There are a lot of boneless wings on happy hour menus, but if you think about it for a second, you’ll see that a wing without a bone is a contradiction. So, are boneless wings actually wings? Boneless wings are not chicken wings with their bones removed. They are chicken breasts that have been cut into wings shapes. Chefs carefully bread, deep-fry, and cover in hot sauce these wings. Find out everything you need to know about your favorite wing lookalike so you can serve them on game day.
Boneless chicken wings have become an extremely popular menu item at restaurants, bars and for home cooking. But if you look closely at the name, it doesn’t quite make sense. How can a wing be boneless? The truth is, boneless wings are not really wings at all. So what are these delicious bites of fried chicken actually made from? Let’s take a closer look at how boneless wings are made and what parts of the chicken they come from.
Boneless Wings Are Made from Chicken Breast
The main ingredient in boneless wings is chicken breast meat. Restaurants and food producers start with skinless, boneless chicken breast and cut it into smaller pieces. These irregularly shaped nuggets of breast meat are then breaded or battered and fried. The result is a plate of bite-sized chicken pieces that resemble wings but contain no bones.
Using breast meat offers some advantages over regular bone-in wings:
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Chicken breast is extremely lean and tender. Dark meat with bones and skin left on has more fat and connective tissue.
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Boneless wings are easier to eat. You don’t have to navigate around bones and cartilage.
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Breast meat is cheaper than wings. Restaurants can offer boneless wings at a lower price point.
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The uniform pieces cook more evenly since there are no bones.
So boneless wings provide the fried chicken experience of buffalo wings without the bones Customers get the convenience of picking up and eating the pieces with their hands without the mess
Why Are They Called Wings if There’s No Bone?
You ask a good question! When you order boneless wings, you don’t actually get wing meat. The main part of the dish is chicken nuggets or tenders shaped like wings. So why not just call them nuggets?.
There are a few explanations for this:
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Marketing. People know the name and think the wings taste like regular buffalo wings, which makes them more appealing.
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Shape. While boneless wings are irregularly shaped nuggets, some restaurants trim them to resemble a wing or drumette shape. This maintains the illusion.
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Sauce. Boneless wings are always served with wing sauces like buffalo, barbecue, teriyaki, etc. Chicken nuggets often come with honey mustard or ranch on the side. The sauces link them to wings.
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Expectations. People going out for wings expect them boneless now. That’s why restaurants serve wings even though they’re not really wings.
So in essence, calling them “boneless wings” is mostly an effective marketing tactic and way to meet customer expectations. Don’t overthink it too much. If you want breaded, fried chicken pieces with wing sauce, then boneless wings will satisfy!
Making Boneless Wings at Home
Looking to recreate boneless wings at home? Here are some tips:
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Start with boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Cut them into 1-2 inch pieces.
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For the coating, use flour, cornmeal, panko breadcrumbs or a light batter. Season it with salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika and cayenne pepper.
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Fry the chicken in 350–375°F vegetable oil for a few inches until it is golden brown and crispy. Make sure not to crowd the pan.
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Toss the fried chicken in your favorite wing sauce. Classic buffalo sauce is always a crowd pleaser.
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Serve with blue cheese or ranch dressing for dipping. Sprinkle sesame seeds or chopped scallions on top.
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For a healthier option, bake the coated boneless wings on a parchment-lined sheet pan at 425°F for 25 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Now that you know boneless wings are really made from chicken breast, you can enjoy your plate of “wings” without the bones getting in the way. Just don’t be surprised if you still need a pile of napkins! Dig in and satisfy that wing craving.
Are Boneless Wings More Expensive?
Boneless wings are less expensive than true chicken wings. There is a difference between supply and demand because each chicken only gives off four wings: two drumettes and two flats. Boneless wings are made from chicken breast meat, making them easier and cheaper to produce in bulk.
Are Bone In or Boneless Wings Healthier?
Because they are made of lean chicken breast meat and don’t have any high-fat chicken skin, boneless wings seem healthier than bone-in wings. However, cooks compensate for the lack of skin by battering their boneless wing meat to create the crunch consumers crave. Most bone-in wings are not breaded, making them a low-carb and gluten-free food. If you fry your bone-in wings in a fryer that is safe for people with allergies, you can serve people who follow different diets.
Unfortunately, boneless wing meat is often mixed with unhealthy additives. Many operators add sodium phosphate to their boneless chicken wings to keep them moist. While it is considered safe, sodium phosphate is problematic if you need to reduce your sodium consumption, have high blood pressure, or suffer from kidney issues.
Other common boneless chicken wing additives are emulsifiers like propylene glycol alginate, xanthan gum, and guar gum. You may also find flavoring agents mixed into the breast meat. If you’re looking for healthier menu items, avoid boneless wings that list transglutaminase as an ingredient. Transglutaminase bonds proteins together, so if its an ingredient in your boneless wings, they are composed of a mishmash of different chicken parts and are not cubed pieces of chicken breast.
DIY Boneless Buffalo Wings
FAQ
What exactly are boneless chicken wings?
What are boneless chicken wings Boneless chicken wings aren’t really chicken wings at all. They are chicken breasts cut into big chunks, that are breaded, fried and typically tossed in a sauce.
Are boneless wings basically just chicken nuggets?
What is the difference between a chicken nugget and a boneless wing? Nuggets are made from ground chicken (all different parts) while a boneless wing is generally breast meat.
Are boneless wings healthier?
If you are comparing nutritional values, boneless wings may or may not be healthier than bone-in wings depending on how they are cooked. Boneless wings, made from chicken breast, can be leaner than bone-in wings due to the lack of skin and bone, but they often come breaded and fried, which can add significant calories, fat, and sodium.
Are Wingstop boneless wings just chicken nuggets?
While boneless wings from Wingstop are similar to chicken nuggets in that they are both breaded and fried pieces of chicken, they are not exactly the same. Boneless wings are usually made from chicken breast meat that has been cut into bigger, less regular pieces and breaded before being fried and served with sauce.