Throughout history, there have been many debates brought to the forefront of mankind. From topics such as should schools ban iPhones to even topics like should pineapple be on pizza. But here today marks the end of one of the most heinous debates mankind has ever conjured: Are boneless wings really oversized chicken nuggets?
While I one-hundred percent exaggerated the severity of the debate, that doesn’t lessen its clear two opposing sides: Side 1 being people who believe boneless wings aren’t simply oversized chicken nuggets, and Side 2 being people who do believe that boneless wings are just oversized chicken nuggets. And the short answer: no, boneless wings are not just glorified chicken nuggets. There is a lot more than a mere yes or no answer that goes into this debate as well.
For one, boneless wings and chicken nuggets are made of different cuts of meat from a chicken. Boneless wings are actually cut chicken breast (It’s not even from a wing at all) that has been cut into bite-sized pieces versus chicken nuggets that are made from various parts of the chicken that are mixed, resulting in an inconsistent flavor compared to fresh boneless wings.
Another difference between the two chicken-based products is how they are prepared before being cooked. Boneless wings are then in a batter mixture before being dunked in a deep fryer to give them their crunchy exterior before either being served dry or covered in a sauce. Nuggets, on the other hand, are often prepared by mechanically-separated chicken that is compacted into the shape of a nugget, tossed and battered, breaded, then fried. While the cooking process is the same and many will argue that is what makes them so similar, that would be the same as saying all noodles are the same since they are cooked similarly while ignoring the clear differences between the preparation styles.
All in all, while I will probably continue to make jokes about boneless wings being oversized chicken nuggets, the proof is in the batter itself. Boneless wings are not merely oversized chicken nuggets due to several differences in not just taste, vibe, and appearance, but even as far as which parts of the chicken they come from in terms of cuts and how they are prepared while cooking.
