Boneless Buffalo Chicken "Wings"

From the kitchen of Carly

Crispy chicken strips double-dipped in seasoned flour, then tossed in a buttery hot sauce spiked with maple syrup. These boneless wings deliver all the spicy-sweet satisfaction of the real thing, minus the bones and mess.

Boneless Buffalo Chicken "Wings"

The double dredge gets you crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, with a seasoned flour crust that clings without flaking off mid-bite. Dunking fried chicken in a hot sauce glaze that's been melted down with butter and maple syrup gives you that glossy, clingy coating you actually want, not a soggy mess. Blue cheese dip on the side means everyone gets the heat-cool relief they crave.

Prep
n/a
Cook
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Total
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Servings
4
Difficulty
medium

Ingredients

4 servings

  • 2 cupbuttermilk
  • 1"2 tablespoons hot sauce ", 2 tablespoons kosher salt, divided, plus more
  • 2 lbboneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut crosswise into 1" strips
  • 3 cupall-purpose flour
  • 2 tbspgarlic powder
  • 1 tbsppaprika
  • 1/2 tspcayenne pepper
  • 2 tspfreshly ground black pepper
  • 5 tbspunsalted butter
  • 1"1/2 cup hot sauce ", 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • 1/2 cupsour cream
  • 1/4 cupbuttermilk
  • 1/4 cupcrumbled blue cheese
  • 1/2 tspfreshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 tspkosher salt
  • 2 tbspchopped chives, divided
  • 1Vegetable oil
  • 4celery stalks, cut crosswise into 4–5" pieces
  • 1A deep-fry thermometer

Instructions

  1. In a wide, shallow bowl, stir together the buttermilk, 2 tablespoons hot sauce, and 1 tablespoon salt. Add the chicken strips and toss until every piece is coated.

  2. Combine the flour, garlic powder, paprika, cayenne, black pepper, and remaining 1 tablespoon salt in a large bowl and whisk until evenly mixed.

  3. Working in batches, lift the chicken into the flour mixture and toss to coat, then set the pieces on a rimmed baking sheet. Once all the chicken has its first flour coat, go back through in batches: dip each piece into the buttermilk mixture, let the excess drip off, then press it into the flour mixture a second time. Return to the baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes and up to 2 hours.

  4. While the chicken chills, melt the butter with the hot sauce and maple syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the mixture comes together smooth and glossy.

  5. For the blue cheese dip, whisk the sour cream, buttermilk, blue cheese, pepper, salt, and 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons of the chives in a small bowl. Scatter the remaining 1 teaspoon chives over the top.

  6. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F and set a wire rack over a second rimmed baking sheet.

  7. Pour enough vegetable oil into a large heavy pot to reach a depth of 2 inches and clip on a deep-fry thermometer. Heat over medium-high until the thermometer reads 350 degrees F, then fry the chicken in batches, turning occasionally, until deeply golden and crispy and an instant-read thermometer inserted into a piece reads 165 degrees F, 4 to 6 minutes per batch. Move each batch to the wire rack, season lightly with salt, and hold in the oven while you finish the rest.

  8. Just before serving, tumble all the fried chicken into a large bowl. Pour the buffalo sauce over and turn the pieces gently with tongs until everything is slicked and coated. Bring the blue cheese dip and celery pieces to the table alongside.

Tips from the kitchen

  • Double dredging matters: once you coat in flour, dip back into the buttermilk mixture, then coat again in flour. That second pass fills in gaps and gives you real crispiness. Let the coated chicken sit in the fridge for at least 15 minutes (or up to 2 hours) before frying so the coating stays put instead of sliding off.
  • Keep your oil at 350°F on the nose. Too cool and you get soggy, greasy chicken. Too hot and the outside burns before the inside cooks. A deep-fry thermometer is not optional here.
  • Toss the fried chicken with the hot sauce glaze right before serving, not before plating. If it sits, the coating softens and you lose what you've been working for.
  • Make the blue cheese dip ahead. It actually gets better cold and gives you one less thing to do when you're managing hot oil and frying batches.

Variations

  • Spicy brown butter: swap the maple syrup for 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard and add 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika to the glaze for a mustardy, smokier version.
  • Lemon herb dip: replace the blue cheese dip with Greek yogurt mixed with lemon zest, fresh dill, and garlic for something brighter and less heavy.
  • Honey hot sauce glaze: use equal parts hot sauce and honey instead of the maple syrup for a sweeter, less complex heat.
  • Dry rub wings: skip the glaze entirely and toss the fried chicken with extra garlic powder, smoked paprika, and a pinch of cayenne while still hot for a simpler, dryer-style wing.

Make ahead and storage

Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 375°F oven for about 8 minutes to crisp the coating back up. Don't microwave. Freezing is fine for up to 3 months, but thaw completely before reheating or the outside will burn while the inside stays cold.