Chicken Wings Nutrition: Calories & Protein (Per Wing, 10 Wings & 100g)
Quick Answer: Calories & Protein in Chicken Wings
One medium baked wing (skin-on, no sauce): ~81 calories, ~6.4g protein, ~5.6g fat.
10 baked wings (skin-on): ~810 calories, ~64g protein, ~56g fat.
Per 100g cooked wing meat (skin-on): ~203 cal, ~16g protein, ~14g fat (USDA FDC #171056).
Deep-fried breaded wings and sauced wings log significantly higher calories from oil and sauce — not from extra protein.
Why Wing Logging Is Tricky
Wings are one of the hardest chicken cuts to log accurately because of bone weight, skin, cooking oil, and sauce. A wing on your scale includes bone you do not eat. Restaurant wings are often jumbo-sized. This guide gives you per-wing, per-10-wing, and per-100g values so you can match how your food journal works.
Part of our protein by cut guide. For weight conversions after cooking, see raw vs cooked chicken weight.
Wing Anatomy: What You Actually Eat
A whole chicken wing has three parts:
Edible yield: About 45–55% of total wing weight is edible meat + skin. The rest is bone and cartilage. When logging by weight, weigh meat only after eating, or use per-wing estimates below.
Calories & Protein: 10 Wings by Method
Values assume medium wings (~50–60g edible meat each). Restaurant jumbo wings may be 30–50% larger.
| Preparation (10 wings) | Calories | Protein | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baked (skin-on) | ~810 | ~64g | ~56g |
| Air-fried (skin-on) | ~850 | ~66g | ~58g |
| Grilled (skin-on) | ~790 | ~63g | ~54g |
| Deep-fried (no breading) | ~960 | ~68g | ~70g |
| Deep-fried (breaded) | ~1,100 | ~62g | ~74g |
| Baked (skinless) | ~640 | ~72g | ~34g |
| + Buffalo sauce | +100–150 | — | +8–12g |
| + BBQ sauce | +150–250 | — | +sugar/carbs |
Per-Wing Breakdown (Easiest for Count-Based Logging)
Log by count when you know how many wings you ate. Multiply by the row that matches your preparation.
| Method | Cal/wing | Protein/wing | Fat/wing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baked skin-on | ~81 | ~6.4g | ~5.6g |
| Air-fried skin-on | ~85 | ~6.6g | ~5.8g |
| Grilled skin-on | ~79 | ~6.3g | ~5.4g |
| Fried no breading | ~96 | ~6.8g | ~7.0g |
| Fried breaded | ~110 | ~6.2g | ~7.4g |
| Baked skinless | ~64 | ~7.2g | ~3.4g |
| Buffalo (baked + sauce) | ~91–96 | ~6.4g | ~6.5g |
Per 100g Cooked Wing Meat (Weight-Based Logging)
If you weigh edible meat on a scale, use these USDA-aligned values:
Cooked values appear higher per 100g because moisture is lost during cooking — same total protein in the piece, denser per gram.
How Sauces Change Your Log
Sauce calories are the #1 reason wing logs are wrong. A plain 810-cal meal becomes 1,000+ with generous BBQ.
| Sauce (per wing) | Added Calories | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dry rub only | +2–5 | Negligible carbs |
| Hot sauce only | +5–8 | Very low calorie |
| Buffalo (butter + hot) | +10–15 | Fat adds up over 10 wings |
| BBQ sauce | +15–25 | Sugar-based — log carbs |
| Honey garlic | +20–35 | Honey + oil |
| Ranch dip (per wing, shared 2 tbsp/5 wings) | +15 | Easy to forget |
Restaurant vs Home Wing Sizes
USDA medium wing: ~100g with bone, ~50g edible.
Bar/restaurant wings are often 30–50% larger. If 10 menu wings feel like a huge pile, log 12–15 equivalent medium wings or weigh edible meat after eating.
Fast food wings: Check the chain nutrition PDF — values are per piece, not per 100g.
Wings vs Other Cuts for Macro Logging
*Per 100g cooked weight. Wings have less protein per calorie than breast because of higher fat from skin. For maximum protein-per-calorie logging, breast leads. Wings still log meaningful protein — 64g across 10 baked wings is a full meal's worth.
| Cut (100g cooked) | Protein | Fat | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breast skinless | 31g | 3.6g | 165 |
| Wing skin-on | 16g* | 14g | 203 |
| Thigh skin-on | 24g | 12g | ~209 |
How to Log Wings in Your Food Journal
Method A — Count: Count wings eaten × per-wing calories from the table above. Add sauce row if applicable.
Method B — Weigh cooked meat: Pull meat from bones, weigh on scale, log as "chicken wing meat roasted skin-on" per 100g.
Method C — Weigh raw before cooking: Weigh raw wings, apply cooking yield (~70% for baked), use raw USDA entry — advanced but accurate for meal prep.
Always note: skin on/off, baked/fried, sauce added.
Worked Logging Examples
Game night — 8 baked buffalo wings: 8 × ~93 cal = ~744 calories, ~51g protein. Add celery sticks (negligible).
Meal prep — 12 skinless air-fried wings: 12 × ~64 cal = ~768 calories, ~86g protein.
Restaurant order — 10 fried breaded BBQ wings: 10 × ~135 cal = ~1,350 calories (wing + sauce + breading).
Weighed portion — 150g cooked wing meat (skin-on): 150g × 2.03 cal/g = ~305 calories, ~24g protein.
Common Wing Logging Mistakes
1. Logging bone weight — A 100g wing on the scale is not 100g of food.
2. Ignoring sauce — BBQ across 10 wings can add 200+ calories.
3. Using generic "wing" in apps — Entries vary wildly. Specify baked/fried and skin status.
4. Underestimating fried oil — Fried logs 15–35% more than baked.
5. Assuming all wings are equal size — Weigh when unsure.
Wing Calculators & Related Guides
Calculate custom portions or explore related topics:
Free Calculators for This Topic
Frequently Asked Questions
How many calories in 10 chicken wings?
Ten medium baked skin-on wings log approximately 810 calories. Ten deep-fried breaded wings log about 1,100 calories. Sauce adds 100–250 more depending on type.
How much protein in 10 chicken wings?
Ten baked skin-on wings provide roughly 64g protein. Skinless baked wings provide about 72g protein for the same count with fewer calories.
How many calories in one chicken wing?
One medium baked skin-on wing logs about 81 calories and 6.4g protein. One fried breaded wing logs about 110 calories.
How many calories in 10 buffalo wings?
Ten baked buffalo wings (skin-on with standard butter-hot sauce) log approximately 910–960 calories. Deep-fried buffalo wings log 1,060–1,150 calories.
Are chicken wings high in protein?
Wings provide moderate protein — about 6–7g per wing baked. Ten wings deliver 60–70g protein, comparable to a large chicken breast, but with more fat from skin.
How much of a wing is edible meat?
About 45–55% of total wing weight is edible. A 100g wing with bone yields roughly 50g of meat and skin you actually eat.
Should I log wings by count or weight?
Count works when wings are uniform size — multiply by per-wing values in this guide. Weight is more accurate for restaurant or mixed-size wings. Weigh edible meat only.
How do baked wings compare to fried for logging?
Baked wings log about 20–35% fewer calories than fried because no cooking oil is absorbed. Protein stays similar; fat and calories increase with frying.
How many wings for 30g protein?
About 5 baked skin-on wings (~32g protein) or 4 skinless baked wings (~29g protein).
How many wings for 50g protein?
About 8 baked skin-on wings (~51g protein) or 7 skinless wings (~50g protein).
Do wings lose protein when cooked?
No. Total protein grams stay the same. Cooking removes water, so protein per 100g cooked reads higher than raw.
How do I log wing sauce?
Add sauce calories separately. Buffalo adds ~10–15 cal per wing. BBQ adds ~15–25 cal per wing. Dry rub adds negligible calories.
What USDA entry should I use for wings?
For skin-on roasted wing meat: FDC #171056. For meat only: FDC #171057. For raw skin-on: FDC #171119. Match raw or cooked to how you weighed.
How many calories in 6 wings?
Six baked skin-on wings log approximately 486 calories and 38g protein. Six fried breaded wings log about 660 calories.
How many calories in 20 wings?
Twenty baked skin-on wings log approximately 1,620 calories. Twenty fried breaded with BBQ can exceed 2,700 calories with sauce.
Why do restaurant wings have more calories?
Larger size, more breading, more oil absorption, and heavier sauce portions. Use chain nutrition data when available or weigh edible meat.
Is it better to remove skin before logging?
Log what you actually ate. If you ate skin-on, use skin-on values (~81 cal/wing). If you removed skin, use skinless (~64 cal/wing). Do not mix.
How do air-fried wings compare to baked?
Very similar for logging — air-fried skin-on wings log about 85 cal each vs 81 cal baked. Minor difference from light oil spray.
Research & Sources Used in This Article
- USDA FoodData Central — Chicken Wing, Meat and Skin, Cooked, Roasted (FDC #171056)
- USDA FoodData Central — Chicken Wing, Meat Only, Cooked, Roasted (FDC #171057)
- USDA FoodData Central — Chicken Wing, Meat and Skin, Raw (FDC #171119)
- National Chicken Council — Wing Weight Standards
- USDA — Nutrient Retention Factors, Release 6
Disclaimer: This article is for informational and nutrition-logging purposes only. It is not medical, dietary, or nutritional advice. Nutrition values are estimates from USDA FoodData Central and may vary by brand, preparation, and serving size.