Heres my take on chicken winging. I have made and used several paddles now and the one I like best is probably too long for me, I think this is where the chicken winging happens. Because it is long I have to swing my elbow out to release the blade from the water. The blade comes out sideways not vertically.

I only paddle in the surf, don't do distance stuff or flatwater paddling. The reason I have a long paddle is so that I can turn the board easier, a longer paddle reaches further forward to the nose with out you having to bend over (sorry ben) and put pressure on the nose of the board which slows the pivot rate of the board. It keeps my shoulders back and over or behind the boards centre of ballance. So chicken winging is surf style paddling.

Rod