How does the KFC Chicken Sandwich stack up against the other chicken sandwiches out there?

Why, I’m glad you asked!

At 650 calories, 35g of Fat, 49g of Carbs, and 34g of Protein, it’s relatively well-balanced, but the calories are on the higher side for a chicken sandwich.

Popeyes famous fried chicken sandwich contains slightly more calories with 700, but most of the other fast food fried chicken sandwiches out there contain fewer calories than KFC

Of course, if you want a healthy chicken sandwich, it’s super easy to make your own at home.

This air fryer crispy chicken sandwich contains just 485 calories and an impressive 45 grams of protein! It comes out as crispy and juicy as any fast-food chicken sandwich you’ve had, but with a healthy spin.

If you’re going to enjoy a bucket of chicken, you’re going to want to pair it with some sides, and KFC has no shortage of ’em!

If you were to order a large Mac & Cheese, that bumps up to 540 calories, although that is a side that’s technically meant to feed a family. Assuming you stick with the individual size, it’s really not bad at all.

When watching your calories, it’s important to be mindful of which dipping sauces you use. Whether you’re ordering a bucket of chicken, tenders, or nuggets, you’re likely going to want to pair that chicken with some sauce.

And while it’s easy to dismiss that dipping sauce as nothing more than a condiment, the sauce you choose can make a world of difference.

For example: hot sauce or ketchup will only add 30 calories at most to your meal, while ranch or honey mustard will add over 100 calories. It’s not unlikely that you’ll use more than one side of sauce, too.

If you are using a higher-calorie sauce, you can end up adding over 200 calories of unwanted extra calories.

If you love a particular sauce, you do not need to avoid it! Rather just be mindful of how much you are using so those extra calories don’t sneak up on you.

My go-to order used to be popcorn chicken with potato wedges, so I am very bummed by the current KFC menu which lacks both of these.

I have yet to try the KFC Secret Recipe Fries, but I’ve heard that they are an improvement over the potato wedges.

Luckily, you end up getting more bang for your back with the fries; potato wedges would always feel like a tease because you would end up with fewer than 10 wedges in total. The secret recipe fries are on par with most servings of fast food French fries.

Conclusion: Is KFC healthy?

Much like McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Burger King, and many others, there are a wide variety of options at KFC to fit your goals.

Unfortunately, KFC only offers fried chicken, so if your goal is to eat low-calorie or low-fat, KFC may not be a great option overall for you. In that case, I recommend Chick-fil-A or Wendy’s, both of which offer grilled chicken options.

With all of the chicken options being fried, it limits the amount of protein you’ll get overall (compared to grilled chicken) but there are still some decent options. A 12-piece chicken nugget order offers 36 grams of protein with 420 calories, which is not a bad protein source.

Overall, the “healthiest” options will depend entirely on your lifestyle and goals. While it’s clear that other fast-food restaurants offer a wider variety of healthy options and substitutions, you can still enjoy KFC as part of your diet.