Bone-in Wings | Boneless Wings Recipe

Prepare wings or boneless pieces

Pat the wings or boneless chicken pieces dry with paper towels. If using whole wings, trim wing tips and separate drumettes from flats if not already split. Place in a large bowl or resealable bag.

Combine buttermilk, hot sauce, kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder in a bowl. Pour over the chicken so pieces are fully submerged. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour (for quickest) up to overnight for best tenderness and flavor.

After marinating, remove chicken from marinade, letting excess drip off. Reserve marinade discard or use but do not reuse for sauce unless boiled.

Whisk together flour, cornstarch, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne, kosher salt, and black pepper in a wide shallow bowl or rimmed plate. Shake off excess marinade from each piece, then dredge thoroughly in the flour mixture, pressing lightly so coating adheres. Place coated pieces on a wire rack set over a sheet pan and let rest 10–15 minutes for the coating to set.

Heat oil in a deep heavy pot or deep fryer to 350°F (175°C). If you don't have a thermometer, heat until small breadcrumbs sizzle and brown slowly but oil does not smoke. Work in batches so you do not overcrowd the pot.

Carefully add coated wings (or boneless pieces) to the hot oil and fry until golden brown and cooked through. Bone-in wings: 9–12 minutes per batch until internal temp reaches 165°F (74°C). Boneless pieces (smaller pieces): 5–7 minutes until golden and 165°F internal. Flip or stir occasionally for even browning.

Use a slotted spoon to transfer cooked wings to a wire rack set over a baking sheet or to paper towels to drain briefly. Keep finished wings warm in a 200°F (95°C) oven if frying in multiple batches.

Buffalo sauce

For Buffalo: melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat, then whisk in 1/2 cup hot sauce until combined and slightly emulsified. Remove from heat. Place fried wings in a large bowl, pour sauce over them, and toss vigorously until evenly coated.

BBQ sauce

For BBQ: warm 1/2 cup BBQ sauce with 1 tablespoon honey (optional) in a small saucepan over low heat just until combined and glossy. Toss the fried wings in the warmed BBQ sauce in a large bowl until evenly coated.

Arrange wings on a platter with celery and carrot sticks and a bowl of ranch or blue cheese dressing for dipping. Serve immediately while hot and crispy.

Estimate calories: a small serving (~6 bone-in wings or equivalent boneless) is roughly 300–370 kcal depending on sauce and frying absorption; a larger serving (~10 wings) is ~500–670 kcal. Adjust portion size to match menu small or large offerings.