How Many Calories Are in 5 Chicken Wings? A Detailed Breakdown

Finger foods and appetizers that people love are chicken wings dipped in a sticky, tangy buffalo sauce. But these little bites can pack a surprising caloric punch. The question is, how many calories are in 5 chicken wings? Let’s find out.

Calculating Chicken Wing Calories

Before we can figure out how many calories are in chicken wings, we need to know that they are made up of two main parts.

• The drumette (the thicker, meatier section that looks like a mini drumstick).
• The flat (the thinner, wider section).

Calorie counts can vary quite a bit depending on whether you are eating drumettes, flats, or a combination of both. Size matters too – wings from larger chickens will have more meat and therefore more calories

Here are some average calorie counts for 5 chicken wings:

• 5 small wings (mixed drumettes and flats): 350 calories
• 5 medium wings (mixed): 461 calories
• 5 large wings (mixed): 600 calories

As you can see, the difference between small and large can be over 200 calories for the same number of wings!

Key Factors That Impact Chicken Wing Calories

There are a few key factors that determine how many calories are in an order of wings:

1. Wing Size

As was already said, bigger wings have more meat and fat than smaller wings. Bigger chickens, like broiler chickens or free-range chickens, have bigger wings. Smaller wings are more often found on Cornish game hens.

2. Cooking Method

Fried chicken wings have significantly more calories than baked, grilled, or air-fried wings since frying adds a lot of oil. Here are some estimates:

• 5 fried wings can have 700-900 calories
• 5 baked wings can have 300-500 calories

3. Flavors and Sauces

Plain or simply seasoned wings (like lemon pepper or cajun) tend to be lower in calories. But once you add thick, creamy sauces and glazes like barbecue or buffalo sauce, the calories increase. The sugary sauces add another 150-300 calories to your 5 wings.

4. Skin Eaten or Removed

The skin on chicken wings contains a lot of fat. It can add 80 to 100 calories more per wing to eat the skin than to eat the meat without the skin.

5. Bone In or Boneless

Boneless wings are simply chicken breast chunks, so they will be lower in calories than true bone-in wings. About 70-100 fewer calories for 5 boneless wings compared to bone-in.

Nutritional Profile of 5 Chicken Wings

Now let’s take a look at the full nutritional values in 5 medium chicken wings:

• Calories: 461
• Total Fat: 30.9g
• Saturated Fat: 8.6g
• Cholesterol: 133mg
• Sodium: 646mg
• Protein: 42.6g

Chicken wings provide a good amount of protein but are high in saturated fat due to the skin. The sodium is also elevated if you eat wings coated in a salty buffalo glaze or seasoning blend.

A serving of 5 medium wings delivers over 40% of your daily recommended intake for saturated fat and sodium. So wing lovers need to be mindful of going overboard.

Tips for Lightening Up Your Chicken Wings

If you want to enjoy wings without all the extra calories, here are some tips:

• Remove the skin before eating to slash fat and calories.
• Use an air-fryer instead of deep-frying to cut added oils.
• Opt for drumettes only since flats have more skin.
• Skip heavy sauces and opt for lighter seasonings like lemon pepper.
• Switch to boneless wings for less fat than bone-in.
• Pair your wings with lower calorie sides like celery sticks and avoid creamy dips.

With some simple substitutions, you can still enjoy the flavor of wings without breaking your daily calorie budget.

Calorie Counts for Different Wing Orders

To recap, here are some estimated calorie counts for different wing orders at your favorite restaurants:

• 5 small wings (mixed) – 350 calories
• 5 medium wings (mixed) – 461 calories
• 5 large wings (mixed) – 600 calories
• 5 extra large wings – 700+ calories
• 5 boneless wings – 300-400 calories
• 5 fried wings – 700-900 calories
• 5 buffalo wings – 500-600 calories
• 5 barbecue wings – 500-600 calories

As you can see, calories add up quickly if you eat more than 5 wings! To keep your meal under 500 calories, stick with 3-4 small or medium drumettes without skin or sauce.

Or pair your wings with lower calorie vegetables and dip options. Enjoy your wings mindfully so they remain a tasty treat.

The Bottom Line

So how many calories are in 5 chicken wings? The exact amount can range quite a bit based on the size of the wings, cooking method, sauces, and whether you eat the skin. But on average, 5 small to medium bone-in wings contain 350-461 calories.

Chicken wings can fit into a balanced diet when enjoyed in moderation. Just be mindful of your portion size, and choose healthier cooking methods and seasoning options whenever possible. Tracking calories can help keep your wing habit from going overboard!

Nutritional Information