Boneless Wings
intro
Crispy, juicy bite-sized chicken tossed in tangy buffalo sauce, served with cool ranch and celery for a classic shareable pub snack.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep chicken and breading
Preheat your oven to 220°C (425°F), line a 33x45cm (13x18 inch) rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, set a wire rack inside, and coat the rack lightly with neutral cooking spray. Cut 680g boneless chicken breasts into uniform 4cm (1.5 inch) bite-sized pieces, then pat completely dry with paper towels to help breading adhere. Set up three shallow dishes: first with 120g flour, 24g cornstarch, 3g garlic powder, 2g paprika, 6g kosher salt, and 0.5g black pepper, mixed evenly; second with 2 eggs and 30ml milk, whisked smooth; third with 80g panko breadcrumbs.
Bread chicken pieces evenly
Working one piece at a time, coat chicken first in the seasoned flour, shaking off all excess to avoid clumpy breading, then dip fully in the egg wash, letting excess drip off for 2 seconds, then press firmly into panko crumbs to coat every side evenly. Arrange breaded chicken in a single, non-touching layer on the prepared wire rack, then lightly coat the tops of the breaded chicken with cooking spray to promote crisping.
Bake until golden crispy
Place the baking sheet on the middle oven rack. Bake for 12 minutes at 220°C (425°F), then use tongs to flip each chicken piece, lightly spray the second side with cooking spray, and bake for an additional 10-12 minutes, until chicken reaches a safe internal temperature of 75°C (165°F) and the panko coating is deep golden and crisp on all sides.
Make tangy buffalo sauce
While the chicken bakes, combine 55g melted unsalted butter, 120ml cayenne hot sauce, remaining 3g kosher salt, and 0.5g black pepper in a large heat-safe mixing bowl. Whisk for 20 seconds until the mixture is fully smooth and glossy, then set aside at room temperature until the chicken finishes baking.
Toss chicken in sauce
Immediately after removing the crispy chicken from the oven, transfer all hot pieces directly into the bowl of buffalo sauce. Toss gently with a rubber spatula for 30-45 seconds until every piece is evenly coated in sauce, taking care not to scrape or press too hard to avoid knocking off the crispy panko coating.
Serve with classic sides
Arrange the sauced boneless wings on a shared serving platter, paired with 120ml ranch dressing for dipping and 120g cut celery sticks. Serve immediately while wings are hot and crisp, as the breading will begin to soften after 5 minutes of sitting in sauce.
Tips
2.Do not place breaded chicken directly on the baking sheet; the elevated wire rack allows hot oven air to circulate under every piece, eliminating soggy bottoms without deep frying.
3.Toss chicken in sauce only right before serving; letting sauced wings sit for more than 5 minutes will soften the crispy panko coating into a mushy texture.
OMG these were SO good for our Sunday football watch party! I was worried baked wings would be soggy but the crunch was insane, even my super picky teen asked for seconds. Will be making these every game day from now on.
Total game changer. I usually fry my boneless wings but wanted a less messy option for meal prep this week, these held up perfect even after reheating in the air fryer for 2 minutes. 10/10
Brought these to our neighborhood potluck last weekend and the platter was empty in 10 minutes flat! Everyone was asking for the recipe, I felt so fancy. The crispy coating trick works way better than the other baked wing recipes I’ve tried.
As someone who burns literally everything I make, I was shocked these turned out first try! Super easy directions, no fancy ingredients needed. My roommates thought I ordered takeout lmao, only reason it’s not 5 stars is I overbaked a couple edges by accident.
Wait, do you think I can use gluten free panko for the coating? My roommate has celiac and I want to make these for our movie night next week!
Made these for my kids’ dinner tonight and they both cleaned their plates! I swapped the hot sauce for a milder version for the little ones and it was still a huge hit. 10/10 family friendly recipe.
These were good but I wish they had a little more kick! I followed the sauce recipe exactly and it felt pretty mild to me, anyone else add extra cayenne?
How well do these store in the fridge? I want to make a big batch on Sunday to bring for lunch shifts all week!
I’m so excited to make these for my date tonight, but realized I’m out of cornstarch! Will regular all purpose flour work as a swap in the coating? The recipe looks so easy, 5 stars already for the simple ingredient list!
Has anyone tried making these in the air fryer instead of the oven? I barely use my oven anymore and would love to adapt this recipe instead of waiting for the oven to preheat!
Made these for my birthday party last night and they were a massive hit! Only issue is the sauce stuck a little weird to the coating when I tossed them, leaving some spots totally bare and others dripping. Did I do something wrong?
Wait, would this coating and sauce work for cauliflower wings too? My sister is vegan and she’s coming over for dinner next week, I’d love to have something she can eat alongside the chicken wings!
I was convinced baked boneless wings could never measure up to the fried ones from my local sports bar, but WOW. These are better than takeout, and way less greasy! I saved so much money making these at home instead of ordering delivery.