Boneless Wings Are Not, in Fact, Chicken Wings
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Have you ever wondered why boneless wings taste so different from bone-in wings? It's probably because they're different cuts of meat entirely, each with a distinct taste, texture and overall eating experience. That's right, we're saying that boneless wings do not come from chicken wings.
As a bone-in wing enthusiast (buffalo, medium-spicy, side of blue cheese), I've known about these battered-and-fried imposters for some time. However, a deep dive into online forums and an informal ask around the office revealed that misinformation runs deep.
Some colleagues thought the appendage-like nuggets could, at one point, fly. And one user on Quora shared an instance when, in an attempt to make boneless wings at home, they purchased true wings and spent nearly an hour trying to remove the skin and bones. They were left with a minuscule amount of meat. "I'm upset," they wrote.
Not everyone experienced the same confusion. "I have never ordered boneless wings with the expectation that they are deboned wings," declared one Reddit user.
Deboning wings is not unheard of, but it's a labor-intensive process typically reserved for professional kitchens or culinary school classes. I'm not familiar with many recipes that call for the technique except stuffed chicken wings, a special-occasion dish in various Southeast Asian cuisines.
But that plastic tray full of sauce-slicked bites at your local pub? Probably not deboned wings.
If boneless wings aren't wings, what are they?
They're breaded and fried chunks of — wait for it — chicken breast. Though they share a name with the game day staple, they're closer in taste and texture to chicken nuggets or tenders.
"A bone-in wing is the actual wing of a chicken and includes the bone, a boneless wing is made from chicken breast meat shaped to resemble a wing — no bones involved," explains Chef Thomas Wenrich, Senior Director of Culinary at Tyson Foods.
Boneless wings are also juicy white meat, while bone-in wings are rich, tender dark meat. Boneless bites offer hassle-free snacking. Traditional wings typically require many, many napkins.
Why are they even called wings?
Boneless wings were likely popularized in the early aughts when wholesale wing prices shot past breast prices for the first time, according to a 2009 report in The New York Times.
The oxymoronic cut allowed restaurants to sell more affordable chicken breast while offering the same "wing night" experience. Some customers even preferred the poppable wings over gnawing meat off the bone. For both restaurants and consumers, it was a win-win.
Wings of all types continue to grow in popularity, says Wenrich. "In 2024, boneless wings were up 2% on restaurant menus while bone-in was up twice that rate, according to data from the foodservice research firm Technomic. Overall sales of bone-in grew 21.8% and boneless rose 5.9%."
I can only assume the "wings" part of boneless wings refers to their size and how you eat them. They're shaped like their bony cousins and are typically prepared similarly: doused in sauce and dipped in something delicious, often served with a side of celery sticks.
I can't deny the convenience or satisfaction of boneless wings, but I'm not changing my preference for the bone-in parts anytime soon. I don't mind the mess — in addition to blue cheese and celery, I like my wings with an entire roll of paper towels.
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