Meat and poultry

Chicken wing nutrition, raw, cooked and everything between.

On USDA figures, 4 oz of raw chicken wing works out at 216 calories and carries 20 g of protein. In USDA’s database this is “Chicken, broilers or fryers, wing, meat and skin, raw”. The method matters: USDA holds separate records for it, ranging between 191 and 321 calories for the same 100 g. Use the selector that follows to match your own portion; the panel and the nutrient table track it.

By Alen Yaco · Updated 20 September 2026

Figures: USDA FoodData Central, records 172390, 173630, 173629. Calculated in your browser; nothing is uploaded.

The calorie count for chicken wing

216 calories is the figure for 4 oz of raw chicken wing; 191 is the figure per 100 g. Below are the remaining portions USDA measured.

How much protein is in chicken wing?

4 oz of raw chicken wing carries 20 g of protein, which is 40 percent of the 50 g Daily Value. Protein supplies 37 percent of the energy in chicken wing, which helps a day’s total without carrying it.

Its energy is 62 percent fat, 0 percent carbohydrate and 38 percent protein, meaning it behaves as mostly a fat in a meal.

Chicken wing, method by method

There is a 68 percent spread between raw chicken wing (191 calories per 100 g) and fried (321). The cause is fat absorbed from the pan while moisture cooks off.

Each line compares 113 g of chicken wing, prepared a different way.

This is the part a photo cannot always settle. A camera can tell a grilled piece from a fried one, but it cannot see how much oil stayed in the pan. How accurate AI calorie apps are covers where that uncertainty sits.

What to know before you cook chicken wing

Chicken wings comprise the drumette, flat, and tip. You can buy them whole or jointed. Look for plump joint connections and intact, damp skin without discolouration or dry patches. Avoid packs with excess liquid at the bottom, which suggests previous freezing and thawing. White or yellow skin is acceptable, depending on the bird's feed.

High heat renders the abundant fat under the skin, rendering it crisp. Gentle heat keeps the meat tender but leaves the skin rubbery. The common mistake is undercooking the joints, which requires prolonged heat to soften the collagen. Cook until the meat pulls away from the bone ends and the skin bubbles.

These are eaten with fingers, requiring napkins. In American kitchens, they are tossed in sharp vinegar and cayenne sauce. In East Asian cooking, they are glazed with soy sauce, ginger, and honey. They pair well with cold, crisp celery, blue cheese dip, or sesame seeds.

Chicken wing: the full nutrient profile

What 4 oz of raw chicken wing supplies most of: niacin (40 percent of the Daily Value), selenium (36 percent of the Daily Value), vitamin B6 (35 percent of the Daily Value). All rows below respond to the serving you chose.

Where chicken wing fits in a day

4 oz of raw chicken wing: 11 percent of 2,000 calories, 40 percent of the protein Daily Value. Those are reference numbers; the TDEE calculator finds yours, and the macro calculator converts them to grams.

Recipes that start with chicken wing

These are the Calorie Counter Team’s recipes for chicken wing. Their nutrition panels are arithmetic: ingredient weights multiplied through USDA records, divided by servings.

Dinner · British

Oven Roasted Chicken Wings

A basic method for roasting chicken wings in the oven.

40 min · serves 2

573kcal

88gprotein

22gfat

0.6gcarbs

Ingredients

• chicken wings 800 g
• vegetable oil 15 g
• table salt 6 g
• ground black pepper 2 g

Method

1. Heat the oven to 200C.
2. Pat the chicken wings dry with paper towels.
3. Toss the wings in a bowl with the vegetable oil, salt, and black pepper.
4. Arrange the wings in a single layer on a baking tray.
5. Bake for 35 minutes until the skin is crisp and the internal temperature reaches 74C.

4 USDA records went into this total. It describes the ingredients as weighed, not the dish after cooking losses.

Lunch · Chinese

Soy and Ginger Braised Chicken Wings

A stovetop braise of chicken wings with soy and ginger.

35 min · serves 2

417kcal

68gprotein

11gfat

8.2gcarbs

Ingredients

• chicken wings 600 g
• soy sauce 40 g
• fresh ginger root 15 g
• brown sugar 12 g
• water 150 g

Method

1. Slice the ginger root thinly.
2. Place the chicken wings, ginger, soy sauce, brown sugar, and water into a saucepan.
3. Bring the liquid to a boil over medium heat.
4. Reduce the heat, cover the pan, and simmer for 25 minutes.
5. Remove the lid and boil for 5 minutes to reduce the liquid to a glaze.

Built from 5 USDA ingredient records. A cooked dish never matches its raw sum exactly, but it stays close.

Side · French

Chicken Wing Stock

A clear stock made by simmering chicken wings and vegetables.

130 min · serves 4

340kcal

56gprotein

9gfat

5.9gcarbs

Ingredients

• chicken wings 1,000 g
• brown onion 150 g
• carrot 100 g
• table salt 8 g
• water 1,500 g

Method

1. Chop the onion and carrot into 2-centimetre pieces.
2. Place the chicken wings, chopped vegetables, salt, and water into a large stockpot.
3. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
4. Simmer uncovered for 2 hours, skimming any foam from the surface.
5. Strain the liquid through a fine sieve and discard the solids.

Per serving, from 5 USDA FoodData Central records. Cooking changes weight and some nutrients; treat these as close rather than exact.

Calorie Counter Team, food critic

Chicken wing as part of a meal

A worked example, every line from the same USDA data as the table above. Swap any of it; the arithmetic is the point, not the menu.

How chicken wing compares with similar foods

Compared gram for gram, with the form of each food stated. Follow any link for that food’s full page.

Common questions on chicken wing

How many calories does 4 oz of raw chicken wing have?

4 oz of raw chicken wing is 216 calories. That comes from the USDA record “Chicken, broilers or fryers, wing, meat and skin, raw” (FDC 172390), which is 191 calories per 100 g.

Is there much protein in chicken wing?

4 oz of raw chicken wing has 20 g of protein. By weight that is 18 g per 100 g, and the serving covers 40 percent of the Daily Value.

Does cooking change the calories in chicken wing?

It does. The same 113 g is 216 calories raw and 363 fried, with the other preparations listed here falling in between.

Can you eat chicken wing when trying to lose weight?

That depends on the rest of the day, not on chicken wing. For planning: 4 oz of raw chicken wing is 216 calories and 20 g of protein, 37 percent protein by energy, which is a favourable trade when calories are tight.

How do you separate the joints?

Place the wing flat on a board. Feel for the hollow space between the bones with your thumb. Press a sharp chef's knife straight down through that gap. The blade should slide through easily without splintering any bone.

What should you do with the tips?

Do not discard them. They contain high amounts of gelatine. Freeze them in a bag until you have gathered a large quantity. Simmer them with vegetables to make a rich, thick chicken stock for sauces and soups.

Sources

• Chicken, broilers or fryers, wing, meat and skin, raw — USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 172390
• Chicken, broilers or fryers, wing, meat and skin, cooked, roasted — USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 173630
• Chicken, broilers or fryers, wing, meat and skin, cooked, fried, flour — USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 173629
• Daily Values for nutrition labelling, 21 CFR 101.9