Trying to eat healthy at Chick-fil-A seems about as practical as ordering mocktails in New Orleans. This isn’t a nutritious endeavor; let’s not try to make it one. But after trying nearly every item on the Chick-fil-A menu, I’ve come to what I assume is going to be a very unpopular conclusion: Chick-fil-A’s healthier options are actually better than their fried chicken.
Not to besmirch America’s beloved salty-sweet, borderline-addictive chicken obsession. But if you venture past the beige part of the menu, you’ll find Chick-fil-A puts just as much thought into their colorful salads. And if you’re trying to eat a little better, it’s low-key your best fast-food option.
But let’s be clear: Ordering one of Chick-fil-A’s salads as-is doesn’t do much for your healthy eating. The salads pack more calories and fat than most of the chicken sandwiches, thanks mostly to the cheese, dressing, and fried tortilla strips that come on top. Some might also call this, “The stuff that makes them taste good.”
Chick-fil-A’s salads, however, are still delicious minus all the add-ons. You’ll just need to get a little creative to order them in a way that’s just as tasty, and leaves you full.
Here is how you do it.
Order the Southwest Salad with no dressing and no cheese, subbing regular grilled chicken (the same one used on the Market Salad) for the spicy. Politely decline the tortilla strips and pepitas too. This cuts out most of the fat, and drops about 300 mg of sodium. Ask for a packet of Texas Pete’s hot sauce, which gives the chicken the same spicy flavor, with only 125 mg of sodium. It does double duty as dressing, ensuring the salad isn’t too dry.
The Southwest Salad also brings tomatoes, peppers, poblanos, and corn, adding about two more servings of vegetables. The black beans add four grams of fiber and four more grams of protein.
Now you need to pack in a little more to make sure the salad is substantial. Mix in a side of the Crispy Kale with no dressing, adding nearly two extra servings of greens, with fiber and protein from the almonds. Then order a cold grilled chicken filet to add on top, and you’ve got enough meat to leave even a devoted gym rat full.
For dessert, grab a fruit cup, essentially making up for the fruit servings you’d get in the Market Salad. I’m not exaggerating when I say Chick-fil-A’s fruit is better than the stuff at most chain grocery stores, and it finishes the spicy meal with something cooling and sweet.
Water should be your drink here, though if you must have the tea, go for the unsweetened.
Total nutrients for the best Chick-fil-A order:
Southwest Salad with regular chicken, add a grilled filet (No cheese, no dressing, no extras)
332 Calories, 12g fat, 8g fiber, 40g protein
Texas Pete’s Hot Sauce packet
0 calories, 125mg sodium
Kale Crunch (no dressing)
90 calories, 1g fat, 2g fiber, 2g protein
Large fruit cup
80 calories, 4g fiber, 1g protein
In about 500 calories, you’ve efficiently packed in over 40 grams of protein, 14 grams of fiber, and only 13 grams of fat. That’s fewer calories than just one chicken sandwich, and way more nutrients. You’ll also feel much better than everyone else in your car for the rest of the road trip.