Boneless wings are just chicken nuggets and the only fast food restaurant brave enough to admit that is Wendy’s. You could make the argument that what makes boneless wings “wings,” and not “nuggets” is that they are tossed in sauce, but Wendy’s is here to settle that argument with its new Saucy Nuggs.
The Saucy Nuggs — which are now available nationwide — are sauced-tossed chicken nuggets in four different flavor options (but technically eight, more on that in a bit) available in orders of 4, 6, 10, or 20. A sauce-tossed boneless chicken dish that comes in several counts, some of which are shareable? Sounds like wings to me!
The four flavors include Honey BBQ, Ghost Pepper, Buffalo, and Garlic Parm, and can be ordered on either Wendy’s Classic or Spicy Nuggets (though the Ghost Pepper defaults to Spicy Nuggets). The new spin on an old classic is a minor but significant change to the menu that is sure to mix up your Wendy’s experience. But which of those eight flavors — four sauces on two nugg varieties — is the best?
We found out by ordering each flavor and putting them to the taste test. Here are our favorites, ranked from worst to best.
4. Honey BBQ
Tasting Notes & Thoughts:
Now admittedly, these were not properly sauced, I think that’s clear by what you see above. Having said that, even if these were appropriately doused, I’d still rank them last. I don’t think this flavor brings much to the table that can’t be covered by one of Wendy’s dipping sauces. Wendy’s already has a side of BBQ sauce available, and while this puts extra emphasis on the sweet notes, I think that side sauce is better balanced.
What we have here is a floral honey sweetness with just a touch of smokiness. Because the sauce is boring, I think ordering spicy nuggets is a must here as you’ll get that extra dose of flavor via the cayenne pepper.
The Bottom Line:
Too redundant to shine. There isn’t much difference in flavor than what you’d get from dipping your nuggets in a side of BBQ.
3. Buffalo
Tasting Notes & Thoughts:
Wendy’s Buffalo nuggets are bright, zesty, and tangy. The Buffalo nuggets have a sort of buttery savoriness that makes them addictive and delicious. The crunch of the nugget gives each bite a nice textural element. I’m surprised Wendy’s didn’t roll out a Buffalo nugget a long time ago, this seems like such an obvious play.
It should be mentioned that you’re not going to get a lot of heat here though, so if you’re after a bit of a kick I’m going to strongly suggest you order these spicy style. But don’t shy away from Wendy’s classic nuggets either, the classic nuggets tend to come across as a bit less dry, allowing the sauce here to really shine in all its savory, sumptuous glory.
The Bottom Line:
Zesty, tangy, and delicious. If you love buffalo sauce, you’re going to love these, no question.
2. Garlic Parmesan
Tasting Notes & Thoughts:
Generally, when it comes to wing flavors, I tend to think of Garlic Parmesan as pretty boring. So I was taken aback by just how much I like Wendy’s version of the flavor. It’s multilayered and dare I say, complex. I know using the word complex to describe a Wendy’s nugget seems ridiculous but… just hear me out.
In a single bite, I’m tasting a mix of pungent garlic and nutty, tangy, and slightly fruity Parmesan flavors, with an herbal blend of Italian seasonings. It’s a bit like what you’d expect from a mozzarella stick, it’s begging to be dipped in marinara sauce, which, unfortunately, Wendy’s doesn’t have. So ranch or bleu cheese will have to do here.
Or you can skip dipping completely because this flavor is packing so many different sensations for your taste buds to get hooked on.
The Bottom Line:
Complex and multilayered. One of the best garlic Parmesan sauces I’ve ever tasted.
Spicy Ghost Pepper
Tasting Notes & Thoughts:
I love spicy food, so much so that most things advertised as spicy aren’t spicy enough for me. These Ghost Pepper nuggets are different, they hit the spot like no other chicken nugget currently on the fast food market.
The heat begins with a smokey flavor before shifting into bright fruity territory with a touch of chive and garlic, with a cayenne pepper finish that lingers in the best way possible. The heat is the strongest between bites, which allows you to enjoy all the complexity of the ghost pepper and cayenne mix, without becoming overwhelming while you’re eating the nugget.
But be warned about that aftertaste, it’s way more intense than you’d expect out of something from Wendy’s, or any fast food restaurant really, hot chicken chains included.
The Bottom Line:
The spicy nugget that heat lovers have been praying for. If you like your chicken hot, this is a must-order and a clear stand out amongst Wendy’s other Sauced Nuggs.