Baked Boneless Wings 4 Ways

With the Super Bowl just around the corner, I've been craving one thing for weeks: wings. Or more accurately, boneless wings, which aren't really chicken wings at all-- they're chunks of chicken breast which are prepared in the traditional wing fashion. That is to say that they're crispy and coated with flavorful sauce, but with less mess and non-edible parts. Three cheers for having no bones and cartilage to clean up.

Naturally, I did what I always do when I get a craving, and decided to make some myself. However, just as I was about to heat up a big vat of oil, I had a change of heart. What if, instead of making traditional, fried boneless wings, I tried to make some oven-baked boneless wings that were still crunchy... and juicy... and Super Bowl worthy? Sign me up.

You might remember that a couple of years back, I started making baked, bone-in wings using the baking powder technique, which dries out and crisps the actual skins of the chicken wings. This time, that wouldn't work, though. Boneless wings don't have any skin attached. Instead, I'd have to figure out a coating that mimicked the texture of fried batter without requiring the frying step. And the answer was in the pantry all along-- a box of cornflakes.

This isn't a new technique, and it certainly isn't originally mine, though I'm not sure who is owed credit for inventing it. For years now, I've been seeing the idea to use cornflakes to crust baked chicken. But honestly, I was never sold on the idea until recently. I'd figured it would taste, well, like cornflakes.

Surprisingly, it actually makes a convincingly crunchy coat, and when layered over well-seasoned flour, tastes pretty delicious. You know what makes it all taste even better, though?

Buffalo Sauce.

And Honey Bourbon BBQ Sauce.

And Smoky Chipotle-Lime Sauce.

Oh, and I can't forget the Asian-inspired Orange Glaze.

Because why have one when you can have Baked Boneless Wings 4 Ways?

Each of the sauces is incredibly easy to whip up, requiring just a few minutes and ingredients. This way, you can make a whole platter of the wings with all four sauces for your next party or your football Sunday enjoyment. Or you can always pick a a favorite sauce and quadruple it-- the world is your oyster. No, the world is your naked baked boneless chicken wing.

Don't believe that the sauces are super simple? Check out exactly how I make them in this quick video below.

See? By the way, you might have noticed that I'm giving this whole video thing a go. If you like the videos, let me know and I'll try my darnedest to make more. You also can subscribe to the Host the Toast youtube channel!

And if you're like, "Lady stick to photography," that's cool too. Honest feedback is good feedback. We're all friends here.

But enough about ME and more about YOU and how YOU are going to love these saucy, sticky, flavor-packed boneless wings. If the people at your house are anything like the guys at mine, these things are going to be devoured. 

That would be a great experiment right? Timing how long they last once you make them? Okay you don't really have to do all that, but don't forget to at least take a picture of your Baked Boneless Buffalo Wings and tag it on Instagram with #hostthetoast. Let me know in the caption which sauce is your favorite! Will it be Buffalo, Honey Bourbon BBQ, Smoky Chipotle-Lime, or Orange Glaze? I can't wait to see.

Baked Boneless Wings 4 Ways

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• Author: Morgan
• Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
• Yield: 8-10 1x

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

For the Baked Boneless Wings:

• 4 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 8 cups cornflakes cereal, crushed
• 2 teaspoons salt, plus more to top
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 4 large eggs

For the Buffalo Sauce:

• 4 tablespoons melted butter, plus more, to taste
• ¾ cup hot sauce
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

For the Smoky Chipotle-Lime Sauce:

• ¾ cup ketchup
• ¼ to ½ cup finely chopped chipotles in adobo sauce
• ¼ cup honey
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ cup lime juice
• Chopped cilantro, to top
• Lime wedges, to serve

For the Honey Bourbon BBQ:

• ¾ cup BBQ sauce
• ½ cup honey
• ¼ cup bourbon

For the Orange Glaze:

• 1 cup orange marmalade
• ⅓ cup hoisin sauce
• ¼ cup rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sriracha, plus more to taste
• ¼ cup toasted sesame seeds
• Chopped chives, to top

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a couple of large baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. Place the chicken pieces in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. In another bowl, add the crushed cornflakes. In one last bowl, whisk the eggs.
3. Dip the chicken, one piece at a time, into the flour, then the egg, then roll in the cornflakes. Make sure to fully coat, and place the chicken on one of the prepared baking sheets. Repeat until all of the chicken has been coated.
4. Sprinkle with additional salt and bake until browned and cooked through, about 20 minutes, flipping halfway through. Let sit until cool enough to handle.
5. While the baked boneless wings cool, make the Buffalo Sauce. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Mix in the hot sauce and worcestershire sauce and bring to a simmer, stirring often. Taste and add additional butter if necessary. Mix one fourth of the chicken with the sauce, then plate. Set aside.
6. Wipe down the skillet and make the Chipotle-Lime Sauce. Add the ketchup, chipotles in adobo, honey, and garlic powder to the skillet and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer, stirring often, and then add in the lime juice. Reduce the heat and mix in another fourth of the chicken with the sauce. When fully coated, plate, top with chopped cilantro, and squeeze some lime juice on top. Place lime wedges alongside the chicken. Set aside.
7. Wipe out the skillet again and begin on the Honey BBQ Bourbon Sauce. Stir together BBQ sauce, honey, and bourbon and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened and smooth. Toss in another fourth of the chicken and plate. Set aside.
8. One last time, wipe out the skillet. Make the Orange Glaze. Over medium heat, combine the orange marmalade, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, and sriracha. Mix until well-combined and thickened. Add in the sesame seeds and stir until evenly distributed. Mix in the last of the chicken and stir until coated. Plate and top with chopped chives.
9. Serve warm with celery, ranch, and blue cheese dressing.

Notes

To partially make these ahead, bake the popcorn chicken, freeze, and bake from frozen in a 350°F oven until warm, about 20 minutes. Then continue to make the sauces.

• Prep Time: 1 hour
• Cook Time: 45 mins