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The Best and Worst Sandwich at Chick-fil-A

Normally, we'd be onboard with anyone trying to get you to "eat mor chikin" — it's packed with filling protein that powers your workouts, repairs your muscles and makes your snack drawer far less tempting.

But then fast-food chains got ahold of it, dunked it in thick batter and fried it enough to offset the benefits of this one-time paragon of lean protein. Chick-fil-A is no exception. It ranks among the best of the country's major fast-food establishments, thanks to a line of low-calorie chicken sandwiches and an assortment of healthy sides. But the menu does seem to be inching ever upward in the calorie and sodium departments. Use this simple swap to get chicken closer to the way it's meant to be: low in calories, light in fat and a heavyweight in protein.

Eat This!

Grilled Chicken Sandwich

Calories 320
Fat 5 g
Saturated Fat 1.5 g
Sodium 800 mg
Carbs 40 g
Protein 30 g

Not That!

Spicy Chicken Deluxe Sandwich

Calories 570
Fat 27 g
Saturated Fat 8 g
Sodium 1750 mg
Carbs 47 g
Protein 35 g

Though both the best and worst sandwich at this fast-food giant clock in under their Cobb Salad — do the mental math on that one — the Spicy Chicken Deluxe Sandwich will have you wondering why you ever turned your back on the beef-based burger. Even the plain chicken deluxe sandwich packs just about the same amount of calories, fat and saturated fat as a Big Mac — and significantly more sodium. By making this simple swap, you'll save yourself 22 grams of fat; that's more than you'll find in Chick-fil-A's breakfast staple, the Chicken Biscuit.

 

Image: Ken Wolter / Shutterstock.com

Eat This, Not That!
Inspired by The New York Times best-selling book series, Eat This, Not That! is a brand that's comprised of an award-winning team of journalists and board-certified experts, doctors, nutritionists, chefs, personal trainers, and dietitians who work together to bring you accurate, timely, informative, and actionable content on food, nutrition, dieting, weight loss, health, wellness, and more. Read more about Eat This