Fresh Flavors for A Menu Mainstay

Chicken wings are a mainstay on most pizza menus. Projections are, there will be even more over the next four years. Let us liven your wings with fresh ideas on new flavors.

Datassentials reports that wings are on 44% of all restaurant menus and that 52% of consumers occasionally add wings to their pizza order from a pizza operator. While bone-in wings are projected to have nominal growth over the next four years, boneless wings will boom, growing by 14% on restaurant menus by 2023. So, let’s brush up on trending wing flavors to give you an edge in flavor.

Leading the growth is “smoky” flavored wings, up by more than 112% in just the past four years. Followed by Lemon Pepper and lemon-flavored wings, just ahead of bourbon, parmesan, sesame, and Thai-flavored wings.

Thai (up 33%) and Asian (up 19%) wings can easily be addressed by adding CHA! by Texas Pete® Sriracha Sauce or Texas Pete® Fiery Sweet BBQ Sauce which contains both honey and molasses. Many trending wing flavors can be created by combining a Texas Pete Wing Sauce and one additional ingredient. Growing 50% since 2015, bourbon wings are a great example. Here are a few others that can be used on wings, sandwiches and even as a salad dressing. Simply combine ingredients in a large mixing bowl and whisk until ingredients are blended:

• Kickin’ Spicy Ranch Dressing – (Makes 1 Gallon)
  • Ranch Dressing 3 Quarts & 2 Cups
  • Texas Pete® Hotter Hot Sauce 1 ¼ Cups

• Korean Sriracha Aioli – (Makes 1 Gallon)
  • Mayo 2 ¾ Quarts
  • CHA! by Texas Pete® Sriracha Sauce 1 ½ Cups
  • Texas Pete® Fiery Sweet BBQ Sauce 2 ½ Cups

• Texas Pete® Sweet heat Sriracha Aioli – (Makes 1 Gallon)
  • Mayo 2 Quarts & 3 ½ Cups
  • CHA! by Texas Pete Sriracha Sauce 3 Cups
  • Honey 1 ½ Cups

Look for additional wing flavors to emerge soon on pizza menus, like Harrisa, tamarind, Nashville Hot, Calabrian chili pepper and Carolina BBQ wings are just a few. Also, new preparation methods are trending, including stuffed chicken wings, wood grilled, battered and dry rubbed wings.

The race to build a better wing is wide open to an operator’s imagination. With just one or two ingredients combined with a Texas Pete® sauce you can serve fresh flavors that will increase your average ticket with unique pizza/wing combinations.