Wingstop is one of the most popular fast-casual chicken wing chains. It is also a go-to place when craving spicy chicken wings. With an exciting blend of different heat-searing peppers, every spicy food lover will have a satisfying experience in every bite.
Regarding spicy chicken wings, Wingstop’s atomic wings are widely known for their mind-blowingly high thermal heat level. If you have not yet visited this restaurant chain, you may wonder, how hot are Wingstop wings?
The Atomic wings are considered the hottest of the hot available at Wingstop. These Atomic-flavored wings are made with Habanero peppers, scoring 200,000-350,000 Scoville Heat Units (SHU). Since these peppers measure 2,500-8,000 SHU, those chicken wings are painfully hot.
Are Wingstop’s Atomic Wings Spicy?
I have been enjoying chicken wings at Wingstop for so long. It means I have already tried different flavors and even compared them.
The restaurant’s tenders come sauced and tossed with different sauces or dry rubs. Here are the 11 permanent flavors I have tried, and I will tell you what they taste like.
Ranked from mildest to spiciest:
- Korean Soy
- Teriyaki
- Honey Garlic
- Garlic Parmesan
- Lemon Pepper
- Hickory Smoked BBQ
- Honey BBQ
- Mild Buffalo
- Lousiana Rub
- Hot Buffalo
- Cajun
- Mango Habanero
- Spicy Soy
- Atomic
Original Hot
This sauce is what made Wingstop famous. It offers a classic blend of tang and heat, giving chicken wings a flavorful kick.
Mild
Mil offers the flavors of Original Hot without the signature burn. Although the spiciness is not wild, you will still experience the classic buffalo spirit.
Mango Habanero
While Mango Habanero sauce sounds harmless on the tongue, do not be fooled. The wings bring sweetness with a full-throttle habanero kick.
Louisiana Rub
This crispy dry rub has a garlicky flavor with a Cajun kick. Believe me; it’s addictive!
Cajun
Cajun flavor combines the Original Hot flavor’s warmth and Louisiana flavor’s bold, zesty flavor.
Spicy Korean Q
Are you a Korean food lover? Then, this flavor is for you. It offers a perfect balance of spiciness and sweetness. It combines crushed peppers, sriracha sauce, ginger, and garlic to assemble a fiery sweet chicken wing experience.
Hickory Smoked BBQ
This barbecue sauce is about richness, sweetness, smokiness, and boldness. It has all the flavors that can remind you of summer nights.
Lemon Pepper
This dry rub is made with zesty lemon and hearty pepper. It will give you a tropical kick.
Garlic Parmesan
This dry rub offers a buttery, cheesy and savory garlic flavor that can excite your taste buds.
Hawaiian
Although the Hawaiian flavor is the sweetest one, it remains deliciously tangy. This fruit offers a fruity blend of different tropical fruits, highlighting the richness of Asian flavors.
Atomic
This Wingstop sauce is a perfect epitome of “sweet and tears.” It is the hottest and boldest sauce have ever tried in this restaurant.
Let’s talk more about the Atomic wings. The sauce contains different flavorful ingredients, such as habanero peppers, chipotle peppers, jalapeno peppers, bell peppers, allspice, garlic, onions, tomatoes, sugar, and salt.
I can describe the Atomic wings as a familiar and classic hot sauce with tanginess and sweetness due to sugar and vinegar. It also has a strong pepper flavor.
How Hot are Wingstop Habanero Wings?
If you have a low spice tolerance, you will feel your mouth burning. It is very hot and not meant for the faint of heart.
The wings’ Atomic sauce includes the hottest sauce at Wingstop – hot habanero peppers. These peppers score 200,000-350,000 SHU. Can you handle this heat?
SHU is used to measure the peppers’ spiciness. If a pepper has a higher SHU, expect more hotness in your mouth.
This fiery flavor can make your sweat and cry, combining fire and passion. It blends Wingstop’s original recipe and pungent, house specialties. The heat can wake up all your senses, be sure to have a glass of water or milk if you cannot handle it.
I find Atomic sauce unique; no other restaurants offer this kind of sauce. I discovered that the sauce has a 15-hour fire-roasted marinade, giving the sauce a significant amount of flavor and spiciness.
Wingstop’s secret
Should You Try the Atomic Wings?
I definitely recommend Atomic wings at Wingstop for many spicy food lovers. The wings come with a sweet and spicy flavor with tanginess. You will experience an insane amount of spiciness and heat in every bite.
Habaneros are easy to identify but not too overwhelming. They do not overpower the other ingredients. They complement each other, giving you depths of flavors.
As a restaurant specializing in chicken wings, Wingstop created a sauce that I find interesting and unique. They are too distinctive that I cannot find them in other restaurants.
The first time Atomic Wings landed on my tongue, the sweet and spicy taste came first, followed by aromatic habanero notes.
How to Make Your Version of Wingstop’s Atomic Sauce at Home?
Not most of the time, you can visit Wingstop and enjoy Atomic Wings. So, you can try making the sauce at home and feel the fire in your mouth.
While you cannot make the exact recipe, at least you can make a version that is very close to the original. I will share how I make a homemade version of Wingstop Atomic wing sauce.
Ingredients you will need:
- 116 ounces can of fresh crushed tomatoes
- 2 cups of roasted bell peppers
- 1 large chopped white onion
- ½ pound of roasted habanero pepper
- ½ pound of roasted jalapeno pepper
- 1 crushed chipotle pepper
- 1 whole peeled and roasted bulb garlic
- 1 teaspoon of allspice powder
- 3 cups of vinegar
- 2/3 cup of sugar
- 2 teaspoons of salt
Instructions:
- Get a food processor, put all the ingredients in there, and blend well.
- Pour the mixture into a saucepan.
- Cook the mixture on medium-high heat for at least 30 minutes while stirring.
- Ensure not to burn the sauce and remove the saucepan from the heat.
- Allow the sauce to cool.
- Put the sauce in an airtight container.
- Store the sauce properly, and enjoy!
Pro Tips to Enjoy Atomic Wings
When eating Atomic chicken wings, start with a small bite and be patient. If you want to enjoy the flavor and spiciness of the wings completely, do not drink anything. However, opt for soy milk or full-fat milk if you really need to drink or cannot handle the scorching heat.
Although you can drink water, milk is a better option as it helps with the spiciness. The milk proteins are better for cooling down the mouth since they can bind to capsaicin.
Having breathing control helps with the heat. Breathing is known for sending cooler air over the capsaicin receptors. After taking a deep breath, be sure to exhale slowly. Do not forget to make guttural sounds.
Conclusion
Wingstop is undoubtedly one of the best destinations for mouthwatering, slow-cooked chicken wings. With the unique and interesting sauces, you can taste chicken wings that are “atomic-ly” delicious. You will experience a generous amount of heat and spiciness in every piece without overpowering other flavors.
