9 Restaurant Chains That Serve the Best Boneless Wings
Boneless wings hit the spot when you're picking a crowd-pleasing appetizer or putting together a memorable menu for a Super Bowl party. Like traditional chicken wings, they're tasty and easy-to-eat fingerfoods—just without those messy, pesky bones to deal with afterward.
To be clear: these aren't deboned wings; instead, they are bites of chicken cut to resemble a wing shape. It's a laid-back, uncomplicated, no-fuss dish.
Well-made boneless wings are crispy and crunchy in texture, and they don't lack in the flavor department—which is especially true if you have some dipping sauces on deck.
Wings are, of course, often fried. Deep-fried chicken has been a mainstay in American cooking for years, especially in the South, according to the National Chicken Council, a national, nonprofit trade association representing America's chicken producers. Still, it wasn't until the 1960s that someone decided to toss the wings in hot sauce, and—boom—chicken wings, as we know them, were born. That person was Teressa Bellissimo, co-owner of Anchor Bar in Buffalo, N.Y. As the story goes, she decided to cook leftover chicken wings late at night in hot sauce for her son and his friends in 1964. It was so tasty that she decided to put it on the menu the following day.
The rest, as they say, is history. But, in recent years, the boneless variety has become increasingly popular at restaurants nationwide.
If you don't feel like going through the whole song and dance of preparing, deep-frying, and plating boneless chicken wings at home yourself, you'll be happy to know that plenty of chain restaurants offer this delicious dish. From popular spots with a long list of sauces to Korean fried-chicken restaurants famous for double-fried boneless wings, here are 10 restaurants that serve the best boneless wings.
Buffalo Wild Wings
Buffalo Wild Wings has "wings" in its name, so you know it's gotta have some of the best chicken wings out there. Founded in the 1980s, the popular sports bar chain offers lightly breaded boneless chicken wings made using juicy, all-white chicken and treated to your choice of sauce or dry rub. Order them alone or as part of the chain's value wing bundles, which include crispy natural-cut French fries.
Chili's
If you want a tasty and affordable boneless chicken wing appetizer, head to your local Chili's. The popular restaurant chain—known for its mega-sized burgers, fried chicken combos, and lunch specials—has a must-try boneless chicken wing appetizer that may become your new go-to. The dish features crispy boneless chicken wings hand-tossed in up to two flavors, such as mild lemon pepper dry rub, honey chipotle, or Nashville hot. Each order, which makes a great starter to share with friends, comes with two sides of homemade ranch dipping sauces.
Zaxby's
While some restaurant chains have boneless chicken wings listed under appetizers, Zaxby's offers this satisfying dish as a meal combo. Each boneless wings meal combo comes with five boneless wings made using all-white breast meat covered in a sauce of your liking. Choose from hot honey mustard, mild sweet and spicy, medium-heat barbecue garlic blaze, and more. The combo also includes a side of ranch dipping sauce, thick Texas toast, crispy crinkle fries, and a small drink. Score!
TGI Fridays
Satisfy your craving for boneless chicken wings with TGI Fridays tasty boneless chicken wings option. This shareable platter includes crispy boneless chicken wings, fresh-cut celery stalks, and a generous portion of ranch side sauce. TGI Fridays also lets you add extra sauce to your order—such as Korean red Chili, Frank's RedHot Buffalo, garlic parmesan sauce, apple BBQ, and more. "TGI Fridays make the best boneless wings you'll ever eat in your life," one X user proclaimed.
Applebee's
There's a reason why Applebee's has its boneless chicken wings listed under its favorite dishes—they're a hit among customers. Crispy, juicy, and tender, these boneless wings are lightly breaded and tossed in your choice of sauce. Choose from classic Buffalo, honey barbecue, garlic parmesan, sweet Asian chili, or extra hot Buffalo if you want more heat. They're also plated with refreshing house-made ranch or blue cheese.
"I love boneless chicken wings from @Applebees!!!!" one X user posted, while Applebee's X account responded to them, "So do we."
Wingstop
Of course, Wingstop has top-notch boneless wings—the chain's primary focus is wings, after all. This spot has multiple boneless options, but one of its menu standouts is the $16.99 meal deal with 20 boneless wings tossed in your choice of four flavors, a large fry, and multiple dips. Flavors include mild heat options, like lemon pepper and hickory smoked barbecue; medium heat options, like original hot and Louisiana rub; and hot and spicy choices, like mango habanero and Cajun. Wingstop occasionally offers limited-time flavors, too. This meal feeds between two to three people and can easily be shared with friends.
If you need a more specific number of wings, order from Wingstop's "by the piece" menu, which has boneless wing options ranging from 10 pieces to 100. Each also comes with dipping sauces and your choice of flavors.
Dave & Buster's
Go to Dave & Buster's for the arcade games, and stay for the boneless chicken wings. Known for its exciting atmosphere that combines casual dining with games including pool, virtual reality Top Gun Maverick, and Connect 4 Hoops, Dave & Buster's also serves finger-licking good boneless wings as part of its craft kitchen menu.
You can choose from two options of dry rubs, such as ranch, Cajun, and lemon pepper, and a long list of sauces, including classic Buffalo, honey bourbon barbecue, garlic parmesan, and Sriracha honey. Each platter comes with celery, carrot sticks, and your choice of ranch dressing or blue cheese for dipping.
Hooters
For those who like boneless chicken wings that are easily customizable, Hooters is the place to go. Here, you can expect the chain's famous boneless wings made from plump and juicy 100% breast meat.
Similar to other places like Dave & Buster's and Wingstop, Hooters also offers a long list of signature sauces and dry rubs to help you achieve that "just right" taste. Choose from classic barbecue, Caribbean jerk rub, honey Thai chili pepper, and more. Hooters' boneless chicken wings with a side of the chain's curly fries and coleslaw make for a great meal.
BonChon
It doesn't get much more delicious than BonChon's boneless chicken wings, available on the menu in three different sizes—small, medium, and large—and in two different flavored sauces—soy garlic and spicy. That's not all, though. Every order is served with a free side of pickled radish or coleslaw, which perfectly complements the deep flavor of the chicken wings. Not to mention, each wing is hand-battered and double-fried, giving it its crunchy texture and undeniably good taste.
Founded in South Korea in 2002, this increasingly popular fried chicken chain has more than 130 locations throughout the U.S. in states including New York, California, Virginia, and Illinois. "I just discovered Bonchon the other day. It's Korean Fried Chicken and they have chicken nuggets/boneless wings among other types. The soy ginger and spicy ones are amazing! If you have a nugget craving and one is nearby, go. Changed my life :)," one X user shared.
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