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Winner, winner chicken wing dinner.
The National Chicken Council released a report that says 53 percent of Americans prefer bone-in wings, meaning a whopping 47 percent opt for the boneless variety. That’s sort of shocking considering that boneless chicken wings are something of a riddle.
The term itself is a contradiction: How can a chicken wing not have a bone? Plus, the meat in a boneless wing is not even wing meat, but rather breast meat. In fact, boneless wings must be made from chicken breasts to be classified as such—otherwise, they're just glorified chicken nuggets, which are made from ground chicken (and chicken tenders can only be cut from the tenderloin on the underside of the breast). Boneless wings are supposed to be shaped like the real thing—though you could spot more drumsticks and flats in the clouds than in most baskets of this breaded chicken.
And yet one fact is plain to see: We love boneless wings. They're popular enough that everyone from fast food fried chicken spots to pizza places and sit-down chain restaurants has joined traditional wing joints in making their own versions. I tried eight boneless wings from popular chain restaurants, all topped with traditional medium Buffalo sauce to find out which one is worth ordering again and again—here's how they rank.
The Best Boneless Chicken Wings, Ranked
8th Place: Domino’s Boneless Chicken
I was wary at first because the menu read “boneless chicken” instead of “boneless chicken wings,” but the meat inside the little breaded balls looked white and tender enough to pass for breast meat. Then the man at the counter explained that they only served sauce on the side to “make sure the breading didn’t get soggy"—and then charged me an extra 89 cents for the tiny cup of Buffalo Hot Sauce. While the breading was well-seasoned, the chicken itself was a bit dry, landing it last on the list.
7th Place: Chili’s Boneless Wings
Known for its sauce-slathered baby-back ribs and mozzarella sticks with the ultimate cheese pull, this eatery seemed to skimp on the Buffalo sauce (maybe I should’ve ordered BBQ). It likely wouldn’t have mattered anyway. Once I bit in, what appeared to be sizable chunks of chicken were mostly just breading, yielding less meat than a scrawny bone-in flat.
6th Place: Popeyes Classic Boneless Wings
Perhaps not surprisingly, the chicken was the star here. Marinated, spiced, breaded, and fried to a crispy, crunchy perfection, these sizable wing-shaped treats were juicy and tender, drizzled with just the right amount of sauce. The only knocks were that Popeyes doesn’t offer a Buffalo sauce (I instead opted for the sweet and spicy), so it was difficult to compare. Plus, these wings just made me want to go all-in and buy a whole bucket of Louisiana chicken.
5th Place: Pizza Hut Breaded Boneless Wings
I'm not entirely sure of the current relationship between Pizza Hut and its YUM! Brands co-branded brother WingStreet, but at the very least, there seems to be a strong lingering influence. The evidence is in these delightfully tangy chunks of breaded white meat. These boneless wings are a little on the small side and skew a little heavy on the sauce for my taste—but it’s a nice bonus to go with your meat lover’s pizza.
4th Place: Buffalo Wild Wings Boneless Wings
The iconic franchise commonly credited with inventing boneless wings enters the chat with a strong showing. Buffalo Wild Wings is notorious for scrawny wings that are redeemed by the restaurant’s vast assortment of sauces. Similarly, these boneless chunks weigh in on the small side but are still meaty with just the right touch of medium Buffalo spice. The definition of reliable.
3rd Place: Applebee’s Classic Buffalo Boneless Wings
This sit-down neighborhood mainstay claims it serves “America’s Favorite Boneless Wings.” While they weren’t my favorite, they were actually quite tasty, striking just the right ratio of breading, juicy meat, and tangy Buffalo sauce that kicked in with a little heat at the end.
2nd Place: Hooters Boneless Wings
This chain has built a worldwide renown for several things. But its reputation when it comes to hot wings is well-earned. For me, it's always been that sauce: Salty, cayenne peppery, with the subtle tang of vinegar. You could slather that stuff on anything and have a winner.
1st Place Winner: Wingstop Boneless Wings
As I said, boneless wings are supposed to be cut to resemble the real bone-in McCoy—but the reality is: No two boneless wings are shaped alike. They range in size from popcorn chicken to chicken strips. But no place gives us as much boneless bang for our buck as Wingstop. These relative behemoths were practically chicken tenders, breaded and fried to a gentle crunch, with the perfect coat of buffalo sauce. Touchdown!
Read the original article on Allrecipes
