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A tray of boneless buffalo chicken wings with blue cheese dip, celery, and carrot sticks; additional wings, a drink, and condiments are arranged around the table.
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Boneless Buffalo Wings Recipe

This is the recipe for crispy, crunchy boneless wings at home! The trick: baking powder in the dredge creates microscopic air pockets for that crackling-loud crunch, while the buttermilk brine guarantees juicy bites even if you're distracted by the game. The dijon mustard? That's your emulsifier keeping butter and hot sauce from breaking into a greasy puddle.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Marinate Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 35 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 489kcal
Author: Dee Broughton

Equipment

Ingredients

Chicken and Brine

  • 1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken tenderloins cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon paprika

Dredge

  • 1½ cups all purpose flour
  • ½ cup cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper

Frying

  • canola oil or peanut oil for frying

Buffalo Sauce

  • ½ cup hot sauce we recommend Frank’s Redhot
  • 1 stick butter
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon dijon mustard

Instructions

Brine the Chicken Tenders

  • Whisk the buttermilk, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and paprika together in a large bowl.
    A glass bowl filled with a seasoned buttermilk chicken brine being mixed with a metal whisk, set on a yellow surface with some seasoning and a jar nearby.
  • Add the chicken to the buttermilk mixture. Stir to coat then cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least one hour or up to overnight.
    Raw chicken pieces marinating in a creamy, spiced buttermilk brine inside a clear glass bowl on a yellow surface. Seasonings are visible in a metal measuring cup nearby.

Make the Buffalo Sauce

  • Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat.
    A saucepan containing melted butter, hot sauce, and mustard sits on an orange countertop next to a small bowl of black pepper and a metal whisk.
  • Whisk in the hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and dijon mustard.
  • Stir constantly until the sauce is thickened.
    A metal whisk rests in a saucepan filled with orange buffalo sauce on an orange surface, with a tin of pepper and flour nearby.

Dredge the Chicken

  • Mix the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper together in a separate large bowl.
    A clear glass bowl contains flour, sugar, and various spices arranged in small piles on an orange surface, with a whisk and a spice jar nearby.
  • Heat 1-2 inches of canola oil in a dutch oven to 350°F.
  • Remove chicken from the brine and allow excess liquid to drip off.
  • Place the chicken into the flour mixture to coat it completely.
    A glass bowl filled with flour and raw, seasoned chicken pieces on a yellow surface, with salt, pepper, and flour visible in the background.
  • Dip the coated chicken back into the buttermilk brine. Return it to the flour mixture for a second coating.
  • Press the flour firmly onto the meat. Place the double coated chicken on a wire rack. Repeat this process until all chicken is coated.
    A bowl of flour coated chicken pieces on a table.

Fry the Boneless Wings

  • Fry the chicken in small batches to avoid overcrowding the pot. Cook each batch for about 5 minutes or until golden brown. The internal temperature needs to reach 165°F according to the USDA.
  • Remove the cooked chicken from the oil. Place the pieces on a clean wire rack to drain excess grease.
    A cooling rack with several pieces of fried chicken placed on it, set on an orange surface with a black napkin on the left.

Toss & Serve the Boneless Buffalo Wings

  • Place the fried chicken in a large bowl. Pour the sauce over the chicken. Toss until every piece is coated evenly.
    A glass bowl filled with fried chicken pieces coated in a buffalo sauce, placed on an orange surface with a small bowl of pepper nearby.
  • Serve the chicken wings hot with ranch or blue cheese dressing for dipping, along with sliced carrots and celery for more crunch.
    A basket lined with parchment paper filled with saucy boneless buffalo wings, garnished with chopped herbs, surrounded by various kitchen items and ingredients.

Notes

  • Don’t skip the baking powder in the dredge. Baking powder creates tiny air bubbles in the crust. This makes the heavy double coating light and extra crispy.
  • Shake off excess buttermilk before the first dredge. Too much liquid creates massive clumps in the flour mixture.
  • Let the chicken rest in the flour for 10 minutes before frying. This allows the gluten to hydrate. The thick crust stays attached to the meat much better during frying.
  • Use one hand for wet ingredients and one hand for dry ingredients. The double dredge method creates very messy fingers otherwise.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 489kcal | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 115mg | Sodium: 2866mg | Potassium: 1004mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 945IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 148mg | Iron: 4mg