The effects of the ⁶⁰Co γ ray irradiation preservation on the sauced chicken claw were investigated by using different irradiation doses. The relationship was analyzed between the irradiation dose and the total bacterial count, nutrients, the composition of amino acids and fatty acids, AC, POV, TVB-N, nitrite as well as chroma. The results showed that the ⁶⁰Co γ ray irradiation was effective on sterilization, and while the sample was irradiated at the dose of 4.09 kGy, with the total bacterial count reduced to no more than 4.09 kGy. However, no significant effect of the ⁶⁰Co γ ray irradiation on the moisture content was found. The protein content changed slightly before and after irradiation, while no correlation with the irradiation dose was detected. With the increasing of irradiation dose (P＜0.05), the fat content increased and then decreased, and it was significantly higher than that in the control group (P＜0.05) when 5.74 kGy. Though no significant changes in the contents of amino acids and fatty acids were found in the irradiated group, some new fatty acid components raised in all the irradiated groups. In the irradiated groups, the content of fatty acids in the irradiated group was significantly higher than that in the control (P＜0.05). In the 1.88 kGy group, TVB-N was lower than that in the control (P＜0.05), and higher than that in the control at 5.74 kGy (P ＜0.01). No significant change in a value at 0.00～4.09 kGy (P＞0.05) was found, but b value was significantly higher in all irradiated groups than in the control (P＜0.05), and reached a significant level at 5.74 kGy (P＜0.05). This study provided a reference for the establishment of irradiation sterilization technology and the application of irradiation technology in the industrialization of poultry meat products in China.