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Are Buffalo Wings Keto Friendly? The Answer may surprise you!
Almost everyone considers buffalo wings to be their favorite type of wings. They are a classic dish that is perfect for watching football on Sundays, serving as appetizers for parties, or even eating on their own for dinner.
Are you craving some tasty chicken and wondering are buffalo wings keto friendly?
No problem, we have gathered the right amount of information that will answer your question.
What are Buffalo Wings?
So, let's first talk about what buffalo wings are.
Brief History:
In 1964, a small bar in Buffalo, New York, was the birthplace of a very popular bar snack in the United States. Without the Anchor Bar and its owner's creativity (she wanted to use the leftover cooked wings to feed her family), many Americans who go to bars on game day probably wouldn't know that you can put crispy wings in a sweet-hot sauce.
Basically, in American cooking, a Buffalo wing is a flat or drumette section of unbreaded chicken wing. The wing is deep fried and comes with their signature buffalo sauce.
Are Buffalo Wings Keto?
Technically, no, traditional buffalo wings are covered in flour, fried, and tossed in buffalo sauce. When someone is on a keto or low-carb diet, they try to avoid carbs that come from flour as much as possible. But if the chicken wings are coated only in buffalo sauce (and no breading), they will be keto.
How many carbs are in Buffalo Wings?
Do buffalo wings have any carbs? No, not really. As long as they are not breaded, the carbs in buffalo chicken wings would be very low.
Frying breaded chicken wings can significantly increase their carb content. Total carbohydrates in a fried chicken wing with breading amount to 3.2g, while the net carbohydrate content is 3.1g. Consequently, this means that buffalo wings aren’t the best food to eat on a keto diet.
However, if you’re doing a dirty keto diet, then you can definitely let yourself enjoy some buffalo wings.
If you must have breading, opt for a keto-friendly variety, like that used for low-carb chicken tenders.
The nutritional value of buffalo wings can change depending on the restaurant or manufacturer. The Buffalo Wings at TGI Fridays are suitable for those on a ketogenic diet. The net carbohydrate content of a serving of their traditional buffalo wings is only 3 grams. Their Whiskey-Glazed wings, for example, have 50 g of net carbs, so they are not keto-friendly.
Buffalo wings from Applebee's, on the other hand, have 13 grams of net carbs, making them a poor choice for keto dieters. The medium Buffalo wings at Buffalo Wild Wings are keto-friendly because they only have 4 grams of net carbs.
Different Variations of Buffalo Wings
You can prepare keto friendly buffalo wings in a number of different ways. Make sure you pick a method that lets you cook at your convenience.
- Coat wings with baking powder and then bake them in the oven.
- Fry in a deep fryer.
- Don’t add any baking powder
If you want to experiment with a few different flavors before preparing your Keto wings, here are some suggestions:
- Option for those who must avoid dairy: mix hot sauce with vegan butter.
- Tune the spice levels by adding buffalo sauce while the wings are cooking.
- Honey can be added to traditional buffalo sauce for those who aren't following a ketogenic or low-carb diet in order to improve the sauce's stickiness and add a touch of sweetness.
Buffalo Chicken Wings Recipe
Ingredients
- Chicken Wings (Flat or Drumette)
- Hot Sauce
- Butter
- Garlic powder
- Worcestershire sauce
- Ranch Dressing or Blue Cheese dressing, for dipping (optional)
Method for Preparing Buffalo Wing Sauce
Preparing the sauce is fairly simple. Melt butter in a pan over a low heat. Add hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic powder and stir to combine.
Once the sauce is mixed, keep it warm on the stove until the wings are done.
In this recipe, the chicken wings are baked at 400 degrees F for 30 minutes. They are turned once in the middle so that both sides get the same amount of cooking time.
When they are done, take them out of the oven and put them in the pan with the sauce. Toss the wings to coat them.
The butter in the sauce helps the sauce stick to the wings, so they stay nice and saucy.
Use Blue Cheese or Ranch Dressing to top them. They are great as a starter, a main dish, or a snack to eat while watching a game.
Keto Buffalo Sauce Recipe Variations
- To create a thicker, creamier buffalo sauce, add 1/4 cup mayonnaise to the cooled sauce and vigorously whisk it together. Add more until it tastes just right! Incorporating small pieces of softened cream cheese into the piping hot sauce also works very well. Creamy buffalo sauce compliments chicken tenders, grilled chicken breast, and keto buffalo chicken wings particularly well.
- While the butter is melting, add a few cloves of minced garlic into the mixture.
- Stir in a little regular or smoked paprika
- Worcestershire sauce should be added in very small amounts (check the amounts because it is not keto friendly).
- Cayenne pepper should be added if you like it spicy! Reduce the amount of hot sauce called for in the recipe if you prefer a milder final product.
What to Serve with Buffalo Wings?
Blue cheese dressing is served with celery and carrot sticks with traditional buffalo wings or keto buffalo wings. If you’re not a fan of blue cheese, ranch dressing is also a good option. If you decide to serve them as an appetizer, here are some other options:
- Sweet Potato Fries
- Bacon-wrapped Asparagus
- Onion Rings
- Fried Rice
- Mac and Cheese
- Cucumber Salad
- Mashed Potatoes
- Keto Stuffed Mushrooms
What’s the correct way to store buffalo chicken wings?
It’s best to store the chicken wings away in an airtight container and put that in the fridge. You can then keep them in the fridge for two days!
What are the health benefits of eating Buffalo Wings?
Nutrient-Rich
Chicken has small amounts of vitamin C and calcium. It also contains other nutrients that are essential for the body.
High in Protein
Chicken is a great way to get protein. There are 36 grams of protein in 6 Buffalo wings.
Protein helps your body keep muscle mass and builds muscle at the same time. People who eat enough protein are more likely to keep their muscles strong and their metabolism working well.
Helps keep bones healthy
Chicken is a good source of protein, but it is also a good source of calcium and phosphorus, which help keep bones and teeth healthy. These minerals also make it less likely that you will get arthritis.
Reduces Stress and PMS
The tryptophan and vitamin B5 in chicken wings can help you feel less stressed and more calm. Chicken also has magnesium, which helps to ease the pain of PMS.
Boosts the Immune System
Chicken has a positive impact on your immune system. The presence of protein in the wings will help improve your overall health.
Side Effects of having Buffalo Wings?
Too much oily fried chicken is definitely not good for your health. Eating unhealthy foods can significantly increase your risk of suffering from a heart disease.
Your risk of getting cancer could go up if you eat a lot of meat and not many fruits and vegetables. Research shows that vegetarians have a 40% lower chance of getting cancer than meat eaters.
Also, arsenic is often added to chicken feed to prevent diarrhea, make the chickens' feathers darker, and help them grow well. But humans who are exposed to arsenic are more likely to get heart disease, diabetes, neurological problems, or even cancer.
Wrapping Up
In conclusion, buffalo wings are a classic American dish that is enjoyed by many. However, are buffalo wings keto? Unfortunately no, traditional buffalo wings are not typically considered keto-friendly as they are coated in flour and deep fried.
The carb content in buffalo wings can vary depending on the restaurant or manufacturer, with some options being more keto-friendly than others.
To make buffalo wings keto-friendly, you can coat them in baking powder and bake them in the oven, fry them in a deep fryer without adding any baking powder, or experiment with different flavors and sauces.
Overall, it's important to check the nutrition information and be mindful of the carb content when consuming buffalo wings on a keto diet.
If you'd like to learn more about keto friendly foods, click on one of the links below:
Is Chicken Broth Keto Friendly?
FAQs
What should I do to get crispy baked wings?
For perfectly crunchy baked wings, keep in mind these two guidelines: 1) For optimal results, bake them on a broiler pan or wire rack set over a baking sheet. 2) Before placing them in the oven, sprinkle them with baking powder.
Why do you put baking powder on chicken wings?
Baking powder raises the pH level of the wings, which lets the skin break down and make a crispy brown crust. And be careful not to use baking soda by mistake, because it will make them bitter.
Must the baking powder be free of aluminum?
When aluminum is in the baking powder, it can make the wings taste bitter. So we would recommend the kind without aluminum.
Can I bake frozen wings?
Yes, you can! Just put them straight into the oven that has already been heated, without any baking powder, salt, or pepper. Bake them as directed, then turn the oven to BROIL and broil them on both sides until they are crispy. Make sure they don't catch fire! The baking powder makes a crust-like coating that won't be on the frozen wings because the baking powder won't stick to them when they're frozen. But they'll still be delicious!
How can chicken wings be separated (or split)?
It can be difficult to find wings that have already been split. When purchasing whole chicken wings, the wingette and drumette must be separated. To accomplish this, turn the chicken skin-side down and cut the cartilage between the drumette and wingette. Then, either remove the tip or cut between the wingette and tip.
Is it possible to air fry previously frozen chicken wings?
Yes! When air-frying frozen wings, there is no need to thaw them first. Simply increase the total amount of time spent cooking by five minutes. Cook the chicken wings for an additional five minutes, bringing the total time to 25 minutes.
How do you make buffalo wing sauce without using dairy products?
Just replace the butter with olive oil or butter-flavored coconut oil and you're good to go.
