When determining the quality of a chicken wing there are many variables. This is what makes eating them so magical. It's why I could eat them everyday.
Bone-in vs Boneless
Let's first establish that boneless "wings" are not chicken wings. They are chunks of chicken meat at best or chunks of processed chicken meat aka nuggets. I am not a fan of the heavily breaded nuggets that many establishments pass off as boneless wings. Although, if the price is right and the sauce is good, I can endure.
There are three parts of a chicken wing, the drum, the flapper or flat, and the tip. Most places just serve the drums and flats separated but they are originally attached and some places will serve them all attached. Some places also opt to leave the tip attached to the flat, like Rooster's. I prefer the drums but I never pay extra for them. Here's a link to the anatomy of a chicken wing from kitchn.com.
The Sauces
This is the heart and soul of the chicken wing industry. The sauce is everything, otherwise it's just fried chicken. First and foremost, a good chicken wing place must have a super hot sauce that will make even the most experienced wing eater tear up. The bar should be set high, and should include some kind of eating challenge that can be a celebrated accomplishment.
Making a good Hot sauce however isn't easy. It must have the right blend of heat and flavor. For example, the Triple Atomics at Quaker Steak and Lube are super hot but lack flavor. The Blazin at BW3, the Afterburner at Wings Over, or the 911 at the Winking Lizard however are all just about right if you're looking for some spice in your life. Once you've set the standard for your hot sauce, most of the other sauces will fall into place.
To contrast the spicy, there must also be a sweet option. I like to call these dessert wings. There's nothing better than following up your extra hot wings with some sweet BBQ or sweet chili sauce for dessert.
After the staple sauces, there are many different directions restaurants take us with their sauces. I always love trying different creative concoctions. I make a point to try something I've never had before if it's offered.
Preparation
Next to the sauces, preparation of the wing itself is probably the second biggest factor in making good wings. Most places just deep fry their wings but not all. Some places smoke or grill their wings first and then fry them to finish them off. Some places use breading on their wings and some don't. Ordering your wings Naked means without breading. You can get bone-in or boneless wings Naked, which can make it a tad bit healthier if you're counting calories.
I like the traditional deep fried wings with no breading but if you're eating wings every day, like I often do, I will mix it up a bit. With just these two variables (sauces and cooking methods) there are hundreds of different options. For me the chicken wing is a blank canvas to the artist.
Service/Atmosphere/Presentation
Outside of the wings themselves, I also like to rate the establishment surrounding the wings. Let's face it, sometimes we're willing to sacrifice a little bit of quality for good service or atmosphere. And I don't know how you feel about those baskets that most wings are served in but I prefer a plate or bowl that I know has actually been washed by somebody.
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