Craving wings? I can bet I know where you’re headed: Buffalo Wild Wings. This popular chicken chain with locations in all 50 states is a wing lover’s paradise. Whether you prefer savory or sweet, breaded or plain, here you’ll find every combination of chicken and seasonings to suit your poultry fancy.
Chicken wings on their own are a healthy protein—and the challenge of getting the meat off the bones can make for more mindful eating. But that doesn’t mean that everything at Buffalo Wild Wings is good for you. As a nutritionist, I’ve rolled up my sleeves and dug into BWW’s menu to determine the 21 best and worst orders for your health—so you don’t have to wing it when ordering.
Wings & Tenders
Best: 6-count Boneless Wings
Nutrition: 360 calories, 19 g fat (7 g sat fat), 1,260 mg sodium, 20 g carbs (1 g fiber, 0 g sugar), 29 g protein
Boneless wings offer all the tasty meat of regular wings without the effort of pulling it off stubborn bones. Fortunately, Buffalo Wild Wings’ boneless wings are a decent choice. Six of these pop-able bites have a moderate 360 calories and 19 grams of fat.
Best: 3-count Naked Chicken Tenders
Nutrition: 490 calories, 24 g fat (9 g sat fat), 1,490 mg sodium, 34 g carbs (2 g fiber, 0 g sugar), 35 g protein
BWW’s naked chicken tenders are simply seasoned chicken breast—one of the leanest, highest-protein meats around. Though they’re not totally naked (with a high sodium count of 1,490 milligrams), they’re still a good choice to promote feelings of fullness.
Signature Sauces & Dry Rubs
Best: Desert Heat Dry Rub
Nutrition: 5 calories, 0 g fat (0 g sat fat), 250 mg sodium, 1 g carbs (0 g fiber, 1 g sugar), 0 g protein
If you want to keep things low-cal at Buffalo Wild Wings, opt for their dry rubs over their signature sauces. All the dry rubs have significantly less calories, fat, and saturated fat than the sauces. The Desert Heat version is the best of the bunch with the lowest sodium of all BWW’s dry rubs.
Best: Lemon Pepper Dry Rub
Nutrition: 5 calories, 0 g fat (0 g sat fat), 290 mg sodium, 1 g carbs (0 g fiber, 0 g sugar), 0 g protein
Lemon and pepper are a classic flavor combo for their juxtaposition of sour and savory. At BWW, you can choose this tasty dry rub on your wings for a minimum of calories, no fat or sugar, and moderate sodium.
Best: Chipotle BBQ Dry Rub
Nutrition: 5 calories, 0 g fat (0 g sat fat), 360 mg sodium, 1 g carbs (0 g fiber, 1 g sugar), 0 g protein
Not only does the chipotle BBQ dry rub coat your wings with fiery spice, it contains none of the top nine most common food allergens, making it a great choice for people with allergies. Some research even shows that eating spicy foods like red or chipotle peppers can increase thermogenesis, the body’s heat mechanism that burns calories.
Best: Buffalo Dry Rub
Nutrition: 5 calories, 0 g fat (0 g sat fat), 480 mg sodium, 1 g carbs (0 g fiber, 0 g sugar), 0 g protein
With “Buffalo” right there in its name, the Buffalo dry rub is one of BWW’s signature menu items. Go ahead and enjoy it on your wings—it’ll only set you back 5 calories and 1 gram of carbs.
Worst: Lemon Pepper Signature Sauce
Nutrition: 270 calories, 28 g fat (4.5 g sat fat), 1,060 mg sodium, 3 g carbs (1 g fiber, 1 g sugar), 0 g protein
Though the lemon pepper dry rub is a good choice, the same can’t be said for the lemon pepper signature sauce. Despite sharing a name with the rub, it’s dramatically higher in just about every nutrition category.
Worst: Thai Curry Signature Sauce
Nutrition: 220 calories, 22 g fat (4 g sat fat), 1,350 mg sodium, 6 g carbs (1 g fiber, 3 g sugar), 1 g protein
Holy sodium! One side of BWW’s Thai curry signature sauce contains 56% of the recommended daily limit of 2,400 milligrams of sodium. It also contains six of the most common food allergens—so steer clear if you’re sensitive to dairy, eggs, soy, tree nuts, wheat, or gluten.
Worst: Parmesan Garlic Signature Sauce
Nutrition: 190 calories, 19 g fat (3.5 g sat fat), 940 mg sodium, 5 g carbs (1 g fiber, 2 g sugar), 2 g protein
On their own, garlic and parmesan are excellent ingredients for healthy, low-calorie food flavoring. Unfortunately, BWW’s parmesan garlic sauce manages to turn these simple seasonings into a calorie-laden topping that’s heavy on the sodium.
Worst: Original Buffalo Signature Sauce
Nutrition: 160 calories, 17 g fat (3.5 g sat fat), 1,300 mg sodium, 2 g carbs (1 g fiber, 0 g sugar), 0 g protein
If you’re craving that signature Buffalo flavor, get it from BWW’s dry rub, not their signature sauce. Or dip your wings sparingly—this sauce contains a surprising amount of fat and salt.
Bird Dawgs + Burgers
Best: Southwestern Black Bean Burger
Nutrition: 740 calories, 42 g fat (11 g sat fat), 1,780 mg sodium, 74 g carbs (17 g fiber, 11 g sugar), 31 g protein
It’s hard to go wrong with the plant-based protein of black beans, which boast plenty of fiber to support digestive health and reduce cholesterol. Though BWW’s Southwestern black bean burger is high in sodium, it makes up its health factor with plenty of fiber and protein.
Worst: Smoked Brisket Burger
Nutrition: 1,020 calories, 66 g fat (27 g sat fat), 2,610 mg sodium, 44 g carbs (3 g fiber, 11 g sugar), 61 g protein
A buttery bun, bacon aioli, and an epic pile of beef don’t add up to a healthy choice—especially for your heart. Eating higher amounts of red and processed meats like the ones in the smoked brisket burger has been linked with higher risk of heart disease.
Worst: Cheese Curd Bacon Burger
Nutrition: 1,210 calories, 83 g fat (35 g sat fat), 2,790 mg sodium, 50 g carbs (4 g fiber, 9 g sugar), 68 g protein
Order this one to split! This way, you and a friend can halve the calories, fat, and sodium in this cheesy burger. With a garden salad on the side, you’re still likely to get full.
Sandwiches & Wraps + Greens
Best: Saucy Chicken Sandwich
Nutrition: 500 calories, 19 g fat (8 g sat fat), 1,210 mg sodium, 53 g carbs (3 g fiber, 5 g sugar), 30 g protein
Who could have guessed the saucy chicken sandwich would be among the best choices at Buffalo Wild Wings? Though experts usually advise steering clear of entrees with “saucy” in their name, this chicken is the exception that proves the rule. It’s pleasantly low in calories and high in protein.
Best: Brisket Tacos
Nutrition: 610 calories, 30 g fat (11 g sat fat), 1,820 mg sodium, 53 g carbs (6 g fiber, 9 g sugar), 33 g protein
The brisket tacos are a good choice for their fresh pico de gallo topping and fiber-rich avocado spread. Plus, since there are three of them, they’re easy to separate for portion control. Take one home for tomorrow’s lunch!
Worst: Crispy Buffalo Chicken Salad with Bleu Cheese Dressing
Nutrition: 910 calories, 70 g fat (19 g sat fat), 3,180 mg sodium, 36 g carbs (5 g fiber, 6 g sugar), 35 g protein
The least healthy choices among Buffalo Wild Wings’ sandwiches, wraps, and salads aren’t what you’d expect. Psst… They’re salads! Even a green salad can be made into a calorie bomb with the addition of breaded Buffalo chicken, bacon crumbles, and bleu cheese dressing, as in this whopper of an entrée.
Worst: Chopped Cobb Salad with Ranch Dressing
Nutrition: 830 calories, 69 g fat (16 g sat fat), 1,900 mg sodium, 15 g carbs (5 g fiber, 7 g sugar), 38 g protein
The chopped Cobb at BWW isn’t a whole lot healthier choice than the crispy Buffalo salad. Though it cuts back on sodium and total calories, it’s still got outsized amounts of fat and saturated fat. Believe it or not, you’re probably better off ordering tacos.
Appetizers & Sides
Best: Garden Side Salad
Nutrition: 80 calories, 4.5 g fat (2.5 g sat fat), 100 mg sodium, 7 g carbs (3 g fiber, 3 g sugar), 5 g protein
Compared to Buffalo Wild Wings’ entrée salads, their garden side salad is practically angelic. Without dressing, this mix of greens, fresh tomatoes, carrots, and cheese has a mere 80 calories and 100 milligrams of sodium. Add it to any meal to a refreshing dose of veggies.
Best: Carrots and Celery with Ranch Dressing
Nutrition: 380 calories, 34 g fat (5 g sat fat), 680 mg sodium, 16 g carbs (5 g fiber, 10 g sugar), 3 g protein
Veggies with Ranch are a beloved side for wings—and it’s hard to top their excellent nutrition! Besides their fiber content, carrots contain ample amounts of vitamin A, which has antioxidant properties that could help lower inflammation. Celery, on the other hand, is one of the lowest-calorie veggies on the planet. Go easy on the Ranch to make this side dish even lighter and healthier.
Worst: Onion Rings with Southwestern Dressing
Nutrition: 1,590 calories, 105 g fat (35 g sat fat), 2,480 mg sodium, 148 g carbs (12 g fiber, 23 g sugar), 21 g protein
Onion rings don’t usually make the cut as a healthy appetizer, and that’s certainly true at Buffalo Wild Wings. As a fried food, they’re a beast of an app you’d do well to avoid. Fried foods have been associated with poor heart health and even poor mental health. The only saving grace here is 12 grams of fiber and 21 grams of protein.
Worst: Cheddar Cheese Curds with Southwestern Ranch Dressing
Nutrition: 1,400 calories, 112 g fat (51 g sat fat), 3,160 mg sodium, 39 g carbs (3 g fiber, 5 g sugar), 57 g protein
The cheddar cheese curds with southwestern Ranch give new meaning to the term “heavy apps.” These cheesy bites provide more than enough saturated fat and sodium for an entire day’s worth of eating. If you order them before dinner, be sure to share them with the whole table.
