Lord of the Wings showed us that there is no limit to what you can pair chicken wings with! Flavour experimentation took centre stage, with creative sauces and innovative toppings giving the comfort food favourite a fresh twist. Here’s a look at the flavour trends we took away from the event and the combinations that caught our eye:

 

Trend: fruit-forward heat

Tropical and citrus fruits aren’t just for summer. Two different ways to give fried chicken a brighter finish:

Peckin Order – Buttermilk Fried Chicken Tenders – Chipotle & pineapple honey dressing, pineapple & pepper salsa, coriander
Bright and colourful, with a crunchy salad topping adding a fresh lift. A subtle sweetness from the pineapple complemented the smoky chipotle chilli flavour.

Gandalf’s – Zesty Tendys – Buttermilk tenders, lemon pepper, butter
Zesty, buttery and peppery, with a mouth-watering crispy coating. Overall, the wings were rich, creamy and fresh, with a well-balanced flavour profile.

 

Trend: Globally Inspired

Korean, Mexican and American are now mainstream cuisines for consumers. These dishes were standouts from the event. We are seeing that UK consumers tend to reach for global food more in winter because it helps them meet winter-specific needs like warmth and comfort. Regional identity will continue to be celebrated through authenticity, provenance and storytelling in 2027.

Feds Chicken Shop – Sticky Korean – Deep-fried chicken wings coated in sticky and sweet honey gochujang BBQ sauce, smashed cucumber salad, kimchi mayo

Truly Torta – El Señor Pollo – Corn taco, grilled and shredded chicken tinga, cheese, onion, coriander, chipotle crema, salsa Verde dip, pickled red onion

Chicken Ting – Cowboy Butter Buffalo – Cowboy butter, hot honey buffalo sauce, crispy onions, fresh parsley

 

Trend: Fire, Char & Smoke

As highlighted in our Ember and Earth trend for Winter 2027, firepit dining and live-fire food festivals such as Meatopia have kept fire cooking culturally relevant beyond the summer BBQ season. 32% of UK diners want more smoky/smoked flavours on menus, and Lord of the Wings delivered.

Scott & Willson – Cal’s Lava Chicken – Boneless wings in charcoal batter, with lava buffalo sauce, served on garlic butter Texas toast

Jerk Pit Wings – 24-hour marinated jerk wings, cooked over charcoal with jerk pit sauce

Nomad – Harissa Honey Chicken Wings – Homemade harissa, honey glaze, charred lime, chilli sprinkle, cooked on a charcoal grill

Primal Feasts – Tandoori Asada Bowl – Tandoori chicken cooked over a charcoal asada grill, served with garlic aioli sauce and pickled cabbage

 

Trend: Naughty and Nice

From drink-inspired wings to sweet heat evolving beyond hot honey, both vendors demonstrated how unexpected, sweet flavour combinations can bring that playful twist to savoury favourites consumers are seeking.

Whimsical food is largely showing up as playful, visually “wow”, and conversation-starting plates designed to make socialising occasions feel more fun and shareable. Mintel’s UK evidence for 2026 shows sweet and sweet-led hybrid flavours increasingly being applied to traditionally savoury products.

Chicken Ting – White Chocolate, Raspberry & Matcha Wings – Vanilla matcha cold foam, white chocolate sauce, raspberry drizzle, matcha dusting, freeze-dried raspberries

Parm-o-Rama – Hot Chilli Caramel Wings – Buttermilk fried chicken wings, chilli salted caramel sauce, sesame


If you are looking for culinary trends, insights or inspiration based on the above blog, please get in touch: npdmarkerting@dalziel.co.uk