McDonald’s recently introduced a new crispy chicken sandwich to its menu. For health-conscious customers, one of the most important questions is: how many calories are in the new McDonald’s crispy chicken sandwich?
Quick Answer
The new McDonald’s crispy chicken sandwich contains 480 calories. This is based on the standard sandwich with no customizations or sauces added.
Calorie Count Breakdown
Let’s take a more detailed look at the calorie count of the new McDonald’s crispy chicken sandwich:
Bun
The bun used for the McDonald’s crispy chicken sandwich is a glazed, enriched flour bun. Each standard bun contains 150 calories.
Crispy Chicken Filet
The crispy chicken filet itself accounts for 230 calories of the total. It is made from all white meat chicken, battered and deep fried until crispy.
Mayonnaise
The crispy chicken sandwich comes dressed with a spread of regular mayonnaise. Each packet of mayo adds 90 calories.
Lettuce
Being low calorie and high volume, the lettuce provides under 10 calories to the sandwich.
Tomato Slice
Each slice of tomato accounts for around 5-10 calories.
Total Calories
Adding up the main components, the standard McDonald’s crispy chicken sandwich contains about 480 calories. This calorie count is based on the standard build of the sandwich. Customizations and additional sauces or toppings would increase the calorie count.
Nutrition Facts
Here is the full nutritional breakdown for the new McDonald’s crispy chicken sandwich:
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 480 |
| Total Fat | 24g |
| Saturated Fat | 4.5g |
| Trans Fat | 0.5g |
| Cholesterol | 65mg |
| Sodium | 1080mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 44g |
| Dietary Fiber | 2g |
| Sugars | 6g |
| Protein | 20g |
As you can see, the new crispy chicken sandwich is quite high in fat and sodium. The 24g of total fat represents 37% of the daily value intake based on a 2000 calorie diet. The 1080mg of sodium is almost half of the recommended daily limit. However, the sandwich does provide 20g of protein.
How the Calories Compare
To put the 480 calories of the McDonald’s crispy chicken sandwich in context, here’s how it compares to some other popular McDonald’s menu items:
- McDonald’s Big Mac: 540 calories
- McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish: 380 calories
- McDonald’s 6 piece Chicken McNuggets: 280 calories
- McDonald’s Hamburger: 250 calories
The new crispy chicken sandwich has 60 fewer calories than a Big Mac, but 200 more calories than a basic hamburger. It’s right in the middle calorie-wise compared to other McDonald’s sandwiches.
Ways to Reduce the Calories
If you want to lower the calorie count of the new McDonald’s crispy chicken sandwich, here are some tips:
Skip the mayo
Order the sandwich with no mayonnaise as this eliminates 90 calories right away. Opt for mustard instead.
Pick a smaller size
Order the new crispy chicken sandwich as a junior size, which eliminates 60 calories from the smaller bun.
Skip the bun
You can order just the crispy chicken filet on its own with no bun to slash 150 calories.
Swap the fries
Pair your sandwich with a lower calorie side like apple slices instead of french fries.
How the Nutrition Compares
Compared to other fast food chicken sandwiches, how does the new McDonald’s crispy chicken sandwich stack up nutritionally?
Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich
- 440 calories
- 19g fat
- 1,350mg sodium
The Chick-fil-A sandwich is slightly lower in calories but much higher in sodium.
Wendy’s Homestyle Chicken Sandwich
- 540 calories
- 28g fat
- 980mg sodium
Wendy’s sandwich has more calories and fat than McDonald’s.
Burger King Ch’King Sandwich
- 670 calories
- 38g fat
- 1,330mg sodium
The Burger King option has significantly higher calories, fat and sodium compared to McDonald’s.
Nutritionally, the new McDonald’s crispy chicken sandwich is fairly average among similar fast food menu items. It’s not the healthiest choice, but not the unhealthiest either.
Healthier Chicken Sandwich Alternatives
If you’re looking for a lower calorie chicken sandwich, here are some healthier fast food options:
Panera Green Goddess Cobb Salad Chicken Sandwich
- 350 calories
- 10g fat
This salad-style sandwich from Panera Bread is much lighter than a fried chicken sandwich.
Subway Oven Roasted Chicken Sandwich
- 320 calories
- 4g fat
Subway’s oven roasted chicken has only 320 calories and 4g of fat. Load it up with veggies to make it even healthier.
Chipotle Chicken Salad Bowl
- 185 calories
- 7g fat
Make your own salad bowl at Chipotle for a lighter take on chicken. Skip the tortilla to reduce carbs.
Low Calorie Chicken Sandwich Recipe
To achieve maximum calorie savings, your best bet is to prepare your own healthy chicken sandwich at home. Here is an easy low calorie crispy chicken sandwich recipe:
Ingredients
- 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 4oz)
- 1 tbsp Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 whole wheat hamburger bun
- Lettuce, tomato, onion etc.
Directions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Coat chicken breast with Greek yogurt on both sides.
- In a shallow dish, mix panko, paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
- Coat chicken in panko mixture, pressing to adhere.
- Place chicken on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes until cooked through.
- Serve crispy chicken on whole wheat bun with lettuce, tomato, onion and other toppings of choice.
This crispy oven baked chicken sandwich contains approximately:
- 326 calories
- 6g fat
- 613mg sodium
That’s 154 fewer calories and 18g less fat than the McDonald’s version! You can lower the calorie count even further by using reduced fat cheese and mayo.
Conclusion
The new McDonald’s crispy chicken sandwich packs a caloric punch at 480 calories. While not the unhealthiest menu option, it’s also not the lightest either. To reduce the calories, customize your sandwich by removing mayo and the bun. Or opt for healthier fast food chicken sandwiches with oven roasted or grilled chicken. Better yet, try making your own lower calorie crispy chicken sandwich at home. A few small tweaks can save you over 150 calories per sandwich!