50 Boneless Wings Recipe

Prepare chicken

Trim any fat from boneless chicken breasts and cut into 1.25–1.5 inch bite-size pieces. Pat dry with paper towels.

Brine/marinate

Place the cut chicken in a bowl and pour 2 cups buttermilk over it. Cover and refrigerate for 30–60 minutes (or up to 4 hours). This tenderizes and helps coating adhere.

Make dry mix

In a large bowl combine 3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup cornstarch, 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper, 2 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp smoked paprika and 1 tsp cayenne pepper. Whisk to evenly distribute spices.

Set up dredging station

Crack 2 eggs into a medium bowl and lightly beat. Place the flour mixture in a shallow pan for dredging. Remove chicken from buttermilk, letting excess drip back, then dip each piece quickly into beaten eggs and dredge thoroughly in the flour mix, pressing so the coating adheres. Place coated pieces on a wire rack and let rest 10 minutes to set the crust.

Heat oil

Pour 6–8 cups vegetable oil into a deep pot or fryer, leaving at least 3 inches headspace. Heat to 350°F (175°C). If you don't have a thermometer, heat until a small cube of bread browns in ~60 seconds.

Fry in batches

Fry the coated chicken in batches of about 10–12 pieces so oil temp stays near 325–350°F. Cook 4–5 minutes per batch until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). Use a slotted spoon or spider to transfer cooked pieces to a paper towel–lined tray or wire rack to drain. Keep warm in a 200°F (93°C) oven if desired while finishing remaining batches.

Hot Sauce

In a small saucepan over low heat melt 4 tbs butter. Add 1 cup Frank's-style hot sauce, 1 tbs honey and 1 tsp white vinegar. Whisk and warm until butter is melted and sauce is homogenous. Remove from heat and keep warm.

2 Alarm Hot Sauce

In a small saucepan over low heat melt 4 tbs butter. Add 3/4 cup hot sauce, 2 tbs sriracha, 1 tbs habanero hot sauce (or 1 tbsp minced fresh habanero), and 1 tsp red pepper flakes. Stir and heat until fully combined and slightly thickened, then remove from heat. Taste carefully and adjust heat level.

BBQ Sauce

In a saucepan combine 1 cup store-bought BBQ sauce, 1 tsp apple cider vinegar and 1 tbsp brown sugar. Warm over low heat, stirring until sugar dissolves and sauce is glossy. Remove from heat and keep warm.

Honey BBQ Sauce

In a saucepan combine 3/4 cup BBQ sauce, 3 tbsp honey and 1/2 tsp smoked paprika. Warm over low heat, stirring until combined and glossy. Remove from heat and keep warm.

Toss wings with sauce

Place a cooked batch of wings in a large clean bowl. Pour about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of the chosen warm sauce over the wings (adjust to taste) and toss gently until evenly coated. Transfer to a serving platter. Repeat for each batch and each sauce choice so you end with 50 sauced boneless wings distributed among up to three sauces.

Arrange sauced wings on platters. Optionally sprinkle chopped parsley over the wings. Serve immediately with ranch or blue cheese dressing and celery sticks, if desired.

Storage: Refrigerate leftover cooked wings (unsauced or sauced) in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven for 8–10 minutes until warmed through and crisp.