How Many Calories Are in One Fried Chicken Wing?

Many people love fried chicken wings as a snack or appetizer because they are juicy and tasty. But these tasty treats are easy to forget how many calories you’re eating because of their crunchy outside and salty taste. What’s the exact number of calories in a fried chicken wing? Let’s find out.

Calculating Calories in a Fried Chicken Wing

To determine the calorie count of a fried chicken wing, we need to consider a few factors:

• Size of the wing – Chicken wings come in a range of sizes Smaller wings have less meat and fewer calories. An average medium wing is around 22 oz (65g).

• What you do to cook it—Fried wings have more calories than wings baked or grilled. The oil adds significant calories.

• Breading or coating: Wings covered in batter or breadcrumbs have more calories than wings that are just fried.

• Skin or skinless – Leaving the skin on increases the fat and calorie content Skinless wings have fewer calories.

Now let’s look at some actual calorie counts for fried wings from different sources:

• According to CalorieHealthy.com, a medium fried chicken wing with skin contains about 186 calories.

• Calories-info.com states 100g of fried chicken wings has 288 calories. A medium wing is 65g, so would have 187 calories.

• CalorieKing lists a 2.1 oz flour-coated fried chicken wing with skin as having 103 calories.

So we can estimate a medium fried chicken wing with skin at around 180-190 calories on average. The breading adds extra calories compared to a plain fried wing. Going skinless could reduce the count by 50 or so calories.

Daily Calorie Needs

To put that 180-190 calorie count into perspective, we need to look at daily calorie requirements:

• The average moderately active adult woman needs 2000 calories per day.

• The average moderately active adult man needs 2500 calories per day.

One medium-sized fried chicken wing has about 209–10% of a woman’s daily calories and 207–8 % of a man’s.

Consuming just 5 wings would provide almost half the average person’s daily calorie needs from one snack alone!

Calories in Multiple Fried Wings

Here’s a breakdown of the calories in different quantities of fried wings:

• 1 wing (medium) – 180-190 calories
• 2 wings – 360-380 calories
• 3 wings – 540-570 calories
• 5 wings – 900-950 calories
• 10 wings – 1800-1900 calories

As you can see, the calories quickly add up as you eat more wings. Just two medium wings contains over 15% of the recommended daily intake for an average adult.

Burning off Wing Calories

All those calories from fried chicken wings don’t just disappear. To burn them off, you need physical activity:

• To burn 180 calories (1 wing):

  • Brisk walking for 30-35 minutes
  • Jogging for 15-20 minutes
  • Biking for 12-15 minutes

• To burn 900 calories (5 wings):

  • Brisk walking for 2.5-3 hours
  • Jogging for 1-1.5 hours
  • Biking for 45-60 minutes

As you can see, a single wing requires a modest amount of exercise to burn off, but the calories quickly add up as you eat more.

Tips for Reducing Fried Wing Calories

If you want to enjoy wings without going overboard on calories, here are some tips:

• Stick to 1-2 wings as an appetizer size portion
• Choose smaller wings to reduce overall calories
• Opt for baking instead of frying when cooking at home
• Remove the skin after cooking to slash calories
• Skip the breading or opt for lighter breadcrumbs over heavy batters
• Pair wings with lower calorie vegetables like carrot sticks instead of fries

Healthiest Ways to Eat Wings

While fried wings are tasty, they aren’t the healthiest choice. Here are some healthier options:

• Baked or grilled – Skip the oil and broil or grill wings for a lower calorie option.

• Air-fried – Air fryers can create a crispy texture without all the oil. Spritz wings with a little oil to make them crispy.

• Buffalo wings – Opt for spicy Buffalo style wings. The vinegar-based hot sauce has minimal calories.

• Dry rubs – Use dry seasoning rubs instead of heavy sauces. Avoid butter-laden sauces.

The Bottom Line

A medium fried chicken wing with skin contains around 180-190 calories. That’s about 9% of the average adult’s recommended daily intake from just one single wing! Consuming multiple wings can add up to a very high calorie meal, so enjoy fried wings in moderation as an occasional treat. Going with healthier baked or grilled preparations can allow you to satisfy that wing craving without overdoing it on calories.