KFC and WingStop lovers often refrain from going on a diet because they aren’t sure whether they can eat chicken wing flats.
Let’s admit it, giving up these delicious bits of protein can make you revalue all your life’s decisions.
However, what if you could eat chicken wing flats when trying to lose weight?
You will only have to cook them differently and use different cuts to create a healthy, balanced meal. Losing weight does not have to be dull or sad.
In fact, you can add your favorite foods to your diet by making small changes along the way.
Can You Eat Chicken Wing Flats When Trying to Lose Weight?
If you want to lose weight, there is no better alternative to turn to than adding chicken to your diet.
Chicken wing flats are definitely an option that you can use to meal prep when trying to lose weight. But, the way you make these wings can be a deal breaker.
Here are some ways to make your wings so that they fit your macros perfectly.
Remember, the way you prepare and eat your chicken wing flats is extremely important.
You can fry the wings in less oil or eat them plain so that you can still have your favorite food as well as lose weight.
You need to be careful with the sauce, skin and eating unhealthy cuts of chicken.
If you use too many sauces and salt while preparing chicken wing flats, the end product will be high in fat, sodium, and calories. You do not need these extra calories when you are on a weight loss journey.
Do not tempt yourself, as calories can be overwhelming.
Types of Chicken Wings – Flats vs. Boneless vs. Drumsticks
When working towards losing weight, you need to be careful with the chicken cut you choose and pay extra attention to how the wings are cooked to ensure that they have the correct nutrition.
There are a few types of chicken wings and cuts, including breasts, flats, and drumsticks.
Let’s walk you through the calories to help you gain insight into chicken wings and weight loss (1):
- Skinless and raw chicken drumstick: 107 calories, 3.7 grams of fat, 18.5 of protein.
- Roasted and skinless chicken drumstick: 175 calories, 6.2 grams of fat, 29.9 grams of protein.
- Chicken wing flat: 210 calories, 14 grams of fat, 20 grams of protein.
- Raw chicken breast or boneless wing: 100 calories, 0.8 grams of fat, 23.3 grams of protein.
- Roasted chicken breast: 129 calories, 0.9 grams of fat, 30.2 grams of protein.
Lowest in Fat – Boneless Chicken Wings
If you are looking for a protein low in fat content, boneless chicken wings are a great choice.
When you compare them to other protein options, especially veal, pork leg strips, lamb stir fry, and beef stir-fry tips, boneless chicken wings or breasts are low in fats and high in protein.
In fact, you should be able to shed weight by maintaining a calorie deficit and switching from fried chicken or chicken with skin to chicken breasts.
Highest in Protein – Chicken Drumsticks
If you want a high-protein option to fit into your diet, roasted chicken drumsticks are the best option.
Cooking these skinless can raise the protein content by 60 percent compared to a skinless and raw chicken drumstick with only 15 to 35 percent protein.
Cooking chicken drumsticks increases the protein content as well as the value of energy. This means that a roasted or cooked chicken wing flat, breast, or drumstick can be slightly higher in calories.
Calories in Chicken Wing Flats
The calories in chicken wing flats are based on how you choose to cook them. Usually, individuals alternate between baking and frying the chicken wings.
Here are some calories to keep in mind so that you can decide how you want to consume your chicken wings (2):
- Air fry: if you air-fry buffalo chicken wings, the nutrition you can expect is 105 calories. This includes 14 grams of fat and 20 grams of protein for every 49-gram wing.
- Roast: If you roast chicken wings, the nutrition you can expect is 142 calories. This includes 9.5 grams of fat and 13.1 grams of protein for every 49-gram wing.
- Bake: If you bake chicken wings, the nutrition you can expect is 174 calories. This includes 14.9 grams of fat and 9.2 grams of protein for every 49-gram wing.
- Deep fry: If you deep fry chicken wings, the nutrition you can expect is 159 calories. This includes 11 grams of fat and 9.7 grams of protein if you remove the bone for every 49-gram wing.
How to Make Chicken Wing Flats for Weight Loss
As you can tell, chicken wing flats are great for weight loss if made correctly.
Here are some additional tips to help make the wings healthier:
- When cooking the chicken, do not use the skin.
- Stir fry or bake the chicken using very less oil. Do not use butter.
- Avoid fried chicken, as this has loads of calories.
- Avoiding the skin reduces the calorie count by 50 percent. It also lowers the fat content of the chicken piece. Chicken skin usually makes up 30 percent of the chicken’s fat content and has 21 percent polyunsaturated and 42 percent monounsaturated fat.
Can You Only Consume Chicken When on a Diet?
While chicken is the best source of protein, it is crucial to consume a balanced diet. This means that only eating chicken throughout the day is not a good idea.
Instead, combine your chicken meal with other meals, such as vegetables and complex carbohydrates. This will help ensure that protein is being absorbed by your body, helping you lose weight without making you feel lethargic all the time.
If you want to reduce your overall weight and keep it off long-term, aim to consume 0.8 grams of protein for every kilogram of your overall weight.
You can include rice in your weight loss journey and pair it with lean proteins like peas, lentils, or chickpeas if you get tired of eating chicken. The trick is to stay in a calorie deficit while consuming a balanced diet.
What are Some Alternatives to Chicken Wing Flats?
If you find that chicken wing flats do not work for you, or you want to include healthier options into your diet or change things up a little, here are some alternatives that you can turn to:
- Goat cheese: Even though cheese has a higher fat content, it is an excellent alternative to chicken wing flats for vegans. You must ensure that you measure the cheese to fit your meal and do not go overboard.
- Protein shake: If you are not eating enough to hit your protein goal or are on the move, you can switch to protein shakes. However, these should not be used as meal replacements. Think of them as supplements.
- Chicken breast: Chicken breasts have a high protein and low-fat content, making them a great alternative to chicken wing flats. You can pair these with slices of multigrain bread and make a sandwich to include some complex carbs into your diet. Another alternative to bread is some fresh vegetables or rice.
- Chicken meatballs: You can use a slow cooker to make some chicken meatballs. This will get rid of any extra oil that you would use to otherwise air fry or deep fry these balls.
- Buffalo cauliflower: If you are looking for a low-fat alternative to chicken wing flats, you can opt for buffalo cauliflower bites. This is a healthy vegetable loaded with fiber that will keep you full and satiated for a long time.
- Vegan wings: Who said vegetarians could not have wings? You can try making vegan wings at home for a low-fat alternative.
Even though all these are great alternatives, you can definitely incorporate chicken wing flats into your diet as long as you figure out how to make them fat-free.
If you want to lose weight, pay attention to how your chicken is prepared and use minimal ingredients.
Weight loss can be complicated, but if you know the nutrients and calories of each meal, you can alter the recipe accordingly. This will help ensure you get sufficient protein throughout the day without all the extra calories that will make you gain weight.
Check also:
Final Thoughts- Benefits of Chicken Wing Flats
Do not underestimate the benefits of adding chicken to your diet. As long as your chicken is treated and properly cooked, it will benefit you.
Here is why chicken is good for you (3,4):
- Builds immunity
- Increases blood hemoglobin because of its high iron content
- Helps improve nails, hair, and skin
- Builds and maintains muscle mass
- Low in carbohydrates, so it keeps blood glucose levels in check
- Repairs connective tissues like the cartilage
- Fastens recovery from surgeries and injuries
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