The Worst Chicken Dishes in America

Nutrition

 

The Worst Chicken Dishes in America

 

from Men's Health

Sure, you could be doing your waistline a favor by choosing chicken. But too often, the cooking method that’s used—along with side sauces, dips, and toppings—can make this otherwise healthy protein a dietary disaster. Case in point: If you’re chowing down on deep-fried nuggets, wings, and battered skin, you might as well be eating quarter pounders with double cheese. That's why we’re here—to help you suss out the smarter options with this list of the worst chicken dishes in America.

The Worst Chicken Dishes in America

25. Terrible Chicken Dish at A&W : Chicken Strips (3 pieces)

500 calories, 29 g fat (5 g saturated, 2 g trans), 1,050 mg sodium

Go to KFC and you'll find the same order of Crispy Chicken Strips with 120 fewer calories and zero grams of trans fat. Chili dogs are hardly a paragon of nutritious nosh, but when you see them on the menu, it's usually a good sign that the rest of the entres are even worse.That makes ordering them a surprisingly reliable way to avoid making bigger mistakes.

Eat This Instead!

Coney (Chili) Dog

340 calories, 20 g fat (9 g saturated, 1.5 g trans), 900 mg sodium

24. Terrible Chicken Dish at Applebee's: Crispy Orange Chicken Bowl

1,520 calories, 53 g fat (10 g saturated), 2,500 mg sodium

No matter how many vegetables you throw in with it, fried chicken coated in viscous sauce of any kind will never be an even moderately decent meal. Order a drink, and you've just hit your entire day's calorie allotment in one sitting. Now, there are healthier chicken dishes at Applebee's other than the Margherita Chicken (try the Garlic Herb Chicken, if you really want to keep it low-cal), but you won't find one as decadent as the Margherita Chicken for fewer than 1,000 calories. Make sure you ask for a side of broccoli, though—the extra potassium will help balance out the high sodium intake.

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Margherita Chicken

800 calories, 30 g fat (11 g saturated), 2,430 mg sodium

23. Terrible Chicken Dish at Baja Fresh: Chicken Quesadilla

1,330 calories, 80 g fat (37 g saturated, 2.5 g trans), 2,590 mg sodium

Quesadillas are second only to nachos in terms of belt-breaking potential. There's not one on the menu—not even the veggie quesadilla—with fewer than 1,200 calories. Instead, go for the Chicken Torta. Tortas are Mexican sandwiches loaded with grilled or braised meat, avocado, salsa, and other fresh fixings. At Baja, it's one of your best bets for a decent entree. Order this one and you'll cut 240 calories off your meal.

Eat This Instead!

Chicken Torta without chips

620 calories, 23 g fat (6 g saturated), 1,330 mg sodium

22. Terrible Chicken Dish at Bojangles': Cajun Spiced Chicken Thigh with Seasoned Fries

654 calories, 42 g fat (5 g saturated), 945 mg sodium

Along with the wings, chicken thighs tend to be the fattiest part on the bird, meaning less protein and more calories per piece. Here, you'll end up with 200 extra calories and less than half the protein than if you go with the more satisfying breast-beans combo. Besides, the Cajun Spiced Chicken Breast may be the leanest piece of fried chicken you'll ever find. For 278 calories, you get a full 33 grams of protein. 

Translation: This is a hefty piece of chicken. Tack on the pintos for 110 calories, and feel good about taking in some fiber and antioxidants along with your deep-fried fare.

Eat This Instead!

Cajun Spiced Chicken Breast with Cajun Pintos

388 calories, 17 g fat (0 g saturated), 1,045 mg sodium

21. Terrible Chicken Dish at Boston Market: Boston Market Whole All White Rotisserie Chicken Salad Sandwich

1,050 calories, 64 g fat (10 g saturated, 1 g trans), 1,700 mg sodium

It's not surprising to find a load of fat in a chicken salad sandwich. It's built around a deluge of sticky mayonnaise, after all. What is shocking is the sheer amount Boston Market managed to squeeze into theirs. We still can't figure out how they managed to squeeze an entire day's worth into one little sandwich.

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Half Rotisserie Chicken Carver

380 calories, 18 g fat (4.5 g saturated), 880 mg sodium

20. Terrible Chicken Dish at Burger King: Tendercrisp Chicken Sandwich

750 calories, 45 g fat (8 g saturated, 0.5 g trans), 1,560 mg sodium

Don't let trifling terms like "tender" distract you from more telling terms like "crisp," which is a fast-food euphemism for deep-fried. Not even the Whopper with cheese has this many calories. You're much safer off with the chicken tenders (8 pieces) with BBQ sauce. These are some of the lowest-calories fried chicken pieces in the treacherous world of fried food. Their only decent rivals are the nuggets at Chick-fil-A.

Eat This Instead!

Chicken Tenders (8 pieces) with BBQ Sauce

420 calories, 22 g fat (4.5 g saturated), 1,000 mg sodium

19. Terrible Chicken Dish at Cheesecake Factory: Grilled Chicken and Avocado Club

1,752 calories, 28 g saturated fat, 2,309 mg sodium

Who would have guessed that a dish with a name like this could pack more calories than 11 scoops of Breyers All Natural Mint Chocolate Chips? Skip sandwiches entirely. The "lightest" on the menu is the 1,052-calorie Grilled Cheese. Surprisingly, your better option here is a burger, and it's one of the best burgers offered at any sit-down restaurant in America, in fact. So long as you swap out the fries for something healthier, it's also one of the safest entrees you'll find on Cheesecake Factory's misguided menu.

Eat This Instead!

The Factory Burger

737 calories, 15 g saturated fat, 1,018 mg sodium

18. Terrible Chicken Dish at Chick-fil-A: Chicken Caesar Cool Wrap

460 calories, 15 g fat (6 g saturated), 1,510 mg sodium

Chick-fil-A joins two of the most overrated "health" foods—wraps and Caesar salad—into one handheld package. At some establishments, it would still be a "this," but at Chick-fil-A, it's one of the worst items on the menu. On the other hand, consider the Chargrilled Chicken Club sandwich. Most chicken clubs suffer from at least one of three major blights: mayonnaise, breading, or bacon overload. Thankfully this one avoids all, making it the only club sandwich we've seen with fewer than 500 calories.

Eat This Instead!

Chargrilled Chicken Club Sandwich

410 calories, 12 g fat (5 g saturated), 1,350 mg sodium

17. Terrible Chicken Dish at Chili's: Grilled Chicken Sandwich

1,280 calories, 63g fat (15 g saturated)
, 2,580 mg sodium, ,

The healthful title of this sandwich offers no indication that a full day's worth of fat and sodium, and two-thirds' of a day's worth of calories are contained within. Sadly, at Chili's this is closer to the rule than it is the exception. The chain is a regular finalist in nearly every "Worst of" category, with the Caribbean Salad being one of the very few safe selections on the menu.

Eat This Instead!

Caribbean Salad with Grilled Chicken

610 calories, 25 g fat (4 g saturated)
, 800 mg sodium

16. Terrible Chicken Dish at Church's Chicken: Spicy Thigh with Fried Okra

650 calories, 46 g fat (12 g saturated, 5.5 g trans), 1,380 mg sodium

Want to avoid the glut of trans fat? Avoid any fried sides and peel the skin off your chicken. So long as Church's fryers are still filled with partially hydrogenated oil, you'll have to play it safe when choosing your meal.

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Original Legs (2) with Cole Slaw

370 calories, 22 g fat (5 g saturated, 2 g trans), 730 mg sodium

15. Terrible Chicken Dish at Del Taco: Macho Chicken Burrito

920 calories, 32 g fat (15 g saturated), 3,460 mg sodium

Del Taco might have Taco Bell beat with their ultralean tacos, but they don't even come close in the battle for a better burrito. This Mexican mistake has 40 percent more calories than the Bell's infamous Grilled Chicken Stuft Burrito. Since when was a bulging gut considered "macho"?

Eat This Instead!

Chicken Tacos Del Carbon (3 tacos)

450 calories, 12 g fat (0 g saturated), 900 mg sodium

14. Terrible Chicken Dish at Domino's: Chicken Carbonara Bread Bowl Pasta

1,480 calories, 56 g fat (24 g saturated), 2,220 mg sodium, 188 g carbs

Here’s the breakdown: The noodles here contribute 200 calories, the sauce and toppings another 440. And finally, the bread bowl itself contributes a staggering 840 calories and 138 grams of carbohydrates. It’s like eating 12 slices of Pepperidge Farm White Sandwich Bread alongside your pasta dish, and all of those calories are the kind that spike your blood sugar and force your body to store away more fat. We used to harp on Panera’s Sourdough Soup Bowl, but it looks tame next to the Domino’s disaster.

Eat This Instead!

Thin-Crust Ham & Pineapple Pizza (medium, 3 slices)

465 calories, 21 g fat (7.5 g saturated), 720 mg sodium

13. Terrible Chicken Dish at Einstein Bros.: Bros Bistro Salad with Chicken

940 calories, 71 g fat (12 g saturated), 900 mg sodium

We’re as perplexed as you are. How a salad that contains chicken manages to have twice as many calories as a chicken sandwich is a nutritional puzzle that only Einstein himself could solve. And beyond that, they manage to take two potential problems—a wrap and a mayo-based "salad"—and craft a substantially improved lunch.

Eat This Instead!

Chicken Salad Wrap

490 calories, 19 g fat (3 g saturated), 980 mg sodium

12. Terrible Chicken Dish at El Pollo Loco: Chicken Tostada Salad with Creamy Cilantro Dressing

1,007 calories, 58 g fat (14 g saturated), 1,623 mg sodium

The dressing may be light, but this bowl is anything but. Rice and fried tortilla combine for a one-two punch of empty carbs, while the shredded cheese and sour cream lend these leaves more saturated fat than a dozen strips of bacon.

Eat This Instead!

Grilled Chicken Salad with Light Creamy Cilantro Dressing

311 calories, 13 g fat (5 g saturated), 968 mg sodium

11. Terrible Chicken Dish at Hardee's: Charbroiled Chicken Club Sandwich

610 calories, 30 g fat (8 g saturated), 1,640 mg sodium

What goes into a club at Hardee’s? Cheese, bacon, and mayonnaise—the unholy trinity of sandwich toppings. Try the Little Thick Cheeseburger, instead. With this burger, Hardee’s has achieved what so many other restaurants fail to do: Create a quarter-pound cheeseburger with fewer than 500 calories. Remember this the next time you have a hankering for red meat.

Eat This Instead!

Little Thick Cheeseburger

430 calories, 23 g fat (9 g saturated), 1,090 mg sodium

10. Terrible Chicken Dish at Hooters : Smothered Chicken Sandwich

800 calories

It’s not just fried and “crispy” chicken you need to watch for; even the straight grilled stuff often comes at an unexpectedly high caloric price. Truth is, this is nothing more than a chicken cheese steak with 200 mystery calories tacked on. Go for the Philly Cheese Steak instead. Yes, it’s hard to believe that a steak sandwich beats out a chicken sandwich, but we’ve seen stranger things at chain restaurants. Truth is, nearly half of this sandwich’s heft comes from a rewarding trio of onions, peppers and mushrooms, and if Hooters is using sirloin here (as many cheesesteak slingers do), then they’ve nailed the recipe for a solid sandwich.

Eat This Instead!

Philly Cheese Steak

600 calories

9. Terrible Chicken Dish at Jack in the Box: Crispy Chicken Club Salad with Croutons and Ranch Dressing

850 calories, 63.5 g fat (14 g saturated, 1 g trans), 2,160 mg sodium

The 2 ounces of ranch that top this salad contribute a third of the calories and half the fat. Switching to light ranch saves you 150 calories, but even if you eat your salad completely dressing-free, you're better off sticking with the Chicken Teriyaki Bowl. That might come as a surprise, considering that branching off into other cultures' cuisines tends to produce dangerous results in the world of fast food, but jack's Japanese-inspired dish manages to buck the trend. Not only does it come with a legitimate stack of vegetables, but it's also one of the few menu items to avoid a perilous load of trans fat.

Eat This Instead!

Chicken Teriyaki Bowl

580 calories, 5 g fat (1 g saturated), 1,460 mg sodium

8. Terrible Chicken Dish at Manchu Wok: Honey Garlic Chicken with Fried Rice

840 calories, 34 g fat (6 g saturated), 2,100 mg sodium, 34 g sugars

Why does this simple Chinese meal pack as much sugar as a pack of Skittles? Blame the Honey Garlic Sauce bathing the chicken. The Honey Garlic Chicken packs about twice the sugar as the Pineapple Chicken, so making that switch will automatically improve the dish. Do yourself one extra favor and switch to mixed vegetables instead of rice as a side. You'll earn flavor and nutrients while eliminating 280 calories.

Eat This Instead!

Pineapple Chicken with Mixed Vegetables

300 calories, 19 g fat (3 g saturated), 770 mg sodium, 17 g sugars

7. Terrible Chicken Dish at Outback Steakhouse: Alice Springs Chicken

1,172 calories, 68 g fat (26 g saturated), 2,050 mg sodium

This meal ought to be called "find the chicken." The game would be to see if you could eat your way through all that cheese before your heart gives out under the strain of sodium and saturated fat. Opt instead for the Grilled Chicken on the Barbie instead.

Eat This Instead!

Grilled Chicken on the Barbie with Mixed Vegetables

401 calories, 8 g fat (3 g saturated), 884 mg sodium

6. Terrible Chicken Dish at Panda Express: Orange Chicken with Steamed Rice

800 calories, 21 g fat (4 g saturated), 620 mg sodium

This dish and the SweetFire Chicken are the worst choices at Panda Express. The chicken alone—before adding rice—has more calories than the combined load of Mushroom Chicken and Broccoli Beef (which offers an excellent balance of protein and fresh produce, for what it's worth).

Eat This Instead!

Mushroom Chicken and Broccoli Beef

350 calories, 17 g fat (4 g saturated), 1,470 mg sodium

5. Terrible Chicken Dish at Pizza Hut: Garlic Parmesan Crispy Bone-In Wings (6)

900 calories, 75 g fat (15 g saturated), 2,190 mg sodium

In the heirarchy of wings at Pizza Hut, "Bone Out" ranks even worse than the decadent-sounding Crispy Wings. Stick to the Traditional recipe, and you'll save hundreds of calories on every flavor-to-flavor matchup.

Eat This Instead!

All American Traditional Wings (6)

240 calories, 15 g fat (4.5 g saturated), 870 mg sodium

4. Terrible Chicken Dish at Popeyes: Spicy Chicken Breast with Red Beans and Rice

650 calories, 41 g fat (13 g saturated, 1 g trans), 1,410 mg sodium

Chicken breast and beans have both been long extolled as excellent foods for weight loss, but this meal suffers from oil overload. Switch to the decadent Loaded Chicken Wrap and cut your calories nearly in half. 

Eat This Instead!

Loaded Chicken Wrap

310 calories, 13 g fat (6 g saturated), 890 mg sodium

3. Terrible Chicken Dish at Red Robin: Whiskey River BBQ Chicken Sandwich

1,022 calories, 57 g fat, 1,518 mg sodium

Think chicken burgers grant you amnesty from the calorie conundrum presented by the rest of RR's burger lineup? Not quite. Customize your own sandwich for the best results.

Eat This Instead!

Simply Grilled Chicken Sandwich with Pepperjack Cheese (1 slice) and BBQ Sauce

508 calories, 13 g fat, 1,556 mg sodium

2. Terrible Chicken Dish at Romano's Macaroni Grill: Chicken Scaloppine

1,180 calories, 38 g saturated fat, 1,420 mg sodium

The artichokes and mushrooms on this plate exist as a mere distraction from the butter-laden sauce. Unless you craft it yourself from scratch in your own kitchen—and maybe not even then—the Pollo Caprese is one of the best pasta dishes you can eat. And if you ask to have it served with whole wheat noodles, you'll be served with an extra boost of belly-filling fiber, which should keep you feeling full for hours.

Eat This Instead!

Pollo Caprese

550 calories, 5 g saturated, 1,660 mg sodium

1. Terrible Chicken Dish at T.G.I. Friday's: Cajun Shrimp & Chicken Pasta

1,490 calories, 88 g fat (53 g saturated), 1,950 mg sodium

The "Cajun" flavoring here is actually seasoned butter, and the sauce is cream-and-cheese-infused Alfredo. That makes this the absolute worst pasta dish on the menu, and among the worst in the country.

Thanks for reading!