Already having made its mark in the chicken sandwich category, it looks like Popeyes is ready to start a new journey with chicken wings. The brand has announced that it will be adding wings to the permanent menu in five different flavors going forward—the first time wings have ever been permanently available.
Wings in various flavors have come and gone from Popeyes before, but three of the five flavors joining the permanent menu are completely new. The brand first debuted Ghost Pepper wings in 2014 and has since brought them back multiple times to roundly positive reviews.
“Ghost Pepper Wings were an overnight success, followed by the addition of Sweet ‘N Spicy wings, our best performing product since the infamous Chicken Sandwich,” said Sami Siddiqui, President of Popeyes North America, in the announcement.
Popeyes’ new wing flavors
The new Popeyes chicken wings are hand battered, breaded, and marinated in signature Popeyes spices to add extra flavor and juiciness, per the announcement. The flavors include the previously available Ghost Pepper and Sweet ‘N Spicy wings, as well as three new flavors: Honey BBQ, Roasted Garlic Parmesan, and Signature Hot.
“Ghost Pepper has become a heavy hitter in our arsenal of products, and in marrying that with our Wings we knew we had something special,”said Amy Alarcon, head chef and vice president of culinary innovation at Popeyes. “And with our Sweet ‘N Spicy Wings recently becoming the highest performing product since the Chicken Sandwich, we are beyond excited to unveil this full lineup.”
The Honey BBQ wings feature a sauce with tangy tamarind, sweet honey, and smoky molasses flavors, while the Roasted Garlic Parmesan wings contain caramelized garlic and parmesan and asiago cheeses. As for the Signature Hot wings, Popeyes describes this flavor as its Cajun hot wing, tossed in a Cajun sauce with a “touch of southern sweetness.”
Beginning November 22, customers can try any of the five flavors starting at $5.99 for a 6-piece order. Standing firmly on its track record of popular poultry, Popeyes has no shortage of confidence in its new flavors. To promote the wings, the brand is launching “DISScount” codes, which take direct jabs at competitors like Wingstop and Buffalo Wild Wings. These codes include STOPWINGS, NOTTHATWILD, OPENSUNDAY, and ONLY1WINGSFLVR (did you catch all the references here?), and can be used on the Popyes app or website. The codes can be redeemed on November 27 for a free 6-piece order of wings with a $10 minimum purchase.
“This is something my team has been working on for three years, and we took our time to get it right,” said Alarcon.