Bottom Line: The Atomic Wings from Wingstop may not be the hottest wings out there, but they do pack a punch and they are quite tasty. And the All-In Bundle is a heck of a deal.
Chicken wings are on pretty much every casual dining menu these days, and they are part of several fast food lineups as well. And really, it’s not too hard to mess them up, especially the boneless ones. Take some fried pieces of chicken, dump some Buffalo sauce on them (you can get a decent sauce for a few bucks in any grocery store), and you’ve got some serviceable wings. But there are the places that take wings to the next level–usually those that focus on the chicken parts–and Wingstop is definitely one of those destinations.
Wingstop got its start in the mid-90s in Garland, Texas (a suburb of Dallas) and began expanding into a national chain shortly after that. While they do have dine-in, it is more of a fast food joint because you order at the counter and they put a heavy emphasis on takeout. But that doesn’t affect the quality of the food at all as they put out some of the best wings out there and their Atomic Wings certainly pack a punch.
I recently ordered their All-In Bundle (more on that below) which included eight of the boneless Atomic Wings. They certainly have a foreboding look with the dark-red sauce covering the craggly, breaded pieces of chicken. When you bite into them, they have the tang and sharpness you expect from Buffalo sauce, but amped up to the next level. That is followed by a strong peppery taste, as in black pepper, with just a bit of smokiness as well. They are well breaded and hold a crunch, even when you do takeout and bring them home. And the whole-meat chicken inside is plenty juicy and flavorful. Plus, they go oh so well with the Blue Cheese sauce that Wingstop has perfected.
I often see these mentioned as some of the hottest wings out there, and they do bring the heat. But while the average mortal should approach with caution, chiliheads should have no trouble with them. I would place them at the Fiery heat level, which is definitely good for a national chain, and these bring plenty of flavor to the table as well. But I rank them below the Blazin’ Wings from Buffalo Wild Wings which I count as the gold standard among the major franchises (more on those here). That’s not a knock against them, though, and I am certainly happy to order the Atomic WIngs on a regular basis.
And actually I do tend to hit Wingstop more often than BWW in part because it is closer and also because it has one of the best deals out there. Their All-In Bundle has jumped up a few bucks recently, but it is still a heck of a value. You get sixteen boneless wings, six tenders, one side, and three sauces for $22.99. I typically go half-an-half on the wings with the atomic and Cajun spice sauces, and for the tenders I do the Louisiana rub. The latter is not too hot, but taste-wise it is one of my favorites. You have to go with their awesome fries for your side (though the Louisiana VooDoo Fries are a good alternate), but then add on a ten-piece order of the lucious Cajun Fried Corn for only five bucks. All of that will certainly fill up three to four people (or two really hungry ones) for right around $30. They also do some pretty good Buffalo thighs as well, more on that here.
Funny story about Wingstop: About ten years ago, my co-workers from my day job all came to San Antonio for a team meeting (the team is spread across the country). After work, we went to a local pool hall for drinks and my boss ran next door to get us some wings to munch on. He got several flavors including a twelve-piece of Atomic Wings. He took one bite, and he was out. Another co-worker ate one wing and he was done. Another would not get within twelve feet of them. So I polished off the other ten. Good wings!
Wingstop’s Atomic Wings are certainly formidable and they deliver the heat along with good taste. And as long as you can make a deal of it with that All-In Bundle, I recommend getting these on your regular rotation for takeout.
Tale of the Tape:
Serving Size: 3 Wings
Calories: 270
Fat: 15g (4.5g Sat/0 Trans)
Protein: 30g
Carbs: 3g
Sodium: 660mg