It’s National Chicken Wing Day!

VICKSBURG, Miss. (VDN) — Grab those extra napkins and dipping sauces because it is National Chicken Wing Day! Whether you want to order in or make them at home, enjoy the celebration!

Each year on July 29, National Chicken Wing Day encourages an order of dipping and sauce tasting with chicken wings. With so many choices including dry rubs and traditional buffalo sauce, be sure to pace yourself because there are a lot of wings to be enjoyed.

According to many accounts, the day celebrates the little appetizer that could. Also known as buffalo wings, hot wings, or just wings, each American eats about 290 per year. While a chicken has two wings per bird, it produces four of these tasty morsels. That’s because chefs dissect the wing, breaking it down into the wingette, drumette, and tip. The wingette and drumette get seasoned and fried into the deliciousness devoured at tailgate parties and trivia nights.

According to National Day’s website, while many people do call them hot wings, one of the most popular sauces is ranch dressing. Another go-to dip is bleu cheese. However, plenty of spicy sauces fill the menus. Since chicken wings are usually deep-fried, celery, carrots or other crunchy veggies accompany the dish to counterbalance the spice and fat.

After a number of years of different establishments selling their version of Buffalo Wings, the city of Buffalo, NY, in 1977 proclaimed July 29th to be National Chicken Wing Day. Establishments like the Anchor Bar, Wings n’ Things, Wing Stop, Baumhowers’s and Duff’s all became famous for their wings.