Chicken wings and TV sports are inseparable for many fans. With the biggest football game of the year coming up on Sunday and March Madness close behind, these five wing recipes—including one vegan version—will make a popular addition to the menu.
Instead of the usual Buffalo variation, introduce customers to a wing spiced with achiote. Derived from annatto seeds, the ingredient is essential to Filipino cooking—a cuisine that’s trending in foodservice operations this year. For this chicken wing recipe, the achiote is balanced with citrus and heated up with chile flakes.
Go Buddha started as a plant-based meal delivery company and has since expanded into a brick-and-mortar eatery. Chef-owner Joshua Ingraham created these cauliflower wings as a vegan option to traditional chicken wings—a staple at sports bars and tailgate parties. The cauliflower is baked instead of deep-fried for easier execution and a healthier result.
At Bounce Chicago, chef Sean Olnowich double-coats chicken wings with spicy cheese puff crumbs—once before frying and again before serving. It makes for a creative twist on traditional sports bar fare.
At Spanglish in Durham, N.C., chef Doel Gonzalez takes wings in a different flavor direction, imparting a Latin-Asian twist with a soak in a zesty marinade. Then he glazes the wings with a blend of guava paste, barbecue sauce, honey and Sriracha, and bakes them until the sauce caramelizes.