boneless Wings super easily. Tossed in delicious buffalo-BBQ sauce, they're the perfect restaurant copycat!
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Ingredients in this recipe
Here's what you need to make the best boneless wings!
- wing sauce (see below)
Ingredient substitutions
- Buttermilk – If this isn’t available, you can easily make your own at home. Just combine 2 Tbsp of vinegar or lemon juice with 2 cups of regular milk and let it sit for about 10 minutes until thickened and curdled. Then, use as directed!
- Cornflakes – This gives the chicken a nice crunch and helps the spices stick to the outside. Panko breadcrumbs make a great substitute. Or, use crushed up potato chips but leave out the additional salt.
- Spices – Play around with different combinations based on your flavor preference and what you have on hand. Garlic powder is another great option, or add a dash of cayenne for an extra kick.
Making the buffalo sauce
All you need is buffalo sauce (such as Frank's Red Hot), BBQ sauce and melted butter. I add in the BBQ sauce and melted butter to tame some of the heat from the hot sauce and add a bit more tang. You could also add in honey hot to make these wings honey hot flavour!
Are boneless chicken wings really wings?
Technically, no they are not. Actually, they are much closer to being a breaded chicken nugget.
Since it would be very difficult to debone a wing with how tiny they are, boneless breast meat is cut into bite-sized pieces instead.
Then, the meat is seasoned, breaded, and cooked to resemble traditional wings.
How to make boneless wings
- In a large bowl, toss chicken with paprika, onion powder, salt & pepper.
- Add buttermilk to a large bowl, and mix flour & crushed cornflakes in another large bowl.
- Toss chicken in buttermilk, then toss in cornflake mixture.
- Heat 1/4 cup canola oil to a large skillet over med-high heat. Fry chicken for 4 minutes per side until cooked through.
- Meanwhile, mix Wing sauce ingredients together in a large bowl.
- When chicken is done, toss in sauce then serve and enjoy!
Making them in the Air Fryer
First, preheat the air fryer so it’s nice and hot when you add the wings. When you coat the chicken in batter, you're going to skip the flour and just use cornflakes.
Arrange the prepared chicken in a single layer in the air fryer, making sure to use cooking spray so they don’t stick.
How many you can fit at a time will depend on the size of your appliance, so you may need to work in batches.
Cook for about 8 minutes, flipping halfway through so they get nice and crispy on all sides. Then, toss with the wing sauce and enjoy!
Making them in the oven
Just like the Air Fryer version, you're going to skip the flour and just use the cornflakes. The oven is definitely the best option for big batches. Not only do all the pieces cook at the same time, but you can easily double the recipe and just use two pans.
Preheat the oven and line a baking sheet with parchment or foil. Spray with cooking spray so the chicken pieces don’t stick.
Next, transfer the breaded chicken to the pan and spread the pieces out so none are stacked on top of each other. Bake for about 6 minutes on each side before tossing with the sauce.
What to serve on the side
Nothing goes better with wings than fresh carrot and celery sticks. Pair them with your favorite dipping sauce, like ranch or blue cheese dressing.
If you want to make a meal out of it, here are some other sides to make:
- Potato salad
- Tater tots or sweet potato fries
- Macaroni and cheese
- Wedge salad
- Fried pickles
Storing and reheating
Keep any leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. It’s best to store any extra sauce separately so the wings don’t get soggy.
To reheat, pop them back in the air fryer until warmed through. It can help to start them at a lower temperature, then increase it after a few minutes to get the skin nice and crispy again.
Freezing the chicken
For a quick and easy appetizer, freeze the wings right after cooking them. Allow them to cool, then spread them in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with foil or parchment.
Place the baking sheet in the freezer for about an hour, then transfer the chicken wings to a storage bag. Use within 3 months for best results, and defrost in the refrigerator before reheating.
More buffalo chicken recipes
- Loaded Buffalo Chicken Fries (Video!)
- Easiest Ever Buffalo Cauliflower
- Easy Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Dip
Meal prep tools for this recipe
- Grab some glass meal prep bowls if you plan on turning this pasta into leftovers
- You can buy pumpkin puree online
- I get all my free-range chicken from Butcher Box, conveniently delivered to me frozen.
- Get a meat thermometer to make sure your chicken is cooked through
- Use these Ziploc bag holders if you're marinating the chicken then freezing it
- Freeze this recipe in glass microwave-safe bowls up to 3 months
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How to Make Boneless Wings
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken breasts diced into 1 inch pieces
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1 pinch pepper
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 2 cups crushed cornflakes
- 1 cup flour
Wing sauce
- 1 cup buffalo sauce
- 1/2 cup BBQ sauce
- 2 tbsp butter
To serve
- Celery
- Carrots
- Ranch and/or blue cheese dip
Instructions
For Stovetop
- In a large bowl, toss chicken with paprika, onion powder, salt & pepper.
- Add buttermilk to a large bowl, and mix flour & crushed cornflakes in another large bowl. Toss chicken in buttermilk, then toss in cornflake mixture.
- Heat 1/4 cup canola oil to a large skillet over med-high heat. Add chicken pieces to skillet in a single layer, frying for 4 minutes per side until chicken is cooked through and coating is browned. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate for oil to drain.
- Meanwhile, mix Wing sauce ingredients together in a large bowl. When chicken is done, toss in sauce, then serve with carrots and celery and your fave dipping sauces. Enjoy!
For Air Fryer
- Preheat Airfryer for 8 minutes on 400 F. In a large bowl, toss chicken with paprika, onion powder, salt & pepper.
- Add buttermilk to a large bowl, and crushed cornflakes in another large bowl. Toss chicken in buttermilk, then toss in cornflakes. IMPORTANT: For Air Fryer, do not use flour. You will use cornflakes only.
- Add chicken to Air Fryer once it's done preheating, placing nuggets in a single layer and spraying with cooking spray. Cook for 4 min, then flip and cook another 4 min. You may need to do the chicken in two batches.
- Meanwhile, mix Wing sauce ingredients together in a large bowl. When chicken is done, toss in sauce, then serve with carrots and celery and your fave dipping sauces. Enjoy!
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