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Key Points
We asked three nutrition experts to recommend the best fast-food salads for health-conscious eaters.Their picks come from El Pollo Loco, Culver’s, Whataburger, Chick-fil-A, and Zaxby’s.Experts suggest choosing grilled chicken, adding fiber-rich ingredients, and watching dressing portions.
Fast food chains aren’t exactly famous for their salads. They usually fall into two categories: a sad bowl of lettuce added to menus as an afterthought, or a vehicle for fried, calorie-dense ingredients that offset any nutritional upsides. But some chains do make an effort to sell salads worth ordering.
To identify the best better-for-you fast-food salads, we asked three nutrition experts to weigh in. Here are the menu items they recommend, along with some tips and tricks for maximizing their nutrition.
How Can You Make Fast Food Salads Healthier?
First, we need to debunk salad’s diet-friendly reputation. “A salad isn’t automatically the healthiest choice on a fast food menu,” says Kathy Levin, RDN, CDCES, dipACLM, LDN. “Once you add fried chicken, bacon, cheese, candied nuts, crunchy toppings, and a creamy dressing, some salads land in the same calorie and fat range as a burger and fries.”
Taking all of those components away isn’t always a solution either. A sad salad with just lettuce and a smattering of vegetables is more like rabbit food than a satisfying meal for humans. According to Briana V. Reamer, MS, RDN, LDN, the secret is getting enough fiber, which she says “will keep you satisfied and full until your next meal.” Take advantage of the restaurant’s add-ons—like beans, avocado, and more vegetables—to make your salad more substantial.
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Experts also recommend watching your saturated fat intake, specifically with your protein and dressing. Grilled chicken generally has fewer calories and less saturated fat than deep-fried alternatives. Consider your dressing options, too. “If you’re not sure what to pick, look for a vinaigrette or olive-oil-based dressing,” says Tina Sergi, MS, RD, CSSD, CSCS, TSAC-F.
And, as a rule of thumb, order your dressing on the side. It keeps your salad from getting soggy on the drive home, for one, but it also gives you more portion control. “Using only part of the packet cuts saturated fat and sodium, especially when they’re already on the higher end,” Sergi adds.
Of course, the dressing is only part of the equation. With those tips in mind, here are the five salads that made the cut.
El Pollo Loco Mexican Caesar Double Pollo Salad
El Pollo Loco
This regional chain is known for its fire-grilled chicken, and this salad packs plenty of it. Each portion contains a double serving of citrus-marinated chicken breast, sliced avocado, cotija cheese, salsa fresca, and tortilla strips over a bed of greens. It’s served with a creamy Mexican-inspired Caesar dressing.
El Pollo Loco strikes the right balance between substantial and light with this dish. Before you add dressing, the entire salad contains 420 calories and 52 grams of protein. “The fire-grilled chicken makes it very filling, the avocado adds heart-healthy fat and fiber, and the salsa fresca adds flavor without much sodium or sugar,” Levin says.
Like with most salads, the dressing significantly raises the calorie count—in this case, it adds 440 calories if you use the entire serving. If you’re closely monitoring your daily intake, Levin advises going easy on the dressing.
Culver’s Chicken Cashew Salad
Culver’s
Culver’s may be best known for its ButterBurgers, but experts say you shouldn’t sleep on its salads. The Chicken Cashew Salad in particular is a great choice. It starts with a bed of mixed greens, topped with cheddar, grape tomatoes, cucumbers, and roasted cashews. You can also choose from several dressings to finish it off.
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With grilled chicken, the salad comes in at 430 calories and 41 grams of protein before adding dressing. Culver’s also offers six dressing varieties ranging from 50 to 260 calories.
“This is a great fiber- and protein-packed option,” says Sergi. “Plus, the cashews add healthy fats, copper to support energy production, and magnesium for optimal nerve and muscle function.”
Whataburger Cobb Salad
Whataburger
This Lone Star staple sells a Cobb salad that’s a lighter alternative to its lineup of burgers and sandwiches. It comes loaded with all of the essentials: greens, bacon, a hard-boiled egg, grape tomatoes, carrots, and shredded cheese. You can also choose from three chicken options (the grilled chicken filet is, naturally, lighter than the fried options).
Without dressing, Whataburger’s Cobb with grilled chicken has 430 calories and 44 grams of protein. It’s also a source of fiber and is low in sugar, according to Reamer. “Salads high in fiber help with weight management and satisfy hunger.”
Some of Whataburger’s creamier dressings add 200 to 280 calories, while the balsamic vinaigrette has 180.
Chick-fil-A Market Salad
Chick-fil-A
For a fried chicken chain, Chick-fil-A makes some surprisingly stellar salads. The Market Salad starts with mixed greens and is topped with strawberries, blueberries, red and green apples, blue cheese, roasted almonds, and the chain’s Harvest Nut Granola. Chick-fil-A also has the most protein options on this list. The grilled chicken can come in nugget or filet form, warm or cold, and spicy or regular. Talk about variety!
The different grilled chicken options provide between 26 and 32 grams of protein, according to Chick-fil-A’s nutrition guide. Levin also says you can forgo chicken entirely for a meatless meal that doesn’t feel like an afterthought. “Berries and apples bring fiber, antioxidants and natural sweetness, which makes it one of the most plant-forward options on the list.”
The Market Salad is typically paired with Chick-fil-A’s Zesty Apple Cider Vinaigrette Dressing, which contains 230 calories per packet. But the chain is known for its sauces, after all, so you can swap it out for another option. There’s a Light Balsamic Vinaigrette with 80 calories, Fat-Free Honey Mustard with 90, and Light Italian Dressing with just 25.
Zaxby’s Asian Zensation Zalad
Zaxby’s
Zaxby’s is the third chicken chain on this list, and it stands out by offering a salad with Asian-inspired flavors. The Asian Zensation Zalad (not Salad) adds shredded carrots, cabbage, wonton strips, and Asian Slaw to mixed greens, along with a drizzle of teriyaki sauce. It also comes with a vegetable egg roll on the side.
This salad is loaded with plant-based toppings, which is why Levin also recommends the garden version as a vegetarian option. Zaxby’s lists that version at 390 calories, while the grilled chicken version comes in at 530 calories and 39 grams of protein, before adding dressing.
Alongside the teriyaki drizzle, Zaxby’s offers Citrus Vinaigrette with the salad, which has 110 calories per packet. It’s one of the chain’s lighter options. But if you’re watching your calorie intake, you can swap in Lite Vinaigrette, which contains just 30 calories.