When you think of protein-rich meals, fast food may not necessarily spring to mind, but when you’re on the go and short on time, a quick trip to Chick-fil-A may be the most efficient and effective way to get your nutrition fix. Chick-fil-A is one of the first quick-service restaurants to offer parent-friendly menus with grilled entrées and fruit cups. Whether you’re looking out for your health or that of your little one, Chick-fil-A is here to help you on your journey to better health. Eating healthy while dining out has never been easier.
Whether you grab Chick-fil-A for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, there’s a protein-packed menu for omnivores and carnivores alike (sorry, vegetarians, the protein train hasn’t caught up with the plant-focused trend in fast food yet). Before you go for the currently advertised special (we’re looking at you, pretzel sandwich), keep in mind that there’s more to eating protein than just focusing on protein. Protein can help with appetite control and cravings, but it’s not the only macronutrient you should focus on. Don’t worry, we won’t leave you hanging. With my nutritionist credentials under my belt, I’m sharing my top seven protein-packed menu options to consider the next time you’re at Chick-fil-A.
Tips for ordering higher protein and healthier options at Chick-fil-A:
- Aim for 20 or more grams of protein per meal. Protein is one of the three macronutrients essential for feeling full and maintaining and building muscle. Protein needs vary depending on age, gender, activity level, and lifestyle. The recommended daily amount of protein for adults is 46 to 56 grams. While individual needs may be much higher, this amount meets the basic needs of a generally healthy person. However, many nutritionists (myself included) would argue that 1 to 1.4 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight is a more accurate estimate of daily protein needs. If you weigh 150 pounds, your protein needs are between 68 and 95 grams. If you aim for about 20 to 30 grams of protein per meal and consume additional protein in snacks, you’ll be well on your way to meeting these numbers.
- Focus on fiber. Fiber helps you stay full longer and snack less between meals. Unless you opt for a salad, it may be harder to increase your fiber intake at Chick-fil-A. But every gram counts. Consider choosing a side, such as the large fruit cup, which will give you another 4 filling grams of fiber.
- Limit your intake of saturated fat to no more than 10 grams per order. The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend limiting saturated fat intake to no more than 10% of daily calories. For someone on a 2,000-calorie diet, that equates to about 200 calories or 22 grams of saturated fat daily. If your menu choices at Chick-fil-A keep you under 10 grams of saturated fat, you can make other choices throughout the day to keep your saturated fat intake under control. Since many of the sandwich options I selected come with cheese, you can always order the sandwich without cheese to reduce the overall saturated fat content.
- Reduce the salt content. The 2020–2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans also recommend limiting sodium intake to no more than 2,300 milligrams per day, or about 1 teaspoon. Many Chick-fil-A products contain higher levels of sodium, so it’s important to plan the day’s other meals and snacks more carefully.
- Reduce added sugar. Another change in the recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans concerns the amount of added sugar consumed daily. The current recommendations from the American Heart Association are even lower than the Dietary Guidelines, which limit added sugar to no more than 6% of total calories per day. That’s about 6 teaspoons per day for women (or 100 calories) and no more than 9 teaspoons for men (or 150 calories). Many restaurants, including Chick-fil-A, do not distinguish between added and natural sugars in their food. The total sugar content of the menu selections below is not representative of these recommendations because the Market Salad contains natural sugars from fruit.
Read on to learn about 7 of the best high-protein Chick-fil-A orders you can make, then check out the 20 best high-protein fast food meals.
Protein grill
Nutritional values (per sandwich):
Calories: 300
Fat: 8 g (Saturated fatty acids: 4 g)
sodium: 990mg
Carbohydrates: 29 g (fiber: 1 g, sugar: 2 g)
protein: 27g
Need a quick bite for breakfast? Then the Chick-fil-A Egg White Grill sandwich is for you. It has 27 grams of high-quality protein per serving. While it could have more fiber (hello, whole wheat sandwich), I don’t shy away from this choice. Reduce the sodium content (with minimal loss of protein) by skipping cheese to keep your blood pressure under control. And of course, choose other unprocessed, whole foods at other meals that day to keep your sodium intake in balance.
Grilled chicken sandwich
Nutritional values (per sandwich):
Calories: 390
Fat: 12 g (saturated fatty acids: 2 g)
sodium: 770mg
Carbohydrates: 44 g (fiber: 3 g, sugar: 12 g)
protein: 28g
One of Chick-fil-A’s more moderate sodium options is the Grilled Chicken Sandwich. Not only does it pack 28 grams of high-quality protein, but it also packs a few grams of fiber (thanks, Chick-fil-A, for the multigrain bun!). If you’re a purist when it comes to sandwiches (and want to minimize your added sugar intake at this meal), skip the Honey Roasted BBQ Sauce, which packs 2 additional grams of sugar.
Grilled Chicken Club Sandwich (without cheese)
Nutritional values (per sandwich):
Calories: 440
Fat: 16 g (saturated fatty acids: 3.5 g)
sodium: 980mg
Carbohydrates: 44 g (fiber: 3 g, sugar: 12 g)
protein: 32g
To increase the protein content of your sandwich even further, order the Grilled Chicken Club Sandwich without cheese. This provides 4 more filling grams of fiber, but unfortunately with the extra protein comes extra sodium. Unless you’re on a strict low-sodium diet, you don’t need to worry too much about the extra sodium if you enjoy bacon on your sandwiches. Just be sure to choose low-sodium foods in the rest of your meals and snacks that day.
Spicy southwest salad with grilled fillet
Nutritional values (per salad):
Calories: 680
Fat: 48 g (saturated fatty acids: 9.5 g)
sodium: 1,220 mg
Carbohydrates: 26 g (fiber: 7 g, sugar: 7 g)
protein: 35g
It’s got fiber, protein, and it actually sounds (and looks) delicious. It’s the Spicy Southwest Salad with Grilled Tenderloin. This menu option caught my attention as someone who likes things a little spicier. It’s higher in saturated fat than other menu options, but it fits into a balanced eating plan if you make more conscious choices the rest of the day. And thanks to the 35 grams of high-quality protein from the chicken tenderloin, you can rest assured that this dish is filling. As much as I like spicy food, to save on sodium, I would opt for the grilled tenderloin without any seasoning, as it has 350 milligrams of sodium.
Spicy southwest salad with grilled nuggets
Nutritional values (per salad):
Calories: 700
Fat: 49 g (saturated fatty acids: 10 g)
sodium: 1,290 mg
Carbohydrates: 26 g (fiber: 7 g, sugar: 7 g)
protein: 39g
Like the Spicy Southwest Salad with Grilled Tenderloin, the same salad with the grilled nuggets is a great protein-rich choice. It packs a little more protein with 4 additional grams to 39 grams. It also has 7 grams of filling fiber. Because it contains more saturated fat and sodium than recommended, be careful with your other meals throughout the day and choose items with little to no sodium and minimal saturated fat.
Market salad with grilled fillet
Nutritional values (per salad):
Calories: 550
Fat: 31 g (Saturated fatty acids: 6 g)
sodium: 1,010mg
Carbohydrates: 42 g (fiber: 5 g, sugar: 26 g)
protein: 28g
Chick-fil-A has another excellent salad choice that sounds as good as it looks: the Market Salad With Grilled Filet. It features seasonal berries, crisp apples, and a crunchy granola and nut mix that provides 7 grams of fiber per salad. While it’s lower in protein than the Southwest Salad, it packs a filling 28 grams, making it a great high-protein choice.
On the other hand, don’t be fooled by the sugar content. Much of the sugar content comes from the fresh fruit in the salad. If you’re concerned, you can always skip the cereal and use only half the dressing, as these ingredients traditionally contain higher levels of added sugar. Since this salad exceeds the sodium recommendations per meal, choose low-sodium snacks and meals throughout the rest of the day to compensate.
Market salad with grilled nuggets
Nutritional values (per salad):
Calories: 570
Fat: 32 g (Saturated fatty acids: 6 g)
sodium: 1,080mg
Carbohydrates: 41 g (fiber: 6 g, sugar: 27 g)
protein: 32g
Order the market salad with grilled nuggets and you’ve got a good high-protein choice, too. It provides 5 additional grams of protein and has just under 600 calories, so it fits into many healthy eating plans. Don’t worry about the sugar content. Fresh fruit in the salad contributes to those numbers, although the amount isn’t specified. If you’re trying to watch your added sugar intake, skip the cereal and regular dressing and use olive oil and vinegar to reduce the added sugar content.
And last but not least, if you want to round out your meal with a sweet treat, consider the seasonal fruit cup with no added sugar. The other treats listed (like a chocolate fudge brownie or waffle) contain between 24 and 98 grams of added sugar and offer less than half the protein of the other menu options.
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