Some appetizers sit on the menu. Wings move — and sweet-heat wings move fastest of all. Mango sweetness lands first, habanero warmth builds behind it, and the glaze shines on the plate before the first bite is ever taken. This week’s recipe builds the whole plate from one vendor case — Ken’s Foods.
The wing-night star of the Ken’s Foods line at Merchants Market is Sweet Baby Ray’s Mango Habanero wing sauce (4 × 64 oz, SKU 4608840) — made by Ken’s Foods — with the cool-down coming from the same case: Ken’s Cole Slaw dressing (4 × 1 gal, SKU 4204210). One trick runs the whole build: sauce them hot, warm the sauce, toss, rest, toss again — so the glaze clings instead of pooling.
“Sauce them hot, warm the sauce, toss, rest, toss again — so the glaze clings instead of pooling.”
The wing-station rule
The Recipe: Mango Habanero Wings with Cool Island Slaw
Ingredients
The wings
- 4 lb chicken wings, split, patted dry
- Sweet Baby Ray’s Mango Habanero wing sauce (4 × 64 oz, SKU 4608840), warmed
The cool island slaw
- 4 cups shredded cabbage + 1 cup shredded carrot
- Ken’s Cole Slaw dressing (4 × 1 gal, SKU 4204210), to coat
To finish
- Lime wedges + chopped cilantro
Directions
- Cook the wings crisp — fry at 375°F for 10–12 minutes, or grill until the skin renders and crisps.
- Toss them hot in the warmed Mango Habanero sauce until every wing shines. Rest 30 seconds, then give them a light second toss — that is what makes the glaze cling instead of pooling in the bowl.
- Build the slaw: toss the cabbage and carrot through the Cole Slaw dressing until just coated, then chill 10 minutes so it stays crisp and cold.
- Plate slaw alongside the wings — never under them — and finish with lime wedges and chopped cilantro. Serve immediately, while the contrast is hot against cold.
That’s the whole trick: sauce them hot, warm the sauce, toss, rest, toss again. The slaw resets every bite — bright, crunchy, cool — so the next wing goes down easier than the last, and the hot-against-cold contrast is what the customer remembers.
One Sauce Case, Half Your Menu
If wings run your appetizer station, the Ken’s Foods case list in the 2026 show book covers the rest of the week — 30 lines in all:
Wing sauces
Mango Habanero (4 × 64 oz), Kickin’ Bourbon wing sauce (4 × 64 oz), Buffalo wing sauce (4 × 1 gal), Sriracha wing sauce & glaze (4 × 64 oz), Sweet Teriyaki wing sauce (4 × 64 oz) and Jamaican Jerk wing sauce (4 × 64 oz)
Gallon dressings
Cole Slaw (4 × 1 gal), Caesar Classic (4 × 1 gal), Buttermilk Ranch (4 × 1 gal), Honey Mustard (4 × 1 gal), Balsamic Vinaigrette (4 × 1 gal) and Chunky Blue Cheese (4 × 1 gal)
Sauces & spreads
Tartar sauce (4 × 1 gal), Cocktail sauce (4 × 1 gal), Chipotle mayonnaise (2 × 1 gal) and Green Chili Aioli (2 × 1 gal)
Retail dressings
French, Balsamic Vinaigrette, Chunky Blue Cheese, Creamy Caesar, Honey Mustard and Zesty Italian (all 6 × 16 oz)
Now is the time to put a case on your next order: the Ken’s Foods show allowance on Mango Habanero is $0.75 back per case, valid through February 2027 — Cole Slaw dressing pays $0.50 back per case, and allowances across the 30 Ken’s Foods show-book lines run $0.25–$0.75 back per case.
Ken’s Foods
30 lines in the 2026 show book — the maker behind Sweet Baby Ray’s wing sauces and the dressing program that runs the salad station, from wing night to slaws, salads and sandwich spreads.
Ask your Merchants Market sales rep to add Ken’s Foods to your next order, or order anytime through the Order Online portal.
