Chicken Wing Trend: From Scraps to Star Dish

Before the chicken wing trend took off, this humble cut was largely seen as a bony, overlooked afterthought. Compared to the plump breasts or hearty thighs, wings were viewed as scraps – useful mainly for flavouring broths or bulking up stock pots. Over the past few decades, chefs have transformed these once-overlooked cuts. As a result, they now dominate casual dining menus.

A Cut Once Cast Aside

People traditionally considered chicken wings undesirable because of their small size and low meat-to-bone ratio. Butchers would often include them with whole birds, or sell them cheaply in bulk. Home cooks might have roasted them alongside other pieces or simmered them down for soup bases, but they rarely held a starring role in British kitchens. In the commercial food world, they were largely ignored.

This perception began to shift thanks to culinary creativity across the Atlantic. The UK has experienced its own food revolutions. However, chicken wings first found the spotlight in the US through a regional recipe.

The Birth of the Buffalo Wing: Chicken Wing Trend

People often trace the story of the chicken wing’s transformation to a small bar in Buffalo, New York, during the 1960s. According to the most popular version, Teressa Bellissimo, co-owner of the Anchor Bar, received a request to rustle up a late-night snack for her son and his friends. She reportedly grabbed the cheapest cut available – chicken wings. Then, she deep-fried them and tossed them in a homemade spicy sauce. The combination of celery sticks and a cooling blue cheese dip made them an instant hit.

Not everyone agrees on the origins. Some claim that local cook John Young was already serving wings in a tangy tomato-based sauce long before the Anchor Bar gained notoriety. Regardless of who first paired heat with wings, it was the spicy Buffalo-style variety that took off – first in New York state, then nationwide.

From Bar Snacks to Game-Day Icons

In the years that followed, American bars and diners began to embrace the wing. The format suited the pub environment perfectly: small, shareable, and often fiery, wings encouraged patrons to order another pint while bonding over sports. By the 1980s, they had become a fixture in bars across the United States.

A curious economic twist also helped their rise. As health-conscious consumers began favouring low-fat meats like skinless chicken breasts, supermarkets and producers were left with surplus wings. With the supply high and the price low, enterprising pub owners saw an opportunity. Wings became a budget-friendly snack that packed a punch in both flavour and profitability.

The early 1990s further propelled the trend, thanks to the Buffalo Bills American football team playing in four consecutive Super Bowl finals. Media coverage of Buffalo – and its now-famous wings – spread further, cementing their place in the cultural lexicon of American sport and cuisine.

Wings Take Flight in the UK: Chicken Wing Trend

It took some time, but the trend eventually landed in Britain. As US food culture increasingly seeped into the UK through television, movies, and global chains, British palates started warming to the appeal of American-style bar food. Fried chicken shops had already become staples in cities like London, Manchester, and Birmingham. However, dedicated chicken wings gained traction in the 2000s.

Fast forward to today, and chicken wings have carved out a firm niche in the UK’s culinary landscape. From independent smokehouses and American-style diners to high-street favourites and late-night takeaways, wings have gone from a novelty to a mainstay. London alone boasts a variety of venues dedicated entirely to the wing, offering dozens of flavour combinations and cooking styles.

Versatility Beyond Buffalo

While the classic Buffalo sauce remains popular – often with a British twist using local vinegars or alternative hot sauces – the modern chicken wing knows no limits. Wings are now grilled, smoked, baked, or triple-fried. Chefs toss them in everything from Korean gochujang and sticky soy to Caribbean jerk rubs and garlic parmesan.

What makes wings especially popular is their adaptability. Whether dry-rubbed or swimming in glaze, spicy or sweet, they lend themselves well to experimentation. In multicultural Britain, this versatility allows for fusion styles that reflect the nation’s diverse culinary influences. It’s not unusual to find peri-peri wings alongside tikka-spiced versions or sticky tamarind-coated creations on the same menu.

The Appeal of the Experience

There’s more to the wing’s success than just flavour. Eating wings is, by nature, an interactive and often communal experience. There’s a casual messiness to it – sticky fingers, shared plates, and dipping sauces – that invites sociability and fun. It fits perfectly with the rising trend of relaxed, informal dining that emphasises bold tastes and shared enjoyment over formality.

Moreover, wings offer great value. For pubs and restaurants, they’re relatively cheap to prepare yet easy to dress up with signature sauces and sides. For diners, they offer a punch of flavour without the price tag of a full main course, making them an easy choice whether ordered as a starter, bar snack, or even part of a tasting platter.

A Modern Mainstay: Chicken Wing Trend

Today, chicken wings are no longer just a gimmick or a leftover; they’ve become a standard bearer of casual comfort food. While they may have started as a way to use up unwanted cuts, wings now feature prominently in food festivals, street markets, and even gourmet menus.

In the UK, they’ve evolved to suit local preferences and are celebrated for their ability to bridge cultures through taste. Chicken wings pair perfectly with a craft lager in a trendy London pub. Alternatively, grab them from a high-street takeaway.