We’re five weeks away from the end of the NFL’s regular season, and Wisconsin’s own Green Bay Packers are set to have an interesting playoff run, to say the least. But what does that mean for Eau Claire Eats?

Well, it means we are going to help you learn to cook some delicious, homemade finger food for those crowded game watch parties.

Boneless wings, usually made from a pre-made frozen package or ordered to-go from your local Buffalo Wild Wings, are a staple of many Sunday nights around this time of year. Here’s how to add a homemade twist to your Packers (or Vikings) game night.

Homemade boneless wings

Wing purists like to debate the validity of boneless wings and argue they’re nothing more than chicken nuggets tossed in sauce. This is arguably true, and the main segment of this recipe is going to leave you with chicken bites that are delicious whether or not you want to take that final step and toss them in sauce to make them wings.

What you need

– 2lbs of diced chicken breast or thigh

– 2 cups of pre-made batter

– 2 quarts of canola oil

– 2 eggs

– A pinch of paprika

– A pinch of ground red pepper

– Sauces of your choice

Begin the process by thawing your diced chicken. The best way to do this is by filling a sink with hot water and letting the chicken (while still sealed in the bag) soak in the water.

Pour the oil into a tall pot and place on a stove at medium-high heat until the oil starts to visually shimmer.

Pour the pre-made batter into a bowl. Any box of batter from the store will work fine, but Shore Lunch’s Original is recommended. Mix a small amount of ground red pepper and extra paprika into the batter for a little extra flavor.

Crack one egg into a bowl and place next to the batter. Place an empty platter or tray next to the batter bowl.

Once this is all prepared, your chicken is thawed and your oil is heated, begin battering the chicken bites by dipping them one at a time in the egg then rolling them in the batter. Place them on the tray when they’ve been thoroughly coated.

Having an extra cook in the kitchen during this recipe can be very helpful, because while one person is battering the bites, the other can start placing the bites into the oil. 

You can even call your helper your “sous-chef” if you want to make sure they know you’re still the star in this cooking process.

In general, don’t put more than four or five chicken bites into the oil at a time to avoid excess popping. Cooking with oil can be a hazardous experience, so taking things slowly and carefully is a smart idea.

Watch the chicken bites carefully. When the bubbles in the oil around them begin to recede and the batter turns a dark, golden brown, they’re ready to remove and place onto a drying rack.

I recommended cutting open your first few bites to ensure they’re cooked all the way through so that you can get a sense of how long it takes for the bites to be thoroughly cooked.

Continue this process until all the bites are fried. About halfway through, you’ll probably have to refill the egg bowl with your second egg.

After this process is over, you have a full rack of fresh, crispy chicken bites. By themselves, these are great snacks. 

If you want to take it to the next level, though, pour your favorite sauce into a large bowl and toss a handful of bites at a time, making the final transformation from chicken nuggets to boneless wings.

This recipe is a great way to bring some homemade flavor to a classic Sunday night football snack, so after they’re done, sit back, munch and enjoy the game.

Porisch can be reached at [email protected].