Chick-Fil-A has a long history, dating back to the 1940s when its founder, S. Truett Cathy opened the Dwarf House. It wasn’t until two decades later, Cathay opened the first Chick-fil-A in Atlanta GA in 1967. This was the first ever chicken-sandwich-based fast food restaurant.
As the saying goes, “The rest is history.” Depending on your location in the US, chances are you have a Chick-fil-A nearby. And if you don’t, you probably wish you do because it’s easily one of the country's most macro-friendly fast food chains.
In this article, I’m going to break down my top choice for the best macro-friendly Chick-fil-A orders as well as what I look for when making my selections!
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How to Make Healthy Choices at Chick-fil-A
When it comes to making macro-balanced selections at Chick-fil-A, you’re in luck because there are actually quite a few options that fit the bill. Unlike most other fast food restaurants like McDonald’s, which offer mainly burgers and fried chicken, Chick-fil-A also offers chicken breast selections, which are far superior from a macro perspective.
Yes, there are still plenty of fried options and not-so-macro-friendly choices, too, but today we’re highlighting the healthier options! Below are a few tips and tricks for making healthier choices at Chick-fil-A:
- 1In general, grilled chicken is going to be better than fried chicken. Assuming portion sizes are equated, grilled chicken contains far less fat and calories than its fried counterpart.
- 2Ask for no sauce/dressing or get it on the side so that you can control your portion. Also, consider swapping a Chick-fil-A sauce for a healthier option like our macro-friendly Copycat Chick-fil-A Honey Roasted BBQ sauce which you can make right from home!
- 3Sometimes, it might make sense to skip the bun to reserve your carbs.
- 4Be cognizant of portion sizes i.e. go for the smaller waffle fries vs the larger order.
- 5Understand that a salad isn’t inherently “better” than a sandwich. If you’re not careful, your salad could be worth far more calories than a chicken sandwich.
- 6Choose the fruit cup 🙂
Macro-Friendly Chick-fil-A Menu Options
Let’s breeze through Chick-fil-A’s menu and identify the best macro-friendly options before putting them together into meals.
Breakfast choices:
- Egg White Grill - 290 calories/25P/31C/7F
- Chicken Hash Brown Scramble Bowl w/Jalapeño Salsa - 460 calories/31P/21C/29F
- Chick-n-Minis (4-count) - 350 calories/19P/38C/13F
- Sausage, Egg & Cheese Muffin - 490 calories/20P/32C/30F
- Chicken, Egg & Cheese Bagel - 480 calories/37P/51C/18F
Lunch/Dinner Choices:
- Grilled Chicken Sandwich - 310 calories/29P/36C/6F
- Grilled Nuggets (12-count) - 210 calories/38P/3C/5F
- Grilled Chicken Cool Wrap -350 calories/37P/29C/14F
- Chick-fil-A Nuggets (8-count) - 260 calories/28P/9C/12F
- Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich - 440 calories/28P/40C/19F
- Grilled Market Salad (without toppings) - 200 calories/25P/15C/6F
- Spicy Southwest Salad (without toppings) - 290 calories/29P/27C/8F
Macro-Friendly Chick-fil-A Meal Orders
When I go to Chick-fil-A, these are my go-to macro-balanced meal orders.
Egg White Grill + Large Fruit Cup + Small Vanilla Cold Brew Iced Coffee
Macros |
|---|
Total Calories: 510 |
Protein: 31g |
Carbs: 50g carbs |
Fat: 9.5g |
Hash Brown Scramble Bowl + Small Original Cold Brew
Macros |
|---|
Total Calories: 610 |
Protein: 36g |
Carbs: 47g |
Fat: 31.5g |
12 count Grilled Nuggets + Medium Waffle Fry + Medium Diet Coke
Macros |
|---|
Total Calories: 570 |
Protein: 42g |
Carbs: 46g carbs |
Fat: 23g |
Grilled Chicken Sandwich + Side Salad + Medium Diet Lemonade
Macros |
|---|
Total Calories: 440 |
Protein: 34g |
Carbs: 5g carbs |
Fat: 10.5g |
Grilled Market Salad + Small Chicken Soup + Medium Diet Coke
Macros |
|---|
Total Calories: 330 |
Protein: 34g |
Carbs: 30g carbs |
Fat: 9.5g |
Final Thoughts On Macro-Friendly Chick-fil-A Options
When it comes to fast food that’s macro-friendly, it’s tough to beat Chick-fil-A, they really have a number of fantastic options that will easily fit into your macro budget. That being said, it’s important to know what to look for and how to avoid common macro-detriments i.e. being a little too heavy-handed with the dipping sauces.
In general, keep your orders simple and pick and choose where you’re most excited to spend your macros. For example, if you love crispy Chick-fil-A waffle fries (who doesn’t??) go ahead and get yourself some, but maybe order the grilled nuggets instead of the chicken sandwich to help balance your carb load.
The beauty of macro tracking is that anything fits - including fast food options like Chick-fil-A! But if you’re like me and tend to prioritize cooking from home the majority of the time, come check out our library of macro-friendly recipes!
