Chicken wings don’t require a football game to earn their spot on the menu. They’re shareable and customizable, and with the right pairings, can become an experience all on their own.

Earn Your Wings

This holiday season, take a cue from tasting flights and heat challenges to turn a menu favorite into an interactive experience made for groups, happy hours, and holiday get-togethers.

THE WING: Start with a dependable, crispy canvas. Pilgrim's^® Foodservice Wing Dings^®, Boneless Dings^®, and Traditional Breaded Tenders offer plenty of ways to get creative, from classic bone-in bites and poppable boneless favorites to handheld menu creations. Serve them by the basket or go beyond with dishes like Boneless Dings Bahn Mi, Boneless Dings Poutine, or my personal favorite, Chunky Chicken Mac and Cheese. Plus, fully cooked convenience helps reduce prep time and labor demands, leaving more room for flavor innovation and pairings.

THE HEAT: Put your signature spin on the sauce. Experiment with hot sauces, chile pastes, BBQ sauces, honey, and unique seasonings to build a lineup of house-curated flavors. Consult the Scoville scale to help guide your heat levels. We want the heat to build on the flavor, not overpower it.

THE COOL DOWN: Ranch and blue cheese are classics, but cremas, like this Mojito Lime Crema, avocado-based dips, queso, or cooling herb sauces can make the experience feel completely different and new to diners.

THE SIP: Look beyond the tap. Beer, cocktails, mocktails, teas, Contigo^® Aguas Frescas, ginger beer, and sparkling drinks can all become part of the pairing.

Not Everyone Can Take the Heat

Call it a flight, make it a challenge, or design a limited-time holiday heat ladder that takes guests from mild to “Oh, that’s HOT!”

Start approachable with garlic, citrus, or a mild chile sauce. Move into jalapeño, chipotle, or hot honey. Then bring out the habanero and chile de árbol for a fire-breathing finish.

Give each level a name, number the sauces, or let the table guess which one is hottest. Add a flight of beverages alongside it, and suddenly wings aren’t just another order on ticket, they’re the whole shebang. 

A Wing Worth Bonding Over

The secret isn’t just turning up the heat (unless you’re a guest on “Hot Ones”, of course). It’s pairing each flavor with the right sip. Think about the relationship between what’s on the wing and what’s in the glass (or a rider and their dragon… sorry, I can’t stop!).

And you can trust me on this one. I’m a craft beverage enthusiast and a Level 1 Certified Beer Server through the Cicerone^® Certification Program, which is really just a fancy way of saying I take my beer-nerd status seriously. So, let's find the perfect match.

• Classic Buffalo + American Lager or Pilsner: Crisp, refreshing beer cuts through buttery Buffalo sauce and cools the heat.
• Smoky BBQ + Amber or Brown Ale: Malty, caramel notes complement smoky, sweet BBQ flavors.
• Garlic Parmesan + Pilsner or Kölsch: Clean, crisp flavors cut through the richness of butter, garlic, and cheese.
• Hot Honey + IPA: Hoppy bitterness balances sweetness and complements the spicy finish.
• Korean Gochujang + Pale Ale: Moderate hops and citrus notes complement fermented chile, sweetness, and umami.
• Teriyaki + Gose or Fruited Sour: Bright acidity cuts through the sweet, sticky glaze, while tart fruit notes complement the savory umami flavors. (Think a pineapple-forward sour*)

But don't stop at beer. A margarita or citrus-forward mocktail can brighten chile-lime wings, while ginger beer complements Asian-inspired flavors. Sweet tea offers a refreshing contrast to smoky heat, and sparkling citrus water gives guests a palate reset between bites.

The goal? Find a sip that cools, complements, or cuts through the flavors on the plate. Because when the wings bring the heat, and the drinks bring the balance, that's a match worth bonding over.

 

*content provided in collaboration with Pilgrim’s Foodservice