I went on a mission to find the best wings in Selly, and I’ve found the winner

Dixy Chicken and Roosters have long held the monopoly on where to crash and burn after a night in the Guild. I went undercover to investigate whether they have been dethroned. ChicKing is the unsung chicken shop hero of Selly, and it deserves more recognition.

Are these the best wings in Birmingham? No…definitely not. Are they the best you’ll get at 3am in Selly Oak for around a fiver? Well, they’re definitely one of the best options in Selly (which if you’re honest with yourself isn’t that hard).

I would love to give you some background information about this place but there is nothing. They’re ghosts, which is weird because even my Grandad’s managing to grow an interesting digital footprint at the age of 72. The only thing I could find is the health rating which gov.uk gave a four, so if we are comparing them to Dixies it’s an even starting point.

If a four rating freaks you out (reasonable) I’d love to bring to your attention the one star that decorates the front of the one and only Selly Superstore.

All I can tell you is the name ‘ChicKing’ is questionable at best. It does the job, but if there’s one thing we learned from Brexit it’s that word mashups never lead to good things.

Thankfully ChicKing probably won’t cause a recession any time soon.

Anyway, it’s a classic chicken shop. Booth seats that aren’t bolted in, clinical coloured lights with shades so low over the tables my friend manages to hit his head twice in the three times he stood up (third times a charm).

The one interesting feature is the Tango ice blast machine, which in my opinion is blasphemy outside of a cinema, but if that’s your thing be my guest. Now I think about it, one of these after a long night in the Goose might be refreshing.

The menu is as you would expect: wings, burgers, wraps and buckets. Anything can be made a meal for £2. I go for the five spicy wings meal, as you should. It’s the benchmark of quality at any chicken shop. The food takes 15 minutes, which is long. – but having been before it was quick, so I’m willing to give them the benefit of the doubt.

The meal arrives as a box of five chunky drumsticks, the rest filled with chips and a fridge-cold can of Diet Coke (controversial I know). I forget about the wait and dive in. The wings are crunchy and not too greasy. The texture couldn’t be much better and whatever the dredge they use is, it’s good, not too spicy but not boring. The fries are fine but nothing better than that, and need salt. But crispy and if I’m honest I don’t need more than that at 3am. The one thing that’s almost unforgivable in my eyes is a lack of peri salt, it’s a staple for a reason and improves any chicken shop meal.

For £5.20 I got everything I could’ve asked for (barring the peri salt) and left feeling satisfied, without the stomach pain that comes free with most wing meals. If it gets to that time of night when a wing meal is all you want, I don’t think anywhere else in Selly has your back like ChicKing.

7/10 (“It’s my choice”)

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