Fried or grilled? 5 of the worst, best chicken sandwiches at fast food joints in Texas

Texans love their barbecue. A very close second may just be their chicken sandwiches.

Whether a growing waistline is something you worry about or not, it is good to know which of the many chicken sandwiches offered in Texas fast food restaurants may give you a heart attack and which ones are good fuel for a workout.

The main difference: Is it fried or grilled? And the obvious answer is that grilled is better for you.

But regardless of which ones are better for you, sandwiches in general are packed with sodium and saturated fat. This is a concern for Americans. Heart disease being the number one cause of death in the U.S.

The healthiest way to eat a sandwich would be to make it at home on whole wheat bread with lean meat and packed with vegetables. In other words, eating cardboard.

For those who don’t give a hoot about eating junk but do worry about possible heart disease, don’t eat the following chicken sandwiches as much.

5 worst (unhealthy) chicken sandwiches

Before you find out your favorite chicken sandwich is bad for you, note that according to the FDA, an average daily sodium intake should not exceed 2,300 milligrams.

Popeye’s Classic Bacon and Cheese Chicken Sandwich

The first chicken sandwich from Popeyes takes the cake. I think you can guess why. The only thing green on the sandwich is some good old salty pickles.

• 830 calories

• 53 grams fat

• 19 grams saturated fat

• 1,874 milligrams of sodium

• 51 grams of carbs

• Two grams fiber

• Eight grams sugar

• 36 grams protein

KFC Chicken Sandwich

Low on sodium? This sandwich from Colonel Sanders takes care of half your sodium intake for the day. This one for sure should be a guilty pleasure, not a dietary mainstay.

• 650 calories

• 35 grams fat

• Four and a half grams saturated fat

• 1,260 milligrams of sodium

• 49 grams of carbs

• One gram fiber

• Six grams sugar

• 34 grams protein

Burger King’s Crispy Chicken Sandwich

Also fulfilling half your sodium intake for the day, don’t be fooled by the lettuce.

• 600 calories

• 33 grams of fat

• Five grams saturated fat

• 1,330 milligrams of sodium

• 54 grams of carbs

• Four grams of fiber

• Nine and a half grams of sugar

• 31.4 grams of protein

The Classic Crispy Chicken Sandwich

Fourth, is Sonic’s chicken sandwich offering. It is, well, one of the worst. “In fact, in just one sandwich you’re getting 6 grams of saturated fat, which is almost half of the 13-gram limit set by the American Heart Association,” according to the website Eat This Not That.

• 580 calories

• 32 grams of fat

• Six grams saturated fat

• 1,160 milligrams of sodium

• 51 grams of carbs

• Four grams fiber

• Ten grams sugar

• 23 grams protein

Chick Fil A’s Spicy Deluxe Chicken Sandwich

Finally, a beloved fan favorite. But don’t fret, this is their unhealthiest menu option. The reason for its place on the list is its excessive amount of saturated fat and sodium.

• 520 calories

• 25 grams of fat

• Seven grams of saturated fat

• 1,790 milligrams of sodium

• 46 grams of carbs

• Two grams fiber

• Seven grams sugar

• 31 grams protein

Chick Fil A also makes the list for healthy alternatives, which leads us to the five best chicken sandwiches for you. All are grilled, all with a low chance of contributing to a heart attacks.

5 healthiest chicken sandwiches

Subway’s Grilled Chicken Sub

This sandwich tops the chart. It is packed with veggies, helping to up its nutritional value.

• 290 calories

• Four grams fat

• One gram saturated fat

• 580 miligrams of sodium

• 40 grams of carbs

• Five grams fiber

• Seven grams sugar

• 27 grams protein

Subway’s Rotisserie Chicken Sandwich

This sandwich has more fiber than most sandwiches. It also has a good source of protein and will keep you energized and full.

• 310 calories

• Six grams fat

• Two grams saturated fat

• 760 milligrams of sodium

• 40 grams of carbs

• Five grams of fiber

• Six grams of sugar

• 25 grams of protein

Subway Sweet Onion Teriyaki Chicken Sub

This is the last Subway sandwich for those who want other options. But it is a better option because of its whole grain bread. Also, the teriyaki sauce allows for veggies to sneak in while also tasting good.

• 350 calories

• Four grams fat

• One gram saturated fat

• 850 milligrams of sodium

• 55 grams of carbs

• Five grams fiber

• 19 grams sugar

• 26 grams of protein

Chick Fil A’s Grilled Chicken Sandwich

This sandwich may be the tastiest healthy alternative. “Their Grilled Chicken Sandwich contains moderate levels of saturated fat compared to some of the worst options, and the calories are much lower than most of the other sandwiches,” says Mary Sabat, registered dietician. “The chicken is not fried, so it doesn’t contain the unhealthy fat profile of the fried version.”

• 390 calories

• 12 grams of fat

• Two grams saturated fat

• 770 milligrams of sodium

• 44 grams of carbs

• Three grams fiber

• 12 grams sugar

• 28 grams protein

Dairy Queen’s Grilled Chicken Sandwich

This sandwich is healthier compared to the rest of their menu. Similar to Chick Fil A, the sandwich is still under 400 calories with less fat than most.

• 390 calories

• 15 grams of fat

• Two and a half grams saturated fat

• 970 milligrams of sodium

• 34 grams of carbs

• One gram fiber

• Five grams sugar

• 29 grams of protein

This story was originally published March 27, 2024 at 12:00 AM.