Best fast-food chicken orders for protein
Nuggets, strips, sandwiches and wraps, ranked by protein per calorie.
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Chicken is the go-to protein at most fast-food chains, but the way it's cooked and served changes the numbers a lot. We ranked the 17 chicken items we track at Chick-fil-A, McDonald's and Starbucks by grams of protein per 100 calories.
Top 10 fast-food chicken orders
| # | Item | Chain | Protein | Calories | Protein / 100 cal | Leaderboard rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chick-fil-A Grilled Nuggets (8 ct) 1 item (as listed) | Chick-fil-A | 25 g | 130 | 19.2 | #11 | label |
| 2 | Chick-fil-A Chick-fil-A Nuggets (8 ct) 1 item (as listed) | Chick-fil-A | 27 g | 250 | 10.8 | #85 | label |
| 3 | Chick-fil-A Chick-n-Strips 1 item (as listed) | Chick-fil-A | 29 g | 310 | 9.4 | #103 | label |
| 4 | McDonald's McCrispy Strips (3 pc) 1 item (as listed) | McDonald's | 31 g | 400 | 7.8 | #111 | label |
| 5 | Chick-fil-A Grilled Chicken Sandwich 1 item (as listed) | Chick-fil-A | 28 g | 390 | 7.2 | #114 | label |
| 6 | Chick-fil-A Chicken Tortilla Soup 1 item (as listed) | Chick-fil-A | 25 g | 350 | 7.1 | #115 | label |
| 7 | Chick-fil-A Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich 1 item (as listed) | Chick-fil-A | 29 g | 420 | 6.9 | #117 | label |
| 8 | Chick-fil-A Chicken, Egg & Cheese Muffin 1 item (as listed) | Chick-fil-A | 27 g | 410 | 6.6 | #119 | label |
| 9 | Chick-fil-A Deluxe Sandwich 1 item (as listed) | Chick-fil-A | 32 g | 490 | 6.5 | #121 | label |
| 10 | Chick-fil-A Cool Wrap 1 item (as listed) | Chick-fil-A | 43 g | 660 | 6.5 | #122 | label |
What stands out
Grilled beats breaded. Chick-fil-A's Grilled Nuggets (8 ct) score 19.2; the breaded Chick-fil-A Nuggets (8 ct) 10.8. See grilled vs regular nuggets.
No bun beats bun. The same grilled chicken in Chick-fil-A's Grilled Chicken Sandwich drops to 7.2, and the classic Chicken Sandwich (6.9) still beats McDonald's McCrispy (5.5).
McDonald's best chicken is the strips: McCrispy Strips (3 pc), 31 g for 400 calories (7.8). Its Ranch Snack Wrap (McCrispy) is near the bottom at 4.3.
Biscuits are last. The lowest-scoring chicken item we track is the Chick-fil-A Chicken Biscuit (4.1).
How to use this list
- Order nuggets or strips over sandwiches. Every Chick-fil-A nugget and strip item we track (9.4–19.2) outscores every chicken sandwich at either chain (5.5–7.2).
- Want the biggest number? The Chick-fil-A Cool Wrap has 43 g, the most of any chicken item here, but it's 660 calories (6.5).
- Sauces and sides aren't included. Dipping sauces and dressings add calories and little protein, so check the chain's nutrition calculator for your exact order.
Caveats
Which items count as chicken orders is our classification. Restaurant items are standard U.S. recipes without sauces or sides; we don't have restaurant prices. Numbers come from each brand's or restaurant's published nutrition info, linked in the table, and can change. Flavors with identical label numbers are grouped into one row. We track 143 products, not every product on the market, so a missing product isn't a verdict on it. We rank by protein per calorie only and don't track sugar, fat, sodium or ingredients. General information, not dietary advice.
See all 143 products on The Hoard Board, our full leaderboard, or read how we rank.
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Disclaimer: All numbers come from manufacturer labels, brand websites and restaurant nutrition pages on the dates shown on the leaderboard. They can change without notice, vary by location, flavor or customization, or differ from the product in your hand. Always check the current label. This article is general information only and is not medical, dietary or health advice.