We don’t pretend to be experts, but we like to think we know a good wing from a bad wing. To be as unbiased, objective and transparent as possible, we’ve developed the following scale for how we judge wings. Every category is rated 1-10.
Meat Quality (35%)
Anybody can put sauce on a wing, but can you cook a wing to perfection? Nobody likes biting into a dry, stringy wing. We are looking for perfectly cooked chicken that’s juicy and falls off the bone. This is the most heavily weighed factor of our wing equation because it might be the most challenging part. Without good meat, you’re just eating sauce.
Flavor (20%)
Spice is flavor, but there is so much more to a wing than spice. The balance of sweet, vinegary, and spicy notes needs to be just right. A wing that tastes like a peppercorn and isn’t balanced with any fat or acid is going to get some questioning looks (but we’ll still eat it).
Heat (15%)
While we aren’t afraid of spice, there needs to be balance. We say bring the heat, but make sure you back it up with other notes like sweetness, butter and vinegar.
Skin (15%)
A wing’s skin should retain a certain level of crispiness no matter the amount of sauce it is bathed in. We are looking for a crunch and a texture that compliments the meat and sauce.
Sauce Amount (15%)
The amount of sauce shouldn’t overpower the wing or make them so messy they’re impossible to eat.
Total Score
The average score from all five above categories determines the final overall score for a wing. We then combine our scores to give the wings a final KC Wingmen Score.
KC Wing Men 