A chicken biscuit from Bojangles is a popular breakfast item, but many people wonder how many calories are in it. Knowing the calorie count can help you make informed choices about what you eat. In this article, we will take a detailed look at the calories and other nutrition information for a Bojangles chicken biscuit.
Overview of Bojangles Chicken Biscuits
Bojangles is a fast food restaurant chain that specializes in fried chicken and biscuits. The chain was founded in 1977 in Charlotte, North Carolina and has since expanded across the American Southeast. Bojangles is particularly known for its flaky, buttery biscuits.
One of their most popular menu items is the Bojangles chicken biscuit. This consists of a freshly baked Bojangles buttermilk biscuit split open and filled with a seasoned, breaded chicken filet. Options include having it plain, or adding butter, Bojangles sauce, or pimento cheese spread.
Chicken biscuits make a convenient, portable breakfast or snack. But how many calories are you actually consuming when you eat one?
Calories in a Plain Bojangles Chicken Biscuit
Let’s start by looking at the calories in a plain Bojangles chicken biscuit, without any additional toppings or spreads:
| Item | Calories |
|---|---|
| Biscuit | 220 |
| Chicken filet | 260 |
| Total | 480 |
As you can see, a plain Bojangles chicken biscuit contains 220 calories from the biscuit and 260 calories from the fried chicken filet, for a total of 480 calories.
The biscuit alone provides a significant amount of calories, thanks to being made with refined flour and buttermilk, and then fried in oil. The chicken filet also piles on more calories since it is breaded and fried.
So just opting for a chicken biscuit without any sauces or spreads still gives you nearly a quarter of the 2,000 daily recommended calories for the average adult in one sandwich.
Calories with Butter or Sauces
What happens when you add condiments or spreads to your Bojangles chicken biscuit? Here’s how the calories stack up:
| Item | Calories |
|---|---|
| Plain Chicken Biscuit | 480 |
| + Butter (1 pat) | + 100 |
| + Bojangles Sauce (1 packet) | + 50 |
| + Pimento Cheese Spread | + 110 |
Adding a pat of butter will tack on an extra 100 calories, bringing the total up to 580 calories. Topping your biscuit with some Bojangles sauce adds 50 calories for a 530 calorie sandwich. Opting for pimento cheese spread piles on the most with an additional 110 calories, totalling 590 for the biscuit.
So loading up your chicken biscuit can easily push the calories over 600 for a single meal. That’s almost one third of the daily recommended value.
Low Calorie Options
If you’re looking for ways to trim some calories off your chicken biscuit, here are some options:
– Ask for your biscuit well done – the extra time in the fryer makes it crisper and flakier with less absorbed oil, reducing the calories.
– Skip the fried chicken filet and replace it with a grilled chicken breast.
– Opt for a whole grain biscuit instead of buttermilk – it will still have a great taste but with more fiber and fewer calories.
– Order a half chicken biscuit or split one with a friend. You’ll get the flavor you crave with 250 fewer calories.
– Skip the butter, sauce, and cheese spread and season your biscuit yourself with just a sprinkle of salt and pepper.
Making customizations like these can help turn an indulgent 500+ calorie meal into a lighter 300-400 calorie breakfast.
Other Bojangles Biscuit Nutrition Facts
Bojangles offers other types of biscuits besides just the chicken. Here are the calorie counts for some of their popular biscuit varieties:
| Biscuit Type | Calories |
|---|---|
| Bacon, Egg & Cheese Biscuit | 670 |
| Country Ham Biscuit | 640 |
| Sausage Biscuit | 610 |
| Buttermilk Biscuit | 460 |
| Cajun Filet Biscuit | 530 |
As you can see, biscuits filled with meat and cheese tend to have the most calories, ranging from 600-670 calories each. Even just a plain buttermilk biscuit comes in at 460 calories.
So a chicken biscuit is not the only high-calorie option on their menu. But it remains one of the most popular choices for those seeking a satisfying biscuit sandwich.
Nutrients in Bojangles Chicken Biscuits
Beyond just calories, what other nutrients are found in a Bojangles chicken biscuit? Let’s break it down:
Total Fat: 25g
– Saturated Fat: 5g
– Trans Fat: 2g
– Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g
– Monounsaturated Fat: 10g
The biscuit and fried chicken provide a lot of fat, which contributes to the high calorie count. About 18% of the calories come from saturated fat.
Cholesterol: 65mg
The chicken filet and buttermilk biscuit boost the cholesterol numbers.
Sodium: 970mg
Around 40% of the daily recommended sodium intake comes from one chicken biscuit, mostly due to the biscuit.
Total Carbohydrates: 49g
– Dietary fiber: 2g
– Sugars: 3g
Carbs make up the bulk of the biscuit. But fiber content is low while sugar content is moderate.
Protein: 19g
You get a decent hit of protein from the chicken filet.
Vitamins and Minerals: Bojangles biscuits provides some calcium, iron, potassium, vitamin A and vitamin C. But it does not supply significant amounts of any vitamins or minerals.
So in terms of nutrition, Bojangles chicken biscuits are high in calories, fat, sodium and cholesterol while being lower in fiber, vitamins and minerals. The protein and carbohydrate content is moderate.
Chicken Biscuit Health Considerations
Here are some important health considerations to keep in mind when eating chicken biscuits from Bojangles or similar fast food restaurants:
– The high saturated fat and sodium content makes this a poor choice for those with heart disease, high blood pressure or cholesterol issues. The saturated fat and trans fat can raise your LDL (“bad”) cholesterol.
– With nearly 1,000mg of sodium, this accounts for almost half of the recommended daily sodium limit of 2,300mg. High sodium intake is associated with high blood pressure.
– Low fiber and high fat and carb content results in quick spiking of blood sugar levels, followed by a crash later. Not optimal for diabetes management.
– At nearly 500 calories, it makes up over a quarter of your daily calorie needs. Easy to overconsume calories with high-calorie menu items.
– High calorie levels coupled with minimal nutritional value means these are providing empty calories without much benefit.
– Fried and high-fat foods may increase inflammation levels in the body when consumed regularly. Chronic inflammation is linked to diseases.
– Eating too many refined carbohydrates from the biscuit can increase triglycerides and reduce good HDL cholesterol.
So while an occasional chicken biscuit from Bojangles is fine, consuming them too frequently could have negative impacts for those concerned about heart health, blood sugar regulation, inflammation, weight management and overall nutrition. Moderation is key.
Healthier Homemade Chicken Biscuit
You can get the great taste of a chicken biscuit sandwich with fewer calories, less fat and sodium, and more nutrition by making a healthier version at home.
Try this recipe:
Ingredients:
– 1 whole wheat biscuit
– 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast
– 1 tsp olive oil
– 1⁄4 tsp each salt and pepper
– 1 slice cheddar cheese (optional)
– 1 tomato slice
– 1 leaf of lettuce
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Cook chicken breast in olive oil for 10-12 minutes until no longer pink inside. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
2. Split biscuit in half and place halves on a baking sheet. Toast in the oven for 2-3 minutes until lightly browned.
3. Place toasted biscuit halves on a plate. Top bottom half with chicken breast, tomato, lettuce, and cheddar cheese if desired. Add top half of biscuit.
This homemade version uses a healthier whole grain biscuit, olive oil instead of frying oil, and baked chicken without the breading. Plus you control the sodium content. The addition of tomato, lettuce, and cheese also boosts the nutrition.
Result: A tasty chicken biscuit sandwich with around 400 calories versus 480. Less saturated fat and sodium, plus more fiber and vitamins.
Conclusion
A plain Bojangles chicken biscuit contains about 480 calories, with 25g of fat, 49g of carbs, and 970mg of sodium. Adding spreads or sauces can pile on an extra 100-110 calories per biscuit.
While biscuits make a convenient breakfast, the high amount of calories, fat, sodium, and cholesterol in Bojangles chicken biscuits makes them more of an occasional indulgence food. Enjoy them in moderation as part of an overall balanced diet, or try healthier homemade versions.
Knowing the nutrition information can help you make informed food choices to support your health goals.
