We Tried, and Ranked, Every Chicken Wing Flavor From Wingstop
If you're a regular at Wingstop, chances are that you already have a go-to flavor of wings.
Most of us just choose what sounds tastiest and most familiar, and stick with that one from there on out, so are you among the few who you actually tried its menu's dozen different flavors to determine which one is truly the best?
In the name of science, we did just that. After multiple trips to our local Wingstop and ordering every one of their flavors (boneless, in case you were wondering), we tasted each one to find out which flavor reigns supreme. So, without further ado, keep reading to find out where every flavor ranks, from worst to best.
12. Mango Habanero (Sauced)
Heat Level: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Mango Habanero sounds like it should be delicious. It certainly has potential as a flavor, but in our opinion, this combination of sweetness and intense heat simply doesn't work for us at all. Initially, these wings just taste overly sugary and sweet, before the overbearing spice comes in and takes over the whole flavor. Both sides of the flavor profile are too much, competing with one another, making it lack balance as a whole. We wish it was so much better!
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11. Cajun (Sauced)
Heat Level: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Wingstop serves wings in both sauced and dry varieties, and their Cajun flavor is the only dry one we don't love. While the dry seasoning does lend it a nice heat, there isn't much flavor beyond that. It could do with a little saltiness or some sour tang like a traditional hot wing. It doesn't taste too hot at first, but that spice lingers in the mouth and builds as you eat—which would work a lot better if the flavor had more to offer than pure heat.
10. Atomic (Sauced)
Heat Level: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Before you judge us for this rating, we have to say that we're not about eating the spiciest foods possible, just for the sake that they're hot. As much as we enjoyed the first couple of bites of these Atomic wings, they are so spicy that we just couldn't keep going. It has a nice hot sauce flavor at first, but thanks to a coating of crushed red pepper and peppercorns, the heat builds up rapidly and makes it difficult to continue, and it left a blazing aftertaste in our mouths way after we were done eating them. If you love scorching hot food, you'll get a lot more out of these wings than we did—though a side of ranch of blue cheese dip does help.
9. Plain
Heat Level: 😎
There isn't much to say about this flavor because it's just a plain old wing. The boneless variety we tried was basically a chicken nugget. The flavor is salty and crisp, and while there's nothing wrong with it, there's nothing special about it, either. We could see how it might appeal to picky eaters, but if you prefer something with a little more zing, we wouldn't advise going Plain.
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8. Mild (Sauced)
Heat Level: 🔥🔥
After trying the Atomic flavor, we were thrilled to find that mild was basically the same thing minus the over-the-top spiciness. It's your classic vinegary hot sauce wing but with a more delicate heat, making them easy to scarf down. Though, if anything, the heat might be toned down a little too much on this wing…
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7. Original Hot (Sauced)
Heat Level: 🔥🔥🔥
That brings us to Original Hot, which is essentially Wingstop's Mild flavor with the heat dialed up just enough to make it the perfect classic hot wing. It's got that pungent, buffalo-like taste, and enough spice to make you search for your soda, but not enough to make you want to give up—and again, it's excellent with creamy dipping sauces.
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6. Hawaiian (Sauced)
Heat Level: 😎
Of course, wings don't have to be spicy to be delicious. In fact, we think Wingstop excels when they move away from the classics. Their Hawaiian flavor reminds us a little of orange chicken, but with even more citrusy flavor, making it more tangy than sweet. It's just the thing if you're hankering for a saucy wing without the heat, though we think the flavor is best when you only have a couple of pieces.
5. Spicy Korean Q (Sauced)
Heat Level: 🔥🔥🔥
Spicy Korean Q is probably the most complex flavor on the regular Wingstop menu, and though it won't be everyone's cup of tea, we happen to love it. While we think the mango habanero flavor messes up the balance between sweet and spicy, this one gets it just right, with some savory garlic and ginger flavors for even more savory kick, and heat that builds satisfyingly in the back of your throat.
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4. Lemon Pepper (Dry)
Heat Level: 😎
From here on out, you'll be seeing mostly dry rubs, which really speaks to the strength of Wingstop's dry flavors. This one is packed with fresh lemony zest, with just a hint of black pepper to make it a teensy bit spicy. It's a bold flavor, but in all the right ways. We can see why it's one of the restaurant's most popular menu items—though it can start getting pretty salty, pretty fast.
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3. Garlic Parmesan (Dry)
Heat Level: 😎
At first, we were a little hesitant about trying a garlic parmesan-rubbed chicken wing, but we were totally wrong to question this flavor. These wings are covered in garlic and salty, flaky cheese, turning it into the wing equivalent of garlic bread. Just make sure you have some breath mints nearby, because it is packed with garlic.
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2. Louisiana Rub (Dry)
Heat Level: 🔥🔥🔥
This might be an unpopular opinion, but Wingstop's Louisiana rub flavor has to be near the top. These wings taste like the most flavorful fried chicken you've ever had, coated in a buttermilk-y garlic flavor and Cajun seasoning that'll leave you licking your fingers. They have just a little spice, without being too hot, and the taste will make you keep coming back for more.
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1. Hickory Smoked BBQ (Sauced)
Heat Level: 🔥🔥
We tend to be a little biased toward barbecue sauces in our flavor rankings, but that's because they're so easy to make delicious, and Wingstop gets their BBQ just right. It's an extra smoky, tangy barbecue sauce that's perfectly rounded out with just the right amount of heat—and it happens to be our favorite of any of Wingstop's wing flavors.
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Love Chipotle almost as much as you like Wingstop? Click HERE for our ranking of everything you can put in your Chipotle order.