I tried boneless wings from 5 chain restaurants and ranked them from worst to best

My least favorite wings came from Buffalo Wild Wings, which surprised me.

I tried the same three flavors of wings from the five chains: Buffalo, garlic Parmesan, and barbecue.

At Buffalo Wild Wings, an order of 15 boneless wings, which included up to three different sauce flavors, cost $24.99, excluding tax.

Given that the chain is famous for its wings, I was surprised that the chain's boneless wings landed last in my ranking.

Buffalo Wild Wings' boneless wings looked more like chicken nuggets than boneless wings.

Some of the wings were meatier than others, but I thought Buffalo Wild Wings' wings were the smallest when compared to the other chains.

Still, I enjoyed the flavor of the boneless wings, particularly the classic Buffalo wings. They had a sweet buttery flavor without packing too much spice.

The Parmesan garlic wings could have used a bit more flavor.

The wings had a slightly pungent garlic savoriness, but they weren't as flavorful as the ones I tried from the other chains.

The breading was crunchy and had a peppery flavor, but I thought it slightly overpowered the sauce.

The honey barbecue wings were coated in the most sauce.

Of the three kinds I tried from Buffalo Wild Wings, these were my favorite. The wings were sticky and sweet, thanks to the honey in the sauce, and paired nicely with the chain's creamy ranch.

The inside of the boneless wings was moist.

The wings were juicy on the inside, which balanced nicely with the crunchy outer breading.

In some ways, these boneless wings reminded me of standard chicken nuggets.

Boneless wings are made exclusively from chicken breast, while nuggets are typically made from a blend of various chicken parts. These did taste better than most chicken nuggets I've had, though I wasn't blown away overall.

I'll go for the burger next time.

Next up were the boneless wings from TGI Fridays.

I ordered boneless wings from TGI Fridays in three flavors: Buffalo, garlic Parmesan, and apple-butter barbecue. I ordered them as part of the chain's combo platter, which lets you choose three appetizers.

At the TGI Fridays I visited in Massachusetts, the order cost $18.29, excluding tax, and came with eight of each flavor wing.

The Buffalo wings were small but packed a decent amount of flavor.

TGI Fridays doesn't seem to have its own house Buffalo sauce and instead douses its wings in Frank's Red Hot Buffalo sauce, a pretty standard grocery-store hot sauce.

I did enjoy the overall flavor, but these wings didn't bring the heat for me. Compared to the other Buffalo boneless wings I tried, these were just average.

I was most impressed by the Parmesan garlic boneless wings.

The wings had a super crispy coating and were drenched in a savory, garlicky sauce.

The wings had a crunch when I bit in — which I didn't quite get with the Buffalo boneless wings — and paired excellently with the chain's ranch.

I also liked the apple-butter barbecue wings.

I could distinctly taste the apple butter in this sauce, which gave it a sweet, almost molasses-like flavor. Though the size varied, these wings also were slightly bigger and crunchier than the Buffalo wings.

The wings were filled with a good amount of chicken breast meat, but the sauce truly stole the show.

The wings were reasonably thick, but the chicken and breading lacked seasoning or flavor on their own — the sauces provided the majority of the flavor, which wasn't necessarily a criticism but an observation.

The boneless wings from Wingstop landed in the middle of the pack.

Boneless chicken products like boneless wings, chicken nuggets, and tenders are having a moment right now.

However, Wingstop's senior director of culinary, Larry Bellah, told BI that the chain's bone-in traditional wings are still its most popular offering.

Bellah also said the five most popular sauce flavors at Wingstop are lemon pepper, Original Hot, hickory-smoked barbecue, garlic Parmesan, and hot honey.

I ordered 20 boneless wings, which allowed me to select up to three sauce flavors for $24.69, excluding tax.

The Buffalo boneless wings were crispy on the outside.

They were smaller than the top two brands I tried, but they had a lot of flavor. Wingstop doesn't have a Buffalo sauce, but their Original Hot flavor is the chain's own spin on a classic.

They were buttery, with just the right level of spice.

The garlic Parmesan wings were covered in cheese.

I found the wings quite flavorful, but the Parmesan cheese stood out much more prominently than the garlic. The garlic flavor was subtle and almost overshadowed by the richness of the cheese.

The hickory-smoked barbecue flavor was sweet and smoky.

The sauce had a bold, smoky flavor with a rich balance of sweet, tangy, and savory notes, and coated every square inch of the boneless wing.

Of all the sauces, this flavor paired best with the chain's ranch, which was creamy and mildly tart.

The chicken meat inside was juicy and filling.

Though these wings were small, they were thick. I thought they were an excellent value. The chicken meat inside tasted high-quality and shredded apart with every bite.

My second favorite wings came from Applebee's.

Applebee's seriously delivered on flavor. However, the chain didn't clinch the win for me based on value.

I ended up ordering two separate orders of eight boneless wings, which cost $16.99 each, at my local Applebee's in Brooklyn. I also got another order of eight boneless wings as part of the chain's "2 for $2X" deal, which included an appetizer and two entrées for $30, excluding tax.

As of this past year, Applebee's also offers an Ultimate Combo appetizer platter, which would allow you to choose three different kinds of boneless wings in a smaller portion for $16.99 total — a much better value if you're looking to try multiple flavors.

In the end, I ended up paying more than at any other chain, so I could try multiple flavors by ordering them separately. Next time, I'll opt for the Ultimate Combo.

The Buffalo wings were packed with flavor.

As the official grill and bar sponsor of the NFL, I expected the chain's boneless wings to be good — and they delivered.

Out of all the boneless Buffalo wings I tried, these were the spiciest and most flavorful. They paired well with the chain's ranch, which was tangy and creamy and perfectly balanced out the heat.

The garlic Parmesan wings were also super flavorful.

The outside of the wing was crispy and crunchy, and the garlic Parmesan sauce added a savory, nutty flavor to each bite.

The honey barbecue wings came coated in a sticky sauce.

The wings were perfectly balanced between sweet and smoky.

I was also impressed by the thickness of these wings.

The wings were impressively large and packed with tender, juicy chicken.

When it came to flavor, Applebee's was exceptional. All three sauces I tried were well-executed and flavorful. However, the garlic Parmesan stood out as my favorite.

Its rich, creamy blend of nutty Parmesan and savory garlic created a bold and indulgent flavor that took the wings to another level. While the other sauces were delicious, the garlic Parmesan offered a perfect balance of crispy breading and zesty flavor that kept me going back for more.

Chili's came in first place for its flavorful boneless wings at a great value.

I got 15 wings in three different flavors as part of Chili's popular Triple Dipper appetizer combo, which allowed me to select three appetizers for $17.89, excluding tax, at a Chili's in Massachusetts.

The chain had a successful 2025, marked by significant sales growth, increased restaurant traffic, and strong revenue growth. Executives say the viral popularity of its signature appetizer combo helped drive such growth.

Chili's also said the Triple Dipper and fried mozzarella "bricks," which have also gone viral for their lengthy cheese pulls, are attracting younger customers and getting them to come back more often.

The boneless wings from Chili's were the largest out of all the chains.

The wings appeared to be baked in the Buffalo sauce rather than tossed in it after cooking.

The Buffalo sauce was sweet and slightly spicy, with a light buttery flavor. I tasted a strong citrus flavor, which I also enjoyed.

The garlic Parmesan boneless wings were really flavorful.

I was again impressed by the size of the wings and thought the savory punch of garlic really came through. The wings were moist yet crispy, and I couldn't get enough of them.

The barbecue wings came coated in a smoky sauce.

Unlike the others, which were almost dry to the touch, these boneless wings came completely drenched in the chain's house barbecue sauce.

The sauce was smoky with a slight sweetness, but they could have benefited from a little acid for some brightness.

I loved the breading and the wings' thickness. These were the winners for me.

They were full of chicken meat, which made this an incredibly filling appetizer to share among a few people at a Super Bowl party … or to keep all to yourself while catching the game.

For under $20, the Triple Dipper delivered incredible value, with a generous portion of high-quality wings that didn't skimp on flavor or size.

For me, it's no surprise this menu item has become such a hit.