We Tried That: Popeyes Chicken Wings

Popeyes has a new permanent menu item, chicken wings, and we tried them all to figure out which one is the best and which one we would probably not try again.

Popeyes toyed with chicken wings, particularly a ghost pepper flavor, for a few years before the chain decided in 2023 to bring back the wings for good. And not only that, but four other flavors were included in the decision to make Popeyes chicken wings a permanent part of the restaurant’s menu nationwide.

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So we did what anyone would do and we tried all of the Popeyes chicken wings. Because you can't just try one flavor, as popular as ghost pepper may be, in order to know if the wings have what it takes to wow customers long-term. We tried all five flavors and we narrowed down which flavor stands out among the others. But spoiler alert — you better be able to handle some serious heat, or you can stay out of the Popeyes kitchen.

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We tried Popeyes chicken wings.

Popeyes chicken wings come in five different flavors — ghost pepper, honey bbq, sweet ‘n spicy, signature hot, and roasted garlic parmesan. You might think the last one must be the most tame of all five options at Popeyes, but the truth is, all of the chicken wings have a kick to them. Not that we would expect anything else from a restaurant known for Cajun fries that have spice to them as well. But still, that had to be noted.

On to what the wings actually taste like. For starters, they’re bone-in wings, so this isn’t a meal for you boneless-loving folks out there who disguise chicken nuggets as boneless wings. And the flavors are all unique. The ghost pepper wings are the only ones without sauce, and for these, the heat really sneaks up on you.

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The sweet ‘n spicy wings have lots of sauce, but still a solid crunch that keeps them from being soggy. Plus, the flavor, though plenty spicy, is so rich that it’s hard not to keep taking bites as you wince through the heat. The signature hot wings have less sauce, but plenty of that same heat. However, from the first bite, the flavor is so strong (in a good way) that you almost forget your mouth is on fire.

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The honey bbq is another sleeper agent when it comes to the spice. In most cases, you’d expect honey bbq wings to be just that — sweet with some savory aspects. For the Popeyes honey bbq wings, there is a bit of sweetness with some legitimate heat. And with the roasted garlic parmesan, they've added heat to a pretty well-known wing flavor.

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Overall, the Popeyes chicken wings have a solid crunch to them, which is key for wings in general. And as long as you like spice, you can't go wrong with any of the five flavors. However, the signature hot wings are so flavorful from the first bite that they easily stand out among the rest. The honey bbq, however, should probably stay in its lane without adding so much spice to the mix.

How much are the Popeyes chicken wings?

Right now, you can get a 6-piece order of Popeyes wings for $5.99. If you have the wings as part of a combo, however, you’re looking at around $9.49, depending on the location. And then, of course, you can add dipping sauces like Sweet Heat or Bayou Buffalo Sauce.

And since the wings are here to stay, you have no excuse not to try them in all five flavors.

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