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The #1 Worst Chicken Sandwich to Order at Chick-fil-A

An expert picks the one menu item that surprisingly is a no-go.

Chick-fil-A is known for its tender, juicy chicken nuggets, iconic waffle fries, and those chicken sandwiches. With all these yummy options, it's not always easy to spot right away which menu items are the best for you, healthwise. This is especially true when you're really in the mood for a sandwich.

When it comes to a sandwich, besides the addition of bread, you need to think of the fillings, too. You know, the sauces, cheese, and even bacon slices that might be between the buns, as those other ingredients can turn that piece of chicken into a high-calorie meal rather quickly. Plus, the sandwiches here come on a white bun, rather than a whole-wheat or low-carb bun option. So that means you're in for a high amount of refined carbohydrates and a low dose of fiber. Not ideal!

There is one Chick-fil-A sandwich, though, that is the biggest diet doozy on the menu. The worst chicken sandwich to order at Chick-fil-A is…

Chick-fil-A Grilled Chicken Club Sandwich

chick fil a grilled chicken club sandwich
Courtesy of Chick-fil-A
Per sandwich: 520 calories, 8 g fat (4 g saturated fat, 1 g trans fat), 680 mg sodium, 41 g carbs (4 g fiber, 11 g sugar), 37 grams protein

"This is, [rather] surprisingly, in my opinion, the worst Chick-fil-A sandwich on the menu," explains Lisa Richards, nutritionist and author and founder of The Candida Diet. "It is surprising because most often, grilled sandwiches rank at the top of the healthiest foods list."

Generally, chicken-based dishes are often seen as a better-for-you fast-food option since it's a leaner kind of protein. As long as the chicken isn't fried, battered, and breaded, "grilled," "roasted," or served "rotisserie-style" usually indicates the menu item is a winner.

But that's not the case here!

"This one is sneaky in its unhealthy nature because it is grilled but then packed with high-fat ingredients like cheese and bacon," Richards says. "And this gives the consumer the false security that they are making a healthy decision with this grilled chicken club sandwich. This Grilled Chicken Club sandwich is essentially replacing the fat from eating a fried chicken breast on the original sandwich with saturated fat from bacon and cheese."

So, what should you order instead?

There's nothing wrong with the plain grilled chicken sandwich.

In fact, the Original Chicken Sandwich has only 17 grams of fat and 4 grams of saturated fat, while the Grilled Chicken Club sandwich has 22 grams of fat and double the amount of saturated fat, at 8 grams a serving. Yikes, right? That's a huge difference!

Take advantage of this lean grilled chicken Chick-fil-A sandwich option, as it still tastes great and can offer some pretty solid nutrition. Nothing like that midday protein boost.

Looking for more helpful tips? Your ultimate restaurant and supermarket survival guide is here!

Isadora Baum
Isadora Baum is a freelance writer, certified health coach, and author of 5-Minute Energy. Read more about Isadora