Burnt ends-stuffed chicken wings just one find at June 3 Food Truck Friday

Why did the chicken cross the road?

Probably to get some of Street Wing’s burnt ends-stuffed wings.

The wings are the signature item for the Lee’s Summit-based food truck owned by Michelle and Jeff Franke. The secret to getting the burnt ends into the wing is, well, a secret, but their popularity is no joke.

The wings (three for $8) are stuffed with smoked brisket, seasoned with salt and pepper, baked, flash fried and tossed in sweet-and-spicy barbecue sauce and then garnished with chopped chives.

“The trick is to bake them first so you can hold in all the juices,” Michelle says.

Street Wings will be one of the food trucks parked at 17th & McGee streets for The Star’s Food Truck Friday event from 5 to 8 p.m. on June 3. Other trucks include Beauty of the Bistro, Bochi, Crave KC, El Tenedor, Monk’s Roast Beef, Pip’s Burgers, Poppy’s Ice Cream, Torched Goodness and the bar Ollie’s Local.

On a typical outing, Street Wings customers have a choice of 14 sauces and rubs, including the Parmesan, Caribbean jerk and jalapeno-pineapple.

Other items on the menu this Friday include double-fried tater tots tossed with Buffalo sauce, sprinkled with blue cheese crumbles, bacon and drizzled with sour cream for $5.50 and two chicken and waffle sliders with maple syrup for $7.

“I love that the food truck industry is growing,” Franke says, noting that two trucks serving wings (Bochi has an Asian-style stuffed wing) is never too many. “It’s no different than having 15 or 20 Italian restaurants in KC. Everyone sells the same thing, but it’s done a little different.”

Does she ever dream of owning a restaurant?

“We just want to hang out with all the food truck people. We like to see people coming up to our window. We don’t want a restaurant,” she says.

Future 2016 Food Truck Fridays at The Star will be Sept. 2, Oct. 7 and Nov. 4.

This story was originally published June 1, 2016 at 1:08 PM.