On the Mount Rushmore of all-American comfort food, chicken wings deserve top billing alongside barbecue, burgers, and pizza. As versatile as they are finger-licking, vacillating between scorching spice and smoky sweetness, wings come in near-infinite forms and flavors, featured prominently on chain menus across the country. You probably already know where to find the best buffalo wings at popular restaurant chains, but what about their nugget-like counterparts? I’m referring, of course, to boneless wings.
The anatomy of a boneless wing is somewhat murky. Typically not chicken wings at all, but rather small pieces of chicken breast cut into wing-sized portions, these easy-to-eat “wings” are basically more akin to saucy and spicy chicken nuggets. As simple and straightforward as that sounds, these meaty morsels don’t have a lot of bells and whistles to hide behind, which means the emphasis is front and center on the quality and texture of the protein, as well as whatever sauces—glazes and condiments alike—might accompany them.
For this taste test, I recently sampled six different boneless varieties from six major chains in Oklahoma City. In most cases, I ordered the barbecue, honey barbecue, or similar flavor to keep my evaluation as consistent as possible, judging each variety based on looks and taste. Here are the results, ranked in descending order from my least favorite to the best boneless wings overall.
Zaxby’s
Nutrition:
BBQ (Per Wing)
Calories: 90
Fat: 4.5 g (Saturated Fat: 0.5 g)
Sodium: 300 mg
Carbs: 7 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 2 g)
Protein: 5 g
Alas, poor Zaxby’s. I had heard such pleasant things about this chain, which I had never visited until now. Unfortunately, having sampled its boneless wings, I probably won’t be visiting again anytime soon. Despite having one of the cozier facades, and a much more interesting menu with friendly service, the boneless barbecue wings were a bit of a travesty. An order of 10 wings cost me $11.29.
The look: Although larger in size than other varieties, the fact that the meat looks fake—and that the sauce looks like a sugary, gloopy glaze—did not inspire confidence or hunger. In smell and appearance, you can practically taste the sticky sweetness before even taking a bite.
The taste: Once a bite is taken, all the woes are confirmed. They’re as tangy-sweet as I feared, with the added audacity of being overcooked and rubbery. It felt like eating General Tso’s chicken with my bare hands. As a lifelong fan of shopping mall food court Chinese food, I would usually mean that as a compliment, but not this time. These so-called wings offered no redeeming comfort or quality.
KFC
Nutrition:
Honey BBQ (Per Nugget)
Calories: 45
Fat: 1.5 g (Saturated Fat: 0 g)
Sodium: 170 mg
Carbs: 4 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 2 g)
Protein: 4 g
For confirmation that boneless wings are basically just grown-up chicken nuggets masquerading under sauces, look no further than KFC. A recent addition to the chain’s menu, Saucy Nuggets are just a cute way of saying “boneless wings,” as evidenced by the near-identical size and shape, and the fact that they’re slathered in similarly aromatic sauce. In this case, the sauce I chose for the sake of uniformity, was Honey BBQ. An order of eight cost me $4.99.
The look: On the down side, I didn’t have high hopes for these nuggets to begin with. On the up side, my expectations were completely met. The saddest looking of the bunch, these nuggets arrived looking meager and haphazard, with seriously uneven saucing. Some morsels were slathered in it, while others were completely dry. Regardless of sauce level, they just look like weird pieces of mystery meat.
The taste: Considering the sauce disparity from nugget to nugget, each bite was a different journey. Those that were amply sauced tasted insanely sweet, with a flavor that reminded me weirdly of orange soda (not ideal). Those that were devoid of sauce weren’t sweet at least, but they were definitely bland and boring. My main note here was that this was a prime example of paltry poultry, and if boneless wings are what you’re after, they’ll leave you sorely disappointed.
WingStop
Nutrition:
Spicy Korean Q (Per Boneless Wing)
Calories: 90
Fat: 4.5 g (Saturated Fat: 1 g)
Sodium: 320 mg
Carbs: 8 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 2 g)
Protein: 5 g
Of all the wings at WingStop, of which there are many, the one that piqued my interest—and impressed me—the most was the Spicy Korean Q flavor. Strikingly unique, it stands out from the rest of the menu, and from any other menu in this, to offer something boldly new. Points are given for the originality, though the flavor and appearance both detract slightly from their superior aforementioned counterparts. A minimum order of 10 cost me $13.29.
The look: They’re not the belle of the ball, but they definitely looked more appealing than most anything else I tried at WingStop. Again, these look more akin to chicken nuggets, but the smoky aroma is tantalizing, and they actually resemble real pieces of chicken wings. Not a high bar to clear, unfortunately, but noteworthy nonetheless.
The taste: With notes of faint sweetness, lingering smoke, and wafts of pungent spice, these wings boast some serious depth of flavor. Without being too scorching, they pack a punch. They’re tender and toothsome, too, though not quite as satisfying as the previous entries on this list. But if this was a ranking of wing sauce and glazes, rest assured that WingStop would rank quite a bit higher.
Popeyes
Nutrition:
Classic Boneless (Per 6-Piece Order)
Calories: 480
Fat: 34 g (Saturated Fat: 16 g, Trans Fat: 2 g)
Sodium: 990 mg
Carbs: 23 g (Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 1 g)
Protein: 27 g
For my first ever trip to Popeyes, I had mixed expectations. I had heard glowing praise, but I’d also heard damning mockery. So, as I ordered my boneless wings—a new menu addition this year—I wasn’t sure what to expect. Aside from the glaring omission of the sauce I ordered, these wound up ranking pretty high on the taste test, which says a lot about the chicken itself. An order of six wings cost me $5.99.
The look: I must say, these looked the least wing-like of all the boneless wings. Ever so slightly golden brown, under a sheath of crispy-looking batter, Popeyes boneless wings look more like mini chicken tenders than anything else, especially considering the blatant lack of glaze or sauce. Upon first look, I was expecting them to potentially be dry, though they definitely smelled better than they appeared.
The taste: Fortunately, Popeyes boneless wings taste more like how they smell than how they look. And by that, I mean delicious. I practically gasped at how unexpectedly juicy these things were, and how well-seasoned they were, rife with notes of salt and pepper especially. Despite the total lack of sauce, they weren’t the least bit dry, but in fact tender and succulent. Sauce wasn’t necessary at all, though I would have liked to at least try them as intended, to compare and contrast. Sure, they look nothing like wings, boneless or not, but they’re still a great snack.
Pizza Hut
Nutrition:
Honey BBQ (Per Boneless Wing)
Calories: 100
Fat: 4 g (Saturated Fat: 1 g)
Sodium: 220 mg
Carbs: 11 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 4 g)
Protein: 5 g
It looks like the pizza wars aren’t the only battles that Pizza Hut is winning of late. Despite being one of the chains I was least excited about, and admittedly one of the stops I was expecting to decry, Pizza Hut’s honey barbecue boneless wings were the biggest pleasant surprise.
The look: Firstly, these looked a bit better than expected. Not exactly wow-inducing, but still an improvement over preconceived notions. They look like meaty little morsels, with lots of saucy nooks and crannies, and a good ratio of sauce to meat. That sauce, too, exuded an appetite-whetting aroma that was deep, dark, and smoky.
The taste: Like General Tso’s chicken—but this time, in a good way. These tangy-sweet morsels were perfectly meaty and robust, with a nice chew and texture that wasn’t too rubbery at all. And although these weren’t quite as visually appealing as the overall winner of this taste test, their great flavor catapulted Pizza Hut into the runner’s up slot. The honey barbecue sauce was impressively balanced with just the right hint of heat juxtaposed by sweetness.
Buffalo Wild Wings
Nutrition:
Buffalo Ranch (Per 6 Boneless Wings)
Calories: 360
Fat: 19 g (Saturated Fat: 7 g)
Sodium: 1,260 mg
Carbs: 20 g (Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 0 g)
Protein: 29 g
Regardless of the fact that Buffalo Wild Wings was recently sued over its boneless wings, legalese can’t change the fact that the chain serves some of the best in the biz. Not only is the restaurant more of a full-blown experience, with table service and a sports bar vibe, but the wings—in this case, boneless wings dressed with a Buffalo ranch sauce—are clear winners. An order of six cost me $9.49.
The look: It may sound like faint praise, but these boneless wings actually looked a lot like chicken wings, which is really saying something. They’re plump, clearly well-seasoned, and the sauce looks balanced and even. Aroma-wise, these things waft with spicy zing, and they just look downright appetizing, served with a side of ranch.
The taste: Just like how these looked like actual wings, they tasted the part too. Hand-in-hand with its appearance, they’re plump, tender, and succulent, redolent with nuanced spices and a surprising depth of flavor. They’re spicy without being overwhelming, providing more of a smoky smolder. The overall flavor profile wasn’t necessarily my favorite, but I couldn’t help but admire the quality and balance here. Ranch, while not necessary considering how juicy these things are, brings out more of the zesty tang in the wings.
