Popeye's Nutrition Facts: What to Order and What to Avoid (2023)

The most nutritious option

If you're dining at Popeyes and looking for a nutritious option, look no further than the BONAFIDE Chicken Drumstick. If you want to simplify your choices, focus on the "Live Well" section of the Popeyes menu. Although the products are prepared in the same way as the others, each option is portioned to contain less than 350 calories.

Signature chicken

Popeyes is famous for its BONAFIDE chicken. The meat is breaded and breaded by hand, marinated for 12 hours and then fried. It can be ordered in any range of spiciness from mild to bold.

Popeyes chicken is available in sets or family platters, as well as individual orders. It is worth remembering that with a larger order, it is more difficult to assess the nutritional value of individual portions.

Ultimately, the choice of Popeyes BONAFIDE chicken nuggets comes down to portion size.You can get one leg, thigh, chest or wings, which vary in size.

✓ BONAFIDE Chicken Drumstick

One BONAFIDE chicken drumstick contains 160 calories, 9 g total fat, 4 g saturated fat, 5 g carbohydrates, 14 g protein and 460 mg sodium. This signature chicken menu item is high in protein and low in fat per serving.

✗ BONAFIDE chicken breast

One BONAFIDE chicken breast, a much larger cut of meat, provides 380 calories, 20 g fat, 8 g saturated fat, 1 g trans fat, 16 g carbohydrates, 35 g protein and 1,230 mg sodium. On the other hand, a thigh contains 280 calories, 21 g fat, 8 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 7 g carbohydrates, 14 g protein and 640 mg sodium, making it healthier overall. Choice.

Chicken nuggets and preserves

Popeyes also offers bite-sized chicken nuggets, either as nuggets or hand-canned, which come in three, five, six or nine-piece portions.

✓ Blackened canned chicken

A 3-piece serving of blackened chicken fillets contains 170 calories, 2 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 2 g carbohydrates, 26 g protein and 550 mg sodium. These chicken fillets - unlike the hand-canned ones - have no breading, just blackened spices for extra flavor and mild seasoning.

✗ Handmade offer

By comparison, a three-ingredient canned food, salty or mild, contains 445 calories, 21 g fat, 9 g saturated fat, 1 g saturated fat, 29 g carbohydrates, 38 g protein and 1,821 mg sodium. Choose a size up to 5 and you'll get 740 calories, 34g fat, 14g saturated fat, 2g trans fat, 48g carbs, 63g protein, 3040mg sodium.

Small servings of Popeyes nuggets and filets have similar calories, fat and sodium, but because of their small size, the nuggets offer less protein.

seafood

Seafood is another staple of Southern cuisine, and Popeyes offers plenty of options in the form of popcorn shrimp and fish fillets. You can order fish as a meal, in a sandwich or as a set with chicken.

✓ Cajun fish fillet

A three-piece Cajun fish fillet has 380 calories, 19 g fat, 5 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 37 g carbs, 16 g protein, 4 g sugar and 1,650 mg sodium. A piece of shrimp popcorn has more calories than a fish fillet, but contains much less sodium — just 80 mg per quarter pound — making it a better choice if you're trying to cut down on salt.

Cajun fish fillet is the lowest calorie seafood choice and the only fish that does not contain trans fat. However, it also has the highest proportion of sodium.

✗ Filet z collection

A two-piece catfish fillet contains 460 calories, 29 g fat, 12 g saturated fat, 2 g trans fat, 27 g carbohydrates, 21 g protein and 1,140 mg sodium. This breaded and fried fish dish also contains 65 mg of cholesterol.

On the other hand, the Popeyes Butterfly Shrimp dish, which includes 8 shrimp, has 420 calories, 25 g fat, 9 g saturated fat, 1 g trans fat, 34 g carbohydrates, 16 g protein and 1,100 mg sodium.

Sandwiches and wraps

Popeyes offers only three sandwich and wrap options that contain chicken as the primary protein.

✓ Stuffed chicken wrap

One full chicken wrap contains 310 calories, 12 g fat, 5 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 35.0 g carbohydrates, 0 g sugar, 14 g protein and 790 mg sodium. This sandwich has the lowest calorie content of any item in this menu category and also has the lowest amount of fat, sodium and carbohydrates.

✗ Spicy chicken sandwich

Thespicy chicken sandwichcontains 700 calories, 42 g fat, 14 g saturated fat, 50 g carbohydrates, 28 g protein, 7.5 g sugar and 1473 mg sodium. Although the spicy chicken sandwich and the classic chicken sandwich have the same amount of calories, fat and carbohydrates, the classic has slightly lesssodium.

sides

Popeyes offers many sides, all in two sizes: regular and large. Additives vary greatly in nutritional value, but most are still quite high in sodium.

One of the most famous items on Popeye's menu are butter cookies. Although it is not the least nutritious part of the menu, with about 200 calories and 20 grams of carbohydrates per cookie, it is not the most nutritious option either.

✓ Green beans

Regular green beans contain 60 calories, 2 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 7 g carbohydrates, 3 g protein, 2 g sugar and 680 mg sodium. Meanwhile, corn on the cob is another vegetable option. Although it is slightly higher in calories, fat and sugar, it is very low in sodium.

A regular serving of red beans and rice contains more calories and carbohydrates than a serving of vegetables, but it also contains less sodium and a little more protein.

✗ Onion rings

A regular side of onion rings contains 278 calories, 19 g fat, 9 g saturated fat, 1 g trans fat, 25 g carbohydrates, 3 g protein, 2 g sugar and 438 mg sodium. Make this a large order and you'll get 555 calories, 38g fat, 17g saturated fat, 3g trans fat, 50g carbs, 6g protein, 3g sugar, and 915mg sodium. High in calories and sodium, whether you order a regular or large portion, this dish is best shared.

Characteristic dipping sauces

Popeyes offers a variety of dipping sauces to suit everyone's taste, but choose carefully as some are very high in calories, sodium and added sugar. Nutritional information on dips is calculated per 1-ounce serving, so it's also important to check portion sizes.

✓ Creole cocktail sauce

Creole Cocktail Sauce (1 oz) contains 30 calories, 1 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 7 g carbohydrates, 0 g protein, 4 g sugars and 320 mg sodium. Despite its high sodium and sugar content, it is currently the lowest-calorie sauce available on the menu.

✗ Buttermilk Ranch

Buttermilk Ranch (1 ounce) contains 150 calories, 15 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 3 g carbohydrates, 0 g protein, 1 g sugar and 230 mg sodium. Also popular are Popeyes Bayou Buffalo and Sweet Heat sauces, which, while lower in calories than ranch, contain more sodium and sugar.

Bayou Buffalo Sauce contains 2,492 mg of sodium per ounce, and Sweet Hot Sauce contains 15 g of sugar and 19 carbs per ounce.

Deserts

Popeyes doesn't have sweets on its menu, but most locations offer at least one or two desserts (including limited-time specials like deep-fried Oreos). The dessert menu is only available at participating Popeye's locations.

✓ Warm apple pie with cinnamon

One warm cinnamon apple pie has 236 calories, 16 g fat, 6 g saturated fat, 35 g carbs, 3 g protein, 12 g sugar and 260 mg sodium. These sweet and crunchy apple pies are available in individual portions and can be a sweet snack or the finishing touch to a meal.

✗ Edwards Peanut Slices

Edwards Peanut Slices contains 410 calories, 21 g fat, 6 g saturated fat, 52 g carbohydrates, 4 g protein, 22 g sugar and 220 mg sodium. Of all sweets, it contains the most cholesterol, fat and carbohydrates.

Any cake or slice of cake on Popeye's menu will also be high in fat, sugar and carbohydrates. A piece of Mississippi mud cake contains 38 grams of sugar — the most available — and 50 grams of carbohydrates. However, it also has the lowest fat content (just 7 grams per serving, which is less than warm apple cinnamon pie).

Mardi Gras Cheesecake is higher in fat (and contains 1g of trans fat) and calories than the other options, but lower in sugar and carbs, and slightly higher in protein.

Children's meals

The children's menu at Popeyes is limited, and all three options have very similar nutritional content. Choosing between chicken drumsticks, nuggets or fillets may come down to taste preferences rather than nutritional value. For adults, all three options represent a lower price compared to the regular menu offer.

✓ Chicken snacks

A kid's order of 4 pieces of chicken has 150 calories, 9 g fat, 4 g saturated fat, 1 g trans fat, 10 g carbs, 0 g sugar, 7 g protein and 230 mg sodium. In terms of carbs, it's in the middle of the three options at 10g per serving. However, nuggets are also the only children's menu option that contains 1g of trans fat per serving.

✗ Chicken drumstick

A simple, hand-dried, tender chicken thigh contains 160 calories, 9 g fat, 4 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 5 g carbs, 0 g sugar, 14 g protein and 460 mg sodium. Legs are higher in fat, but also higher in protein and lower in carbs and sodium than the hand option.

Carbonated drinks

Popeyes offers the standard range of Coke and Pepsi fountain drinks. The nutritional information below is for a standard 22 oz. You can also buy gallon jugs of fruit, lemonade or sweet tea to take with you when you buy family meals or combo meals.

✓ Tea without sugar

After plain water, the second best option is unsweetened iced tea, which contains 0 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g carbs, 0 g sugar, 0 g protein, and 10 mg sodium.

✗ Hawaiian Punch

A 22-ounce serving of Hawaiian Punch contains 310 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 83 g carbohydrates, 82 g sugar, 0 g protein and 100 mg sodium. Beverages containing sugar are the most caloric of all beverages available.

Options for specific diets

Popeyes offers a very limited selection of gluten-free, low-fat, low-carb, vegetarian, and vegan diets and does not offer options for those on a low-FODMAP or low-sodium diet.

Gluten free

• Corn on the cob
• Coleslaw
• Cajun rice
• jalapeno
• Red beans and rice

Create your own gluten-free meal at Popeyes by ordering from the side menu. Choose a combination of red beans, rice and corn for a complete meal.

Low carb

• Fried chicken fillet (2g of carbohydrates)
• Chicken drumstick on the children's menu (5 g UH)
• Jalapenos (1 g of carbohydrates)
• Tartar sauce (1 g of carbohydrates)
• Ranch black sauce (2 g carbohydrates)

If you want a low-carb meal at Popeyes, order the 3-piece Chicken Black Fillet, which contains only 2 grams of carbs.

A diabetes friend

• Breaded chicken fillets (children's menu or 3-5 pieces)
• Green peas
• jalapeno
• One chicken drumstick
• One chicken wing

Stick to a diabetes-friendly meal by pairing a chicken thigh or wing with a side of green beans.

Low fat

• 3 pieces of blackened chicken fillet (18 calories from fat)
• 1 piece of corn (50 calories from fat)
• Regular green beans (16 calories from fat)
• Jalapeños (0 calories from fat)
• BBQ Chicken Po' Boy Sandwich (60 calories from fat)

Although Popeyes doesn't offer many low-fat options, you can make your own meal by ordering green beans along with blackened chicken pieces for just 34 calories of fat.

Vegetarian and vegan

The plant-based dressings offered by Popeye's are vegetarian, but at first glance they may look that wayvegetarianLubvegetarianoften made from animal products. For example, Popeyes rice and beans are made with pork fat, and mashed potatoes are topped with gravy (but you can ask for regular fries).

The corn and coleslaw are suitable for vegetarians, but the green beans are made with turkey bacon. Popeyes Biscuits and Macaroni and Cheese are made without meat, but you can use itmilk productsAlthough suitable for vegetarians, they are not vegan.

Food allergies and safety

You can view nutritional information on the Popeyes website by paying attention to specific food allergens, including peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, milk, wheat, soy and fish (including shellfish).

If you are sensitive to monosodium glutamate (MSG) or avoid it, you will also find information on which menu items are prepared with this spice on the site.

Keep in mind that even if an allergen is not a menu item, this does not mean that the food did not come into contact with the allergen at some other stage of the production, storage or preparation process.

A word from Verywell

Popeyes offers a wide variety of Southern-style dishes, including its own recipe for fried chicken. Before you go, you can research Popeye's menu online, which will help you avoid being overwhelmed by the available options and allow you to make an informed choice.

Once you know the nutritional content of each menu item and how to portion it out, you can make the choice that best suits your dietary needs and preferences.