How to Eat Chicken Wings

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: August 26, 2021 References

Chicken wings are a delicious snack great for game days and barbecues. However, chicken wings are a notoriously messy food. If you want to easily eat chicken wings without a huge mess, remove the bones before you take a bite. This way, you won't look sloppy or wind up with sauce all over your face. In addition, you can eat the meat off of the bone if you prefer a hands-on approach. Dunk your wing in sauce for extra flavor, and dig in!

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Removing the Bones

1
Hold your chicken wing in both hands. Place the wing in between your index finger and thumb of both hands. This way, you can easily remove the bones from either end.^{[1]
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2
Pull your chicken wing apart at the hinge if it is V-shaped. If your chicken wing has a larger side and a shorter side, break the wing in half. Doing this lets you easily get the meat from the bones.^{[2]
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- The V-shaped wing includes the wingette (larger part) and tip (smaller part) of the chicken wing. The wingette is attached to the drumette, which is the most common form of prepared chicken wings.^{[3]
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- If your wing is not V-shaped, you do not have to do this.
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3
Eat the meat off the bone of the wing tip. When getting the meat off of the smaller section, simply put the bone in your mouth and scrape off the meat.^{[4]
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4
Twist 1 end of the chicken wing to loosen the bone. Do this for either the wingette or the drumette. Pinch 1 end of the wing, and gently wiggle the bone back and forth to loosen it from the meat.^{[5]
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- Twisting the bone makes it easier to remove it.
5
Pull the bone straight out of the wing. After you loosen the bone, gently slide it out of the wing. It should easily slide out without much effort.^{[6]
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- You can remove either the small or large bone first. It does not make a difference which bone you start with. Typically, the small bone is on top and the large bone is on the bottom.
6
Twist the other end to remove the second bone. Pinch the opposite end of the wing with your index finger and thumb, and gently twist the bone back and forth to loosen it. Then, pull the bone straight out.^{[7]
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- Chicken wings typically have 2 bones inside of them.
7
Dunk your chicken wing into your favorite dipping sauce for extra flavor. While dipping sauce is optional, it adds flavor your wings. Fill up a small ramekin up with your sauce, and dip in the wing before you take a bite.^{[8]
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- Choose dipping sauce like blue cheese, ranch, or hot sauce.
8
Eat the boneless bite of chicken wing. Once you remove the 2 bones, you are left with a boneless chunk of meat. Take 1-2 bites to eat your boneless wing.^{[9]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Eating the Meat off the Bone

1
Hold the chicken wing in both of your hands. Before you take a bite, grip your chicken wing with your index finger and thumb. This way, you can easily tear into it and get the meat.^{[10]
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- Do this for either the drumette or wingette.
2
Bite into meat starting at the center. Take your first bite in the middle of the wing, in between the larger and smaller bone.^{[11]
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- You should get a thick chunk of white meat.
3
Turn the wing around in your hands and eat the meat as you go. After you take your first bite, continue biting into the wing to get the meat. To do this, rotate the wing horizontally as you take your bites.^{[12]
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- This way, you can get as much meat off the bones as possible.
4
Clean the bone of any remaining meat and skin. Once you’ve eaten most of the meat off the bone, go around the ends and sides of the wing and bite off any remaining skin or meat.^{[13]
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- You want the bone to be completely clean when you are finished.

Community Q&A

Question

How do I properly eat chicken in a professional setting?

Community Answer

That is a very good question! Most all chicken pieces are easily (and properly) eaten with a knife and fork, cutting manageable pieces as you go. Wings are nearly impossible to eat any way but with your hands; I think it would be very difficult to attempt a knife and fork on them. Even cutting a wing into two or three pieces at the joint could easily result in chicken pieces flying everywhere! A trick I've used is to fuss around with my napkin, take a sip of water, chat a bit with other diners, and see what others are doing to enjoy "finger foods" in a more professional setting.