Candied Yam Glazed Boneless Chicken Wings

We know, we know. This recipe sounds like... a lot. But, if you're feeling adventurous, love sweet and savory flavor combinations, or enjoy when that sticky yam glaze touches everything else on your Easter Sunday plate — this recipe is for you.

Our boneless yam (air) fried chicken takes golden, crispy air fried bits of chicken and coats them generously in a thick, sweetly spiced glaze (with real sweet potato) for a flavor combination that's new, yet familiar. And not to mention, this recipe is 100% gluten free, so everyone can enjoy! 

Ready to whip up your own boneless air fryer wings with candied yam glaze? Keep reading for ingredients, instructions, and modifications you can make. And for a primer on our best tips for crispy, golden air fried chicken, read here.

Ingredients

For the Boneless Chicken Wings

• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut (see modification notes below for other options)
• 1 cup cornstarch
• 1 cup potato starch
• 1/3 cup gluten free bread crumbs
• Station 1923 All Aboard Everyday Seasoning
• Station 1923 Citrus Herb All-Purpose Seasoning
• Hot sauce of choice (optional)
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 egg
• Cooking spray (we use Chosen Foods Avocado)
• Flaky sea salt (optional but recommended)

For the Candied Yam Glaze

• 1/4 of one medium sized sweet potato, fully cooked (we pulled one from the freezer, but canned is fine; or roast one and eat the rest!)
• 1 and 1/2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons Station 1923 Maple Cinnamon All-Purpose Sweet Blend
• 1/2 cup dark corn syrup
• Vanilla or vanilla bean paste (as much as your heart desires)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• Juice of 1/4 of a lemon, squeezed (or about 1 tablespoon of juice)

Things You'll Need

• Medium or large mixing bowl
• Ziplock bag (gallon sized)
• Cutting board or tray
• Measuring cups
• Food safe gloves (optional)
• Air Fryer
• Sauce pan
• Knife
• Silicone spatula or whisk
• Immersion blender (optional, not at all required)
• Wire cooling rack or baking tray
• Tongs

Modifications You Can Make

• To the chicken: feel free to stray away from boneless chicken wings or strips for this recipe. The same steps apply whether you use bone-in wings, tenderloins, or boneless, skinless thighs. We recommend avoiding bigger cuts like bone-in legs, thighs, and breasts to keep the outer coating from burning before the chicken is fully cooked.

• To the coating: we craft all of our recipes with gluten free ingredients, but you don't have to. While gluten free starches and flours do yield crispier, lighter results, you can also use standard wheat flour in your coating.

• To the glaze: our recipe uses dark corn syrup, but if you don't have any on hand, honey, agave, or brown sugar with a little water can all work.

Got all of that? Ok good - let's get cookin'!

Step 1: Chicken Prep

Do whatever you need to do to get your chicken ready. If you clean it, clean it. If you need to cut it, cut it. Once it's ready, place it inside a mixing bowl and season well with equal parts Station 1923 All Aboard Everyday Seasoning and Citrus Herb All-Purpose Seasoning. Grab your gloves and give that a good hand mix to ensure the boneless chicken wings are evenly coated in seasoning.

Next, drop in the "fried chicken" essentials — a generous shake of hot sauce, buttermilk, and one egg. Mix again until all of the chicken is covered.

Step 2: Flour It Up!

In your large Ziplock bag, add your flours and bread crumbs, and a few more shakes of Station 1923 All Aboard Everyday Seasoning and Citrus Herb All-Purpose Seasoning. Close and shake until fully mixed.

Drop in your first batch of chicken - enough to fill your air fryer, but not packed full. Close and shake the bag to coat, then remove the chicken and place it on a cutting board or tray.

Allow the chicken to sit for 5-6 minutes so the coating gets soaked by the egg and buttermilk mixture. While this is happening, pre-heat your air fryer to 400°F and your oven to 200°F (to keep the chicken warm)

Step 3: Air Fry

Once your air fryer is hot and ready, drop the chicken in and generously coat it with cooking spray, being sure to get rid of any ashy spots.

Depending on what kind of chicken you used, it will take 10-20 minutes to fully cook and develop a golden brown exterior. To maximize crispness, flip or gently shake your chicken halfway through air frying, and hit any "ashy spots" of flour with more cooking spray.

Once your first batch is complete, repeat steps 2 and 3 until all of your chicken is air fried. After each batch, sprinkle a light amount of flaky sea salt on the boneless chicken wings (optional, but recommended).

Step 4: Sauce

While your chicken is getting golden and crispy in the air fryer, it's time to make the unforgettable sticky, sweet candied yam glaze that sets these boneless wings off!

The magic here comes from Station 1923 Maple Cinnamon All-Purpose Sweet Blend — that real Vermont maple combined with warm cinnamon and a touch of smoked bourbon sea salt is all you need to bring that candied yam flavor alive. (We also have an amazing recipe for easy, Southern-style candied yams here).

In a small saucepan over a medium-low flame, combine your cooked sweet potato, butter, corn syrup, vanilla, and Station 1923 Maple Cinnamon All-Purpose Sweet Blend. 

Use a spatula or whisk to fully incorporate ingredients, breaking down the cooked sweet potato into tiny bits. At this point, you can also use an immersion blender for a smoother candied yam glaze. We skipped this step because little chunks of candied yam makes for a nice addition.

The sauce should take less than 5 minutes to come together because it's already pretty thick and there isn't much water to cook out. Just before giving it a final stir, add lemon juice and remove the sauce pan from the flame.

Stir to incorporate the lemon juice.

If your candied yam glaze is too thick, add a bit of water until you reach your desired consistency.

Step 5: Toss and Serve

Once all your chicken is air fried, transfer it to a clean mixing bowl and pour the candied yam glaze on top. Use tongs to gently toss and coat all of the chicken evenly in the candied yam glaze.

Plate your boneless chicken wings with candied yam glaze up and serve with a wedge of lemon (a little extra acidity really sets them off).

Enjoy these air fryer boneless chicken wings with candied yam glaze alongside mac and cheese and collard greens for a perfect soul food plate!

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