The Best Sticky Fingers Recipe (Wingers Copycat Recipe)

Wingers Sticky Fingers

Back when my family used to visit Utah (obviously before I lived here) I would always cross my fingers and toes that we would get to visit Wingers. If you’ve never been here, you’re really missing out. It’s a typical, casual restaurant, but their signature item is their sticky fingers.

And they are absolutely fabulous!

The sauce packs a good amount of heat and sweetness, and they are seriously finger-lickin’ good. Really, I don’t think anyone would judge you too harshly if they saw you doing that (well, I wouldn’t. And isn’t it just my opinion that counts?! Just kidding.)

While you can find a Winger’s in just about every city in Utah, I’m not sure it even exists outside of the state. So, of course, I had to come up with a copy cat recipe to use when we leave the state. When we were in Colorado over Christmas break, I thought it would be the perfect time to experiment.

I saw that my friend, Amber, had posted a recipe for sticky fingers on her blog, and it sounded pretty great. However, when I went to make it, I realized that she had said to use frozen, breaded chicken fingers. And, unfortunately for me, I didn’t have any of those. So I decided to just make my own, and it still turned out amazing. Thus why I call this, a better-than-sticky fingers recipe.

Don’t believe me? Just ask my dad. For days afterward, he kept telling me how much he loved them, and he would describe in detail why he loved them. We finally decided that the sauce tasted best when you add ranch dressing in it, which is something they will sometimes do at Winger’s, but it’s not the sauce they cook the chicken fingers in. However, we think that’s what put these sticky fingers over the top. Feel free to omit it if you don’t like ranch/can’t have it…but, I highly suggest you don’t!

Oh, and be sure to set some of the sauce aside for later…it’s great for salads, dipping, etc. Yum! And if you are in a pinch, be sure to head over to Amber’s blog for instructions on how to use the frozen chicken fingers instead of homemade ones…I’m positive they are still delicious!

PS, this recipe makes quite a few — upwards of 25 chicken fingers. So, you can half it, but they make great leftovers. Plus, they are super addicting — I imagine you’ll want more than just two or three 😉

Ingredients

• Chicken Breast
• Salt
• Pepper
• Buttermilk
• Garlic Powder
• Eggs
• Bread crumbs
• Baking powder
• Brown Sugar
• Buffalo Sauce
• Water
• Ranch Dressing

Equipment Needed

• Plastic Bag
• Various bowls
• Oven

Wingers Sticky Fingers Recipe

A printable recipe without photos available at the end of this post

Ingredients

• 10 Skinless, boneless Chicken Breasts
• Salt
• Pepper
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 2 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 3 eggs
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 10 tablespoons Frank’s Buffalo Sauce
• 6 Tablespoon water
• 1/2 cup ranch dressing

Breaded Chicken Fingers

Cut chicken breasts into long strips, about 2-inches wide (about 5 inches long). Each breast should make about three chicken strips.

 

Season the chicken strips with salt and pepper.

 

In a large, gallon-sized bag, place buttermilk, eggs and garlic powder. Put chicken strips in, seal, and shake (I recommend using two bags). Place in refrigerator for about two hours.

 

Preheat oven to 375.

 

Place bread crumbs in a large dish (start with 2 cups, add more if needed later on)

 

Remove chicken from the refrigerator.

 

Taking one piece at a time, shake off the excess milk.

 

Place on a greased cookie sheet.

 

Repeat until all chicken is coated.

 

Bake for about 15 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink.

 

Dip chicken in sticky fingers sauce and cover completely.

Wingers Sauce 

Put the brown sugar, hot sauce, and water into a saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium heat.

Let boil about five minutes, stirring the whole time.

Remove from heat, and let sit for about 1 minute.

Mix in ranch dressing.

Continue to Content

Better-than-Wingers Sticky Fingers

Yield: 25 -30 strips

Print

Ingredients

• Breaded Chicken Fingers Recipe
• 10 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• Salt
• Pepper
• 2 cup buttermilk
• 2 1/4 teaspoons garlic powder
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 2-3 cups plain bread crumbs
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• Sticky Fingers Sauce
• 2 1/3 cups brown sugar
• 10 tbsp Frank Buffalo Sauce sauce
• 6 tbsp water
• 1/2 cup ranch dressing

Instructions

1. Breaded Chicken Fingers
2. Cut chicken breasts into long strips, about 2-inches wide (about 5 inches long). Each breast should make about three chicken strips.
3. Season the chicken strips with salt and pepper.
4. In a large, gallon sized bag, place buttermilk, eggs and garlic powder. Put chicken strips in, seal, and shake (I recommend using two bags). Place in refrigerator for about two hours.
5. Preheat oven to 375.
6. Place bread crumbs in a large dish (start with 2 cups, add more if needed later on)
7. Remove chicken from the refrigerator.
8. Taking one piece at a time, shake off the excess milk, and cover in bread crumbs. Place on a greased cookie sheet.
9. Repeat until all chicken is coated.
10. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink.
11. Dip chicken in sticky fingers sauce and cover completely.
12. Sticky Fingers Sauce
13. Put the brown sugar, hot sauce, and water into a sauce pan, and bring to a boil over medium heat.
14. Let boil about five minutes, stirring the whole time.
15. Remove from heat, and let sit for about 1 minute.
16. Mix in ranch dressing.

Notes

Adapted from http://www.dessertnowdinnerlater.com/2013/12/copycat-wingers-sticky-fingers/

FAQ

• What if I don’t have buttermilk? You can make buttermilk at home by adding 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice to 1 cup of cows milk and letting it sit for about five minutes.
• Can I use a different brand of a hot sauce? I haven’t done this myself, but you could try. Make sure it’s a buffalo sauce
• What brand of ranch dressing did you use? I use whatever is on sale!

Other Copycat Recipes You May Enjoy:

• Copycat Applebee’s Spinach Artichoke Dip
• Olive Garden Five Cheese Marinara
• Copycat Taco Bell Mexican Pizza

Originally posted on 2014; updated in 2019.