Buffalo wings are a popular appetizer or snack made of deep fried chicken wings that are coated in a spicy buffalo sauce. The calorie count of buffalo wings can vary depending on a few factors like where you get them from, whether they are breaded or not, what size the wings are, and what type of buffalo sauce is used.
Quick Answer
On average, a 6 piece serving of traditional buffalo wings without breading is around 540 calories. However, this can range from around 450 calories for small unbreaded wings with mild sauce to over 700 calories for large breaded wings coated in extra spicy sauce.
Calorie Factors
There are a few key factors that contribute to the calorie content in buffalo wings:
Wing Size
Wings come in various sizes like small, medium, large, jumbo, etc. Larger wings will have more calories since there is more chicken. Smaller wings may have around 50-100 calories per wing while larger jumbo wings may be 150-200+ calories each.
Breading
Some restaurants bread their wings before frying while others just fry plain chicken wings. Breaded wings absorb more oil during frying so they are higher in calories, often adding 50-100 calories extra per wing.
Buffalo Sauce
The type of buffalo sauce coating the wings also impacts calories. Traditional buffalo sauce is a mixture of hot pepper sauce like Frank’s RedHot and butter. More butter in the sauce means more calories. Mild sauces also tend to be lower in calories than extra spicy options.
Cooking Method
Wings are usually deep fried but can also be oven baked. Deep frying adds a lot of calories from the oil. Baked wings may have 50-150 less calories than fried wings depending on portion.
Calories in 6 Piece Wings from Restaurants
The calorie content of 6 wings can vary greatly depending on where you get them from. Here’s an overview of calories in a 6 piece order at some popular wing spots:
| Restaurant | Calories in 6 Wings |
|---|---|
| Buffalo Wild Wings | 440-760 |
| Domino’s | 460 |
| Pizza Hut | 510 |
| KFC | 690 |
| Applebee’s | 520-620 |
| Wingstop | 540-660 |
As you can see, calories vary from 440 to over 700 for a 6 piece order depending on the restaurant. Factors like wing size, breading, sauce, and oil used for frying impact the calories.
Lowest Calorie Options
If you want to keep calories in check when eating wings, here are some of the lowest calorie options:
- Get plain naked wings without breading
- Choose small or medium wings rather than large
- Opt for milder buffalo sauces like mild or medium on the spice scale
- Order oven baked wings instead of fried
- Use light blue cheese or ranch dressing instead of heavy creamy dressings for dipping
- Watch your portion and stick to 6 wings or less
Highest Calorie Options
On the other hand, here are some ways buffalo wings end up being high in calories:
- Choosing extra large or jumbo sized wings
- Opting for breaded wings
- Dousing in very spicy and buttery buffalo sauces
- Frying in high fat oil instead of baking
- Pairing with high-calorie creamy blue cheese dressing
- Eating large portions of 12 wings or more
How to Estimate Calories
If you want to estimate the calories in an order of wings on your own, here are some guidelines:
- Count about 70-100 calories per small wing
- 100-150 calories per medium or large wing
- 150-200+ calories for extra large wings
- Add 50-100 calories per wing if breaded
- Add 50 calories for wings with heavy buttery buffalo sauce
- Subtract 50-100 calories for baked instead of fried wings
You can also look up nutrition information on restaurant websites whenever possible. Many chain restaurants post calorie counts online.
Ways to Reduce Calories Further
In addition to ordering lower calorie buffalo wings, you can reduce calories further by:
- Eating wings as an appetizer portion rather than entree
- Splitting your order with someone
- Choosing veggies like carrot sticks instead of fries for your side
- Drinking water or unsweetened iced tea instead of soda
- Choosing fruit instead of heavy creamy desserts
Healthier Buffalo Wing Recipes
You can also make healthier baked buffalo wings at home. Some tasty recipes include:
Baked Buffalo Wings
This classic recipe uses lemon pepper seasoning and hot sauce for flavor. Bake at 400F for 40 minutes after coating wings with sauce.
Baked Buffalo Cauliflower Wings
For a vegetarian option, roast cauliflower florets coated in buffalo sauce. Bake at 425F for 20 minutes until crispy.
Air Fryer Buffalo Wings
Make crispy buffalo wings in an air fryer. Coat with sauce and cook at 390F for 18 minutes. The air fryer uses less oil than deep frying.
Buffalo Chicken Wings
Bake wings with paprika, garlic powder, cayenne pepper and hot sauce for 30 minutes on a lightly oiled baking sheet.
Nutrition Tips
Buffalo wings make a tasty appetizer but they are high in calories, fat, and sodium. To keep them as part of a healthy diet remember to:
- Watch your portion sizes and stick to 6 wings or less
- Avoid frequent snacking on wings throughout the week
- Balance wings with plenty of veggies, fruits, whole grains, and lean protein
- Enjoy wings occasionally and in moderation along with regular exercise
Conclusion
On average you can expect around 540 calories in a 6 piece order of buffalo wings. But calories can range from 450 to over 700 depending on the size, sauce, cooking method, and where you get them. Your healthiest options are plain unbreaded baked small wings with milder sauce. Or make lighter buffalo cauliflower wings or baked wings at home. Enjoy buffalo wings occasionally as part of an overall balanced diet.