Boneless Wings Recipe

Prepare chicken

Trim fat from boneless chicken breasts and cut into 1 to 1.5-inch bite-size pieces. Place the pieces into a bowl.

Marinate

Whisk buttermilk and the egg in a medium bowl until combined. Pour over chicken, cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 2 hours (30 minutes is enough for flavor; longer tenderizes).

Dredge mix

In a large shallow bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and paprika.

Coat

Remove chicken from buttermilk, letting excess drip off. Toss pieces in the flour mixture until well coated, pressing lightly so the flour adheres. Place on a wire rack while heating oil.

Heat oil

Pour vegetable oil into a deep skillet or Dutch oven to a 1 to 1.5-inch depth (about 1 cup for a 10-inch skillet) and heat to 350°F (175°C). If you don't have a thermometer, test by dropping a pinch of flour—it should sizzle immediately but not burn.

Fry

Working in batches to avoid crowding, carefully add coated chicken pieces to the hot oil. Fry 3 to 4 minutes per batch, turning once, until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate or wire rack to drain. Keep warm in a low oven (200°F/95°C) if necessary.

In a small saucepan over low heat, combine hot sauce, butter, honey, and white vinegar. Stir until butter is melted and sauce is smooth, about 2 to 3 minutes. Keep warm until ready to toss with wings.

In a small skillet or saucepan over low heat, melt butter. Stir in lemon juice, lemon zest, coarse black pepper, and salt. Heat just until fragrant, about 1 minute. Do not overheat — keep warm for tossing.

In a small saucepan set over low heat combine hot sauce, brown sugar, smoked paprika, cayenne, apple cider vinegar, and butter. Stir until sugar dissolves and butter melts, simmer 1 minute to meld flavors, then remove from heat and keep warm.

Combine honey and red pepper flakes in a small saucepan over low heat. Warm gently until honey loosens and infuses, about 2 minutes. Stir in apple cider vinegar and salt. Remove from heat and let sit 5 minutes so flakes infuse; strain if you want a smooth honey.

In a small bowl, whisk together sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, and lime juice. Taste and adjust lime or soy for acidity/salt balance. Keep at room temperature.

Divide the freshly fried boneless wings into 5 equal portions (or serve family-style) depending on how many flavor options you want to offer.

To sauce: place one portion in a large bowl, pour 2–3 tablespoons of the desired sauce (Buffalo, Lemon Pepper, Louisiana Kick, Hot Honey, or Sweet Chili) over the wings, and toss gently until wings are evenly coated. For hot honey and lemon pepper, you may prefer to drizzle rather than fully coat.

Arrange sauced wings on a platter. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve with celery sticks and ranch or blue cheese dressing on the side.

Leftovers: Store cooled wings and sauces separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat wings in a 375°F (190°C) oven for 8–10 minutes to crisp before tossing in sauce again.