Top Wingstop Flavors With The Perfect Dipping Sauce
Picture this: you're sitting at your favorite Wingstop, eagerly waiting for your order of mouthwatering, crispy wings to arrive. The mouthwatering aroma fills the air, and your taste buds start to tingle with anticipation. But just as you're about to dive into the saucy goodness, a familiar dilemma creeps into your mind: which dipping sauce should you choose?
We've all been there, caught in the whirlwind of flavors that Wingstop has to offer. With options like tangy barbecue, fiery buffalo, zesty garlic parmesan, lemon pepper wings and many more, picking the perfect sauce can feel like an Olympic-level decision-making challenge. After all, the right sauce can take your wings from ordinary to extraordinary, enhancing the flavors.
But, don’t worry, chicken wings lovers! We’re here to help you navigate the maze of sauces and find the heavenly matches that will delight your taste buds. In this blog, we’ll explore the science of pairing your favorite Wingstop flavors with the best dips. Prepare to learn the secrets of the ultimate wing-sauce balance, because, with our help, you’ll never have to endure a dull dipping experience again!
Why Should You Choose Wingstop?
Founded in Garland, Texas, by Antonio Swad in 1994, Wingstop has become a household name for wing lovers across the globe, with its irresistible menu and commitment to delivering quality and flavor in every bite. From the moment you step foot into a Wingstop restaurant, with its vintage 1940s pre-jet aviation theme, you know you're in for an experience.
Wingstop specializes in chicken wings, fries, and sides. They offer a variety of flavors for their wings, ranging from mild to spicy, sweet to savory, and classic to exotic. But what makes Wingstop even more delicious is their selection of dips, which can enhance the taste and texture of their wings. The beginnings of Wingstop are almost as fun as their vibrant flavors, with Swad giving out samples of homemade wings with different flavor combinations. He began to note that his customers were requesting the wings even more than items from the actual restaurant. By 2002, Wingstop had already made a grand sale of over 1 billion wings.
Did you know?
- Wingstop has over 1,500 restaurants in 10 countries and has plans to open more.
- They have been ranked as the #1 chicken wing brand in America by Nation’s Restaurant News in 2020.
- Wingstop has been awarded as the best franchise to buy by Forbes in 2019.
Chicken wings are one of the most versatile cuisines in the American snack game. Confused about where to buy your wings? Check out our review of Buffalo Wild Wings and Wingstop for our perspective.
Pairing Your Favorite Wingstop Flavor with the Perfect Dipping Sauce
We all know that the perfect wing is nothing without the perfect dipping sauce. That's why we're here to guide you on a saucy journey, where your favorite Wingstop flavors meet their ideal sauce soulmates. It's time to elevate your wing game and find your flavor-sauce harmony like a true wing connoisseur!
The brand has two different types of chicken wings, their dry rub varieties that come coated in a zingy, flavorful spice mix and a self-dip wet sauce combo where you can mix and match your favorite flavors for a perfect meal. Let’s quickly go over the options, shall we?
Best Wingstop Flavors: Wet Sauce Edition
If you are confident in your culinary gifts, Wingstop is the perfect food stop to give it all a go. The wet sauce chick wings at Wingstop allows you to mix and match their sauces to your liking. Allow us to introduce you to their sauces:
1. Texas Buffalo
Nothing screams American cuisine than buffalo-style chicken wings. Call upon Wingstop and it does not fail to deliver. The sauce is a zingy combination of vinegar for the sauce base along with two different types of chili peppers including cayenne. While this is a common flavor across the country, Wingstop does have its variations of it, and this is a classic that needs to be on every must-try list. After all, one must learn the rules before breaking them, right?
2. Teriyaki
As Wingstop suggests, Teriyaki is ‘low on heat, but not on flavor’. Teriyaki is another classic flavor; most home cooks replicate it at home with ease. If it still needs to be on the menu of this lovely, greasy establishment, we need to ask a fundamental question – Why? The sauce has familiar notes of sweetness from Mirin, a Japanese variant of rice wine, and brown sugar as well as salt from soy sauce. On top of chicken wings, the sauce remains true to its name, which loosely translates to ‘glossy broil’.
3. Mango Habanero
As the name suggests, this is one of their more exotic flavors. If you love the sweetness of mangoes, then this sauce will impress you with its spicy and tangy flavor. When we speak of food, we also speak of a combination of an olfactory and gustatory experience. With this dipping sauce, you are sure to notice a hint of sweetness from mangoes. Sure, this sauce is not perfect for everyone’s books, but the flavor variety is as unique as it gets!
4. Hickory Smoked BBQ
If there is one sauce that has garnered global love and continues to do so, it is the classic barbeque sauce. However, it's Wingstop, so they added a twist to it: barbeque sauce with a little more kick. This is the perfect sauce if you are in the mood for a little bit of that Texan-favorite barbeque, with some rich, smoky flavor and the right amount of sweetness. Additionally, the Hickory Smoked Barbeque sauce has the best consistency for the fried wings, not too much liquid and it sticks right on.
5. Inferno
We haven’t forgotten about our spice-loving audience! Neither has Wingstop, with their Inferno sauce variety. Referred to as the Atomic sauce in some branches, this one is sure to be a cathartic experience. We’ll be frank from the very beginning; Inferno is not for the faint of heart. There will be tears involved, a little bit of emotion, and a lot of bravery, boldness, and fun. As they claim, "It’s the hottest we’ve got. Find out for yourself.
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6. Kecap Manis
Kecap Manis is another fan favorite. Based on a popular Indonesian dish, this sauce is a combination of sweet soy sauce and chili flakes. It adds the right amount of umami touch to your wings. Unlike the other flavors on Wingstop’s list, this one is for culinary explorers who are willing to experiment a little with your tastes. Unless you are familiar with Indonesian cuisine and the spice it offers, Kecap Manis is a delight you need to look out for.
7. Mild
Now for our spice haters at the back, we hear you! We get your interest in flavor but not in tongue-numbing spices, there is nothing wrong with enjoying a nice tangy, zesty, sweet number with your wings. Want a clearer picture of the sauce? Think of the hottest hot sauce, now remove the chilies and think of all the flavors that are hidden behind it. That’s what the ‘Mild’ has to offer.
8. Original Hot
Here is the thing, sometimes fancy flavors are off-putting. If you simply want a bite or two of the OG taste, Wingstop’s signature wings, the Original Hot is for you. Made primarily with crushed red chilies and tomatoes, this was the first sauce to be served at Wingstop. If it's still in the market, decades later, there must be something about it, yeah?
9. Hawaiian
Hawaiian pizza, we are sure you have heard of them. But Hawaiian wings? Do give it a chance! Made with the bursting flavors of the seasonal citrus fruits, this sweet and spicy sauce is the perfect blend of balance. This sauce is made for people like us, who boast of being able to handle spicy food, but quickly run in the other direction, when the eyes start watering after a single bite.
10. Spicy Korean Q
Korean cuisine is taking the world by storm and the dish leading this new culinary wave is Korean barbeque. The Spicy Korean Q sauce is Wingstop’s entrant into this battle of cuisines. It's carefully crafted with the zing of several aromatic spices such as garlic, ginger, and siracha which form the base of all Korean cooking. For a more palatable adjustment for the American audience, they have added some familiar peppers and brown sugar, making it both sweet and spicy at the same time.
Best Wingstop Flavors: Dry Rub Edition
Dry Rub chicken wings are the second type of wings offered by Wingstop. Here, you can have a little bit of mixing and matching of flavors as the wings already come with a base flavor.
1. Lemon Pepper
As the name suggests, Lemon Pepper dry rub contains two key ingredients: lemon and pepper. It is zesty and zingy with the perfect balance of tart, sweet and spicy.
Which sauce(s) does it pair well with?
- One of the best flavor combinations here includes the Mango Habanero or the Teriyaki sauce for a depth of flavor you have probably never experienced.
2. Garlic Parmesan
Big fan of garlic bread? Well, this is Wingstop’s answer to that popular, untouchable bread variety. It is garlicky, buttery and cheesy. The combination is simple but delicious, making it one of the most popular flavors at Wingstop.
Which sauce(s) does it pair well with?
- Wingstop has a house-style cheese sauce with jalapeno peppers, which is the most sough-out combination with this flavor of chicken wings.
- If you are looking for a little bit of a culinary adventure, pair your garlic parmesan wings with the Inferno or the Kecap Manis sauces.
3. Louisiana Dry Rub
Tossed in a spice mix made with Cajun and other aromatics, this flavor pays tribute to the Louisiana-style fried chicken, one of the most notable cuisines in the US. It is a very simple, straightforward recipe that leaves you wanting for more.
Which sauce(s) does it pair well with?
- The Louisiana Dry Rub wings pair best with Wingstop’s special ranch as the flavors balance each other out effortlessly.
4. Brazilian Citrus Pepper
Another one of Wingstop’s adaptations from the world, the Brazilian Citrus Pepper flavored wings combine the sharp zing of lemons with the bold, spicy kick of piri piri peppers.
Which sauce(s) does it pair well with?
- One of the most common sauce combinations with this chicken wing is the cheese sauce for a balance of flavor and a thick, saucy consistency.
- Additionally, another classic combination with the Brazilian Citrus Pepper rub is the Mild, house-style sauce to cut out the strong spicy kick.
2024: What New Flavors Does Wingstop Have to Offer?
As usual, Wingstop has not disappointed with their limited-edition flavors and sauces to their currently ambitious menu. Let’s take a quick look at them, shall we?
- Pure Mayhem: This flavor offers the chain’s signature sweet and savory fry seasoning on your favorite wings. It is a dry rub that adds a crispy and crunchy texture to the wings. It has a mild heat level and a balanced flavor profile.
- Crunch Time: This flavor comes with savory garlic, tossed with bold Cajun seasoning, and a buttery parmesan finish. It is a dry rub that adds a flaky and crumbly texture to the wings. It has a high heat level and a rich flavor profile.
- Meltdown: The Meltdown is a fresh take on Wingstop’s Garlic Parmesan dry rub recipe. Tossed with the spicy Cajun seasoning and buttery garlic confit, this flavor is sure to leave you at the end of your seat, desperately craving more.
To Conclude
We hope you enjoyed this blog and learned something new about Wingstop and its amazing flavors and dips. But before we wrap up this flavor extravaganza, let's embrace the beautiful truth: there's no one-size-fits-all perfect combination. It all boils down to your unique taste buds and spice tolerance.
Remember, fellow wing warriors, this is your culinary playground. Don't be afraid to mix and match, get experimental, and create your flavor symphony. Maybe you're a daring daredevil, dousing your atomic wings with extra-spicy sauce, or perhaps you prefer a sweet and savory rendezvous between honey mustard and hickory-smoked BBQ. Or probably some coupons from Wingstop to explore the endless possibilities.
So go forth, my saucy companions, and savor each bite, knowing that your flavor journey is an ever-evolving, palate-pleasing adventure.
