FOOD HOLIDAY: National Chicken Wings Day & Recipes
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Updated June 2026 July 29th is National Chicken Wing Day. Wings have become a favorite American snack since their unintentional creation in 1964. We have a number of chicken wing recipes below. Below: > The history of Buffalo wings. > Buffalo wings recipe: baked, not fried. Elsewhere on The Nibble: > The year’s 40 chicken holidays. > The different types of chicken and chicken cuts: a photo glossary. > The history of chicken nuggets. Mankind has been eating chicken wings since the first wild chicken was caught. Chickens were domesticated from the Red Junglefowl (Gallus gallus), possibly crossed with the Grey Junglefowl. Both are members of the pheasant family. Wild chickens were domesticated in Asia, possibly as far back as 7000 B.C.E. Certainly, the Chinese had domesticated them by about 5000 B.C.E., as had East Asia neighbors such as Thailand and Vietnam. India, home to such delicious chicken dishes, didn’t domesticate the fowl until about 3000 B.C.E. Back in the day before man settled down to farming and animal husbandry, some 13,000 to 10,000 years ago, our hunter-gatherer ancestors ate what they caught. The modern domesticated chicken is the subspecies Gallus gallus domesticus. So thanks to everyone who helped to domesticate the chicken. Where would we be without it? > Here’s more chicken history. Buffalo wings, America’s favorite wing recipe, were invented in 1964 at the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York. Today’s a good day to enjoy a plate. Co-owner Teressa Bellissimo, who had emigrated from Sicily, fried the wings—a typical preparation for chicken wings of that era. But wings were about to be elevated, and Ms. Bellissimo to carve her name in culinary history. Teressa covered the fried wings in her homemade buttery hot sauce and served them with a side of blue cheese and celery. Why those two ingredients? Because that’s what she had on hand. Many popular dishes, including the Caesar salad and the Cobb salad, were invented because “that’s what was in the fridge.” So the next time you’re faced with putting a dish on the table with a diverse group of ingredients but no recipe: Create it and give it a name. |
 [1] Classic Buffalo Wings. The recipe is below (photo: The Nibble).
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 [4] These Buffalo wings are the healthier version, baked or air-fried instead of deep fried (photo © Taste Of Home). 3. RECIPE: BUFFALO WINGS, BAKED NOT FRIED Traditionally, Buffalo wings are deep-fried “naked” (without any flour or breading), then tossed in a spicy, melted butter sauce. Baked or air-fried is the healthier, at-home alternative. Tossing the wings in baking powder and salt prior to baking, as in this recipe, dries out the skin and mimics the crispiness of deep frying. > Another option: Buffalo chicken nuggets. Ingredients For The Wings Here’s a video showing the following steps. 1. PREHEAT the oven to 425°. Line a 15 x 10 x 1-inch baking pan with foil or parchment. Pour the butter and oil over the foil and brush to coat evenly. 2. CUT through the 2 wing joints using a sharp knife; discard the wing tips. 4. COMBINE in a large bowl the baking powder, salt and garlic powder. Add wing pieces, a few at a time, and toss to coat. Shake off the excess coating and place the wings on the baking sheet. Brush the wings with half the sauce. 5. BAKE until browned, 20-25 minutes. Brush the wings with the other half of the sauce. Bake until browned and juices run clear, 8-10 minutes longer, to an internal temperature of 165°F. To test their doneness, insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the wing (avoid hitting the bone). Air Fryer Instructions BAKE at 300°F in the air fryer for 15 minutes, then at 400°F for an additional 20 to 25 minutes. Work in small batches, taking care not to overcrowd the air fryer’s basket. Here are more tips for air-fryer chicken wings.
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