International Chicken Wing Day Date in the current year: July 1, 2024

Chicken is the most widely consumed type of poultry in the world. The breast and legs are the meatiest parts of a chicken, but chicken wings are also commonly eaten. A chicken wing can be split into three segments: the “drumette” (the meatiest part shaped like a small drumstick), the “flat” or “wingette” (the middle segment with two bones), and the tip. The drumette and the wingette are typically cooked, while the tip is often discarded.

Chicken wings have a higher skin to meat ratio than any other cut of chicken, which is why they are usually marinated or breaded and then fried, deep fried, broiled, grilled, or roasted to make the skin crispy. Perfect chicken wings are crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. Chicken wings are usually served as a snack or appetizer with a dipping sauce.

There are dozens of chicken wing dishes, but Buffalo wings are arguably the most popular one. There are several different claims about the invention of Buffalo wings, but it is generally agreed that the dish originated in Buffalo, New York sometime in the 1960s. Buffalo wings are made with unbreaded chicken wings (both flats and drumettes can be used) that are deep-fried and then dipped or coated in a cayenne pepper-based hot sauce and melted butter. They are usually served hot, accompanied by a blue cheese dipping sauce or ranch dressing and celery sticks or baby carrots to provide a palate cleanser.

Buffalo wings may be the first dish that comes to mind when you hear the words “chicken wings”, but there are many other delicious chicken wing dishes that deserve your attention. For example, if you love Philippine cuisine, you should try making adobo chicken wings: marinate the wings in a mixture of soy sauce, vinegar, bay leaves, garlic and black pepper for several hours, then fry them in a skillet or roast in the oven. Chinese-style chicken wings are marinated in a mixture of soy sauce, brown sugar and garlic powder, and Indonesian-style chicken wings are marinated in tamarind paste and a mixture of spices, and cooked in coconut water before frying.

International Chicken Wing Day was created to celebrate all the different chicken wing varieties. The origins of this amazing holiday are unclear, but you shouldn’t let it stop you from celebrating. You can go out to your favorite place that serves chicken wings and indulge to your heart’s content, cook chicken wings at home (don’t be afraid to get adventurous with different marinades, seasonings and sauces to create the perfect flavor!), challenge your friends to a wing-eating contest, and post about the holiday on social media with the hashtags #InternationalChickenWingDay and #ChickenWingDay.

International Chicken Wing Day should not be confused with National Chicken Wing Day. The latter is celebrated annually on July 29; it was first proclaimed by Buffalo mayor Stan Makowski in 1977 to promote the city’s signature dish.