When it comes to chicken wings, fresh is always the best. But there are days when we are too jaded to patiently wait till the meat defrosts so we can get to the cooking part. Enter frozen chicken wings.
Flash frozen chicken wings are ready to go in the pan/oven right out of the refrigerator.
They are a quick and convenient meal option for weeknight dinners and impromptu parties. Moreover, the nutritional value of fresh and frozen chicken is exactly the same. So, rest assured, it won’t interfere with any specialized diet you’re on.
And the best part is you can store them in your freezer for days. You can always count on frozen wings to curb your chicken wing cravings at those ungodly hours.
Below I’ve rounded up and reviewed 7 frozen chicken brands that’ll make your weeknight dinners easy.
Let’s get to it then.
Table of Contents
7. Tyson All Natural Chicken Wing Sections
These unseasoned chicken wings apparently have been “flash frozen” to keep the meat tender and succulent. Although they are theoretically ready to be cooked right out of the refrigerator, I suggest you give them a good rinse with lukewarm water and pat them dry to get rid of the ice coating.
From what I’ve observed, the ice coating prevents the wings from absorbing the seasoning well. I’ve air-fried them twice after pre-seasoning with lemon pepper seasoning mix and they turned out yummy both times, not very crispy, though.
One real negative of the product is that there are only 12-13 bone-in small wings in the 2 lb pack. For the price, I was expecting meatier pieces. It’s a convenient snack option for a kid’s party or a weeknight dinner for one. But I won’t recommend it to a large group of people.
6. TGI Fridays Buffalo Style Chicken Wings
Does TGIF make the best chicken wings in the U.S? I don’t think so. But does their buffalo-style frozen chicken make a delicious appetizer in a flash? Hell, yes! The flavor is addictive and the skin crisps up nicely when grilled or air-fried.
I tried baking them too but the wings turned out all soggy. So my advice would be to stick to grilling or air-frying for best results.
However, for the price, I was expecting larger, meatier pieces, though. It’s worth a shot for the crackin’ good flavor. It takes less than 15 min to get ready and tastes pretty good with chilled beer – which is pretty much all I look for in a Super Bowl night snack.
5. Perdue Buffalo Style Glazed Chicken Wings
Like most frozen chicken wings, these too go soggy if you bake them in the oven. The most fail-safe way to prepare them is by air-frying them for 20 min at 400 degrees for that golden brown, juicy on the inside, crispy on the outside texture. The hot sauce it comes with is average at best.
I’d suggest using a different sauce to glaze the wings. The size of the Perdue wings is quite impressive for the price. My last pack had 9 giant wings along with some small wings.
The problem is the bigger pieces take considerably longer to cook. You have to separately cook/bake the small pieces to avoid overcooking the living daylight out of them.
Some of the pieces have too much breading on them which falls off and sticks to the pan, no matter how delicately you handle them.
The flavor really pops, though and it also has a nice kick of spice to it. Enjoy these with blue cheese ranch dip and fries you’re all set for the evening. If you can get past the sizing and breading inconsistency, you will not be disappointed.
4. 365 by Whole Foods Market Drumette & Wing Portions Chicken Wings
These plain frozen, unseasoned, unbreaded wings. So you are free to season them per your taste. I personally prefer unseasoned wings like these over pre-seasoned ones as I get to adjust the spice level to my liking.
These bad boys took 22 minutes in the air fryer to nicely crisp up. You can barbecue them as well to infuse a fantastic smoky flavor. Then toss them in some hot sauce and enjoy a restaurant-style appetizer right at the comfort of your home.
Taste-wise, there isn’t much to complain about. It’s a perfect snack to accompany your fries and beer. The smaller pieces (drumettes) are buttery and juicy. That said, I’ll knock off a point for the quantity.
I certainly wasn’t expecting the bag to be this small. If you’re looking for a great party snack on a budget, this is not it. But if I’m making it just for myself, then sure.
3. Tyson Uncooked Buffalo Style Chicken Wings
Another decent uncooked frozen wing option for a quick snack fix when the chicken wing mood strikes. I actually find these glazed wings much better than the previously listed plain wing variant, both in terms of quality and quantity.
The key to taking these wings to the pinnacle of greatness is to use loads of extra sauce and seasonings. Each bag contains 20 small wings, which is not a bad deal for the price.
It took me around 18 min to fully cook the wings (or 9 min per side). Wash them down with some cold beer or soda and enjoy the game.
2. Perdue Individually Frozen Chicken Wings
Perdue plain frozen wings are a class above the glazed version. So far, I have bought 10 bags of these and the meat quality exceeded my expectations every single time. The bone-in wings are tender, juicy, and crisp up nicely, regardless of the cooking method.
The 3 lb bag consists of 25-30 pieces, enough for a small group of hungry blokes. The pricing is attractive which makes it a great budget finger food for a party.
The only negative is that most of the pieces in the bag are clumped together, leaving you with no other option but to defrost them.
1. TGI Fridays Honey BBQ Chicken Wings
This flavor is EVERYTHING. TGIF has really hit a home run with this one. The honey barbecue sauce it comes with will leave you licking your finger.
It’s a perfect side dish with burgers, fries, and even fried rice. The size and quality of the meat are top-notch as well. The only area where it disappoints is the quantity.
Most of the bags contain 4-5 small pieces which isn’t enough for me. Nonetheless, I’m okay with occasional overspending for a treat this yummy.
Conclusion
Frozen chicken wings are an underrated modern marvel, IMO. They are a quick, easy, affordable fix for your chicken wing cravings. Plus, the flavor options for frozen wings are plenty.
Most importantly, frozen wings can sit in your refrigerator for days without going bad, unlike fresh meat. So no need to think twice before stocking up on your favorite brand of frozen chicken wings.
