Buffalo Wild Wings calories: the best order for every goal
Buffalo Wild Wings publishes a full nutrition guide, and the wing numbers come with a catch: they include the sauce or dry rub the wings are hand-spun in, listed without the celery, carrots and dressing that usually ride along. Read it and two things stand out. The chicken itself is very lean, with grilled dippers and naked bone-in wings carrying huge protein for the calories, while the sauces, breading and loaded sharables carry almost all of the damage. Every figure below comes from that published guide.
By the Forkiee editorial team. Last reviewed July 30, 2026. Editorial standards.
The best Buffalo Wild Wings order for every goal
Every figure below is calculated from Buffalo Wild Wings’s own published per-ingredient nutrition. Portions and recipes change, so confirm against the live Buffalo Wild Wings nutrition calculator before you order.
Goal
Order
Cal
Protein
Highest protein
Grilled Chicken Dippers (5 ct)61g of protein for 260 calories and 0g of carbs, the best protein-per-calorie order on the menu by a wide margin. A 10-count doubles it to 123g for 520. The tradeoff is sodium, since the grilled marinade brings a 5-count to about 1,910mg. For bone-in fans, 6 naked Traditional wings carry 53g for 430 calories at just 160mg.
260
61g
Lowest calorie (still filling)
Grilled Chicken Dippers (3 ct)37g of protein for 160 calories and no carbs, the leanest real order at the chain. A 6-count naked Traditional wing order is 430 calories for 53g if you want bone-in, and a Grilled Classic Chicken Sandwich is 410 for 27g. Skip the fries, since a regular is 420 calories on its own.
160
37g
Keto / low-carb
6 Traditional (bone-in) wings, dry rub, no friesBone-in wings are naturally 0g of carbs, and a Buffalo Dry Rub adds about 5 calories and 1g. Boneless wings are breaded, so a 6-count is 20g of carbs before any sauce. Skip the sugary sauces, since Asian Zing adds 31g of carbs to a 6-count, and treat carrots and celery (8g) as the side.
~435
53g
Vegan (best plant-based)
Small Cauliflower Wings, dry rubThe Cauliflower Wings are the only plant-forward wing, 520 calories and 58g of carbs in a small before sauce. They are battered and fried, not a certified vegan item, so cross-contact and non-vegan ingredients are possible. A Southwestern Black Bean Burger patty is another meat-free base at 200 calories with 18g of protein. Check the allergen and preparation guide before ordering either.
520
8g
Gluten-free
Naked bone-in wings or grilled dippers, no breaded itemsBuffalo Wild Wings states that items are prepared in shared fryers and kitchens, that cross-contact cannot be ruled out, and that no item is certified gluten-free. Bone-in wings without breading and grilled dippers avoid the batter, but confirm the sauce, rub and fryer with a manager before ordering.
varies
varies
Buffalo Wild Wings nutrition by ingredient
The published numbers behind every build above, so you can mix your own. Per Buffalo Wild Wings’s nutrition data.
Ingredient
Cal
Protein
Carbs
6 Traditional (bone-in) wings, no sauce(0g carbs, 160mg sodium before sauce)
430
53g
0g
6 Boneless wings, no sauce(breaded, 1,260mg sodium before sauce)
Southwestern Black Bean Burger(meat-free, 16g fiber)
720
31g
74g
Chicken Caesar Salad (with dressing)(3,890mg sodium)
1020
56g
36g
Crispy Buffalo Chicken Salad (with dressing)(4,080mg sodium, more than any burger here)
1180
50g
71g
Garden Side Salad (no dressing)
90
5g
8g
French Fries (regular)
420
4g
78g
What Buffalo Wild Wings publishes
The most reliable answer to “how many calories is this?” comes from Buffalo Wild Wings’s own nutrition data. Chains revise recipes and portions, so we anchor every figure on this page to the chain’s current publication and link directly so you can verify before ordering.
Buffalo Wild Wings publishes a nutrition guide listing calories, fat, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium, carbohydrate, fiber, sugar and protein for wings, dippers, burgers, sandwiches, wraps, tacos, salads, sides and every sauce and dry rub.
Buffalo Wild Wings states that wing values reflect the wings plus the sauce or dry rub they are hand-spun in, and that all wings are listed without celery, carrots, bleu cheese or ranch unless noted, so added sides change the numbers.
Buffalo Wild Wings publishes a separate allergen and preparation guide and states that items are prepared in shared fryers and kitchens, so cross-contact cannot be ruled out and no item is certified gluten-free, vegetarian or vegan.
Buffalo Wild Wings notes that values can vary with portion, preparation and guest substitutions, and that some items are limited-time or available only at select locations.
Buffalo Wild Wings is surfaced in Forkiee through GPS-based nearby discovery. Once a location loads, every dish is scored against your goal and diet (calorie target, macros, gluten-free, keto, vegan, the FDA Big 9 allergens), so the best-match orders rise to the top.
The point of this page is the manual version of that: the numbers are Buffalo Wild Wings’s, the math is done, and the best order for your goal is in the table above.
Frequently asked
What is the healthiest thing to order at Buffalo Wild Wings?
Naked bone-in wings or grilled dippers. Six naked Traditional wings are 430 calories with 53g of protein, 0g of carbs and just 160mg of sodium before sauce, and Grilled Chicken Dippers give 37g (3 ct) to 61g (5 ct) for 160 to 260 calories. Pick a dry rub over a wet sauce and skip the fries, which start at 420 calories.
How many calories are in Buffalo Wild Wings traditional wings?
Per Buffalo Wild Wings' published guide, 6 Traditional (bone-in) wings are 430 calories before sauce and 10 are about 720, with 0g of carbs and 53g to 90g of protein. Sauces and rubs add on top: a dry rub adds roughly 5 to 15 calories, while a wet sauce like Original Buffalo adds 110 and about 990mg of sodium.
Are boneless wings healthier than traditional wings at Buffalo Wild Wings?
Not really. Boneless wings are breaded, so a 6-count is 360 calories with 20g of carbs and 1,260mg of sodium before sauce, while 6 bone-in wings are 430 calories with 0g of carbs and 160mg of sodium. Bone-in also carries more protein, 53g versus 29g. Boneless saves about 70 calories but adds the breading, the carbs and most of the sodium.
What is the highest-protein order at Buffalo Wild Wings?
Grilled Chicken Dippers. A 5-count is 61g of protein for 260 calories and a 10-count is 123g for 520, both with 0g of carbs. Naked bone-in wings are next at 53g per 6-count. The catch on the grilled dippers is sodium, since the marinade brings a 5-count to about 1,910mg.
