The McChicken is one of McDonald’s most popular chicken sandwiches. It features a crispy chicken patty topped with shredded lettuce and mayonnaise on a toasted bun. However, McDonald’s also offers a spicy version called the Hot ‘N Spicy McChicken, which includes a spicy chicken patty instead of the original.
For those watching their calorie intake, the mayonnaise can add a significant number of calories. A regular McChicken sandwich with mayonnaise has 550 calories. Removing the mayo reduces it to 440 calories. But what about the hot and spicy version without mayonnaise? How many calories does a Hot ‘N Spicy McChicken have without mayo?
Calories in a Hot ‘N Spicy McChicken
A Hot ‘N Spicy McChicken sandwich typically contains the following ingredients:
– Spicy chicken patty
– Shredded lettuce
– Tomato slice
– Sesame seed bun
According to McDonald’s nutrition information, here are the calories for each standard Hot ‘N Spicy McChicken ingredient:
| Ingredient | Calories |
|---|---|
| Spicy chicken patty | 460 |
| Shredded lettuce | 5 |
| Tomato slice | 5 |
| Sesame seed bun | 160 |
Adding up the calories for each of these standard ingredients, a regular Hot ‘N Spicy McChicken sandwich without mayo has approximately **630 calories**.
This is significantly higher than a regular McChicken without mayo, which only has 440 calories. The difference is the spicy chicken patty, which contains 460 calories compared to the 270 calories in a regular McChicken patty.
How many calories in mayonnaise?
Regular mayonnaise adds about 110 calories to a McChicken sandwich. So a Hot ‘N Spicy McChicken with mayo would have approximately:
630 calories (sandwich without mayo)
+ 110 calories (mayo)
= **740 total calories**
So adding mayonnaise significantly increases the calorie count of a Hot ‘N Spicy McChicken. By ordering without mayo, you can save 110 calories.
Does removing other ingredients affect the calorie count?
The calories listed above are for a standard Hot ‘N Spicy McChicken with all the regular ingredients except mayo. What if you remove other ingredients like the tomato or lettuce?
Here are the calories for a Hot ‘N Spicy McChicken without:
– **No tomato:** Removes 5 calories
– **No lettuce:** Removes 5 calories
– **No tomato or lettuce:** Removes 10 calories total
Therefore, if you order a Hot ‘N Spicy McChicken and remove both the tomato and lettuce, the total calories would be approximately 620.
However, keep in mind these saved calories are fairly minimal. The biggest impact comes from removing the mayonnaise.
How spicy is the Hot ‘N Spicy McChicken?
The Hot ‘N Spicy McChicken gets its heat from a spicy batter applied to the chicken patty before it is fried. Reviews of the spicy chicken patty suggest it provides a moderate level of heat.
Most reviewers describe the Hot ‘N Spicy patty as having a noticeable kick, especially compared to the mild flavor of the original McChicken. However, the spicy flavor is not considered overpowering. Some McDonalds customers note the spicy batter helps provide an extra crunchy texture as well.
Overall, the Hot ‘N Spicy McChicken tends to satisfy people looking for a little spice, but who don’t want an extremely hot or flaming chicken sandwich. The spicy patty has just enough kick to give the classic McChicken an extra zesty flavor.
Nutrition facts for Hot ‘N Spicy McChicken
Beyond calories, here is the full nutrition breakdown for a Hot ‘N Spicy McChicken sandwich without mayo:
| Nutrient | Amount | % Daily Value* |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 630 | 31% |
| Fat | 32g | 49% |
| Saturated Fat | 8g | 40% |
| Trans Fat | 1.5g | — |
| Cholesterol | 85mg | 28% |
| Sodium | 1280mg | 54% |
| Carbohydrates | 47g | 16% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 6g | — |
| Protein | 28g | 56% |
*Based on a 2000 calorie diet
As you can see, the Hot ‘N Spicy McChicken provides a significant amount of calories, fat, and sodium. Removing the mayonnaise helps reduce fat and calories slightly.
How the Hot ‘N Spicy McChicken fits into your daily calorie needs
The Hot ‘N Spicy McChicken without mayo contains 630 calories, which is 31% of a standard 2000 calorie daily diet.
To help put that in perspective, here is how a Hot ‘N Spicy McChicken fits into calorie budgets of different sizes:
– **1,200 calorie diet:** The 630 calorie sandwich is over half (53%) of a 1,200 calorie allowance for the day.
– **1,500 calorie diet:** The Hot ‘N Spicy McChicken makes up 42% of a 1,500 calorie day.
– **2,000 calorie diet:** At 630 calories, the spicy chicken sandwich is 31% of the recommended 2,000 daily calories.
– **2,500 calorie diet:** For someone with a 2,500 calorie budget, the sandwich represents 25% of their calories for the day.
As you can see, the higher your calorie budget for the day, the less impact the 630 calorie sandwich has as a percentage of your total allowance. But regardless of your specific diet, the Hot ‘N Spicy McChicken still represents a significant chunk of calories from one meal.
Tips for reducing calories in a Hot ‘N Spicy McChicken
If you want to cut calories for your Hot ‘N Spicy McChicken order, here are some options:
– **Skip the mayo:** As mentioned earlier, removing the mayo saves about 110 calories.
– **Order a small sandwich:** Opt for the smaller Hot ‘N Spicy McChicken sandwich, which saves about 60 calories compared to the regular size.
– **Skip the bun:** Order your spicy chicken sandwich as a lettuce wrap, which removes the calorie-dense bun.
– **Substitute apple slices:** Rather than fries, choose a side salad or apple slices to save calories. Apple slices have only 30 calories compared to 380 calories for a medium fry.
– **Share your meal:** Split the Hot ‘N Spicy McChicken sandwich with a friend so you each consume only half the calories.
– **Drink water:** Skip the soda or sugary drink to avoid extra calories.
Making combinations of these swaps can help significantly reduce the calorie impact of your Hot ‘N Spicy McChicken meal.
Healthier low-calorie McDonald’s options
If you want a lower-calorie McDonald’s meal, here are some healthier sandwich options:
– **Hamburger:** 250 calories
– **Cheeseburger:** 300 calories
– **McDouble:** 380 calories
– **Ranch Snack Wrap (Crispy):** 220 calories
– **Ranch Snack Wrap (Grilled):** 120 calories
– **Artisan Grilled Chicken Sandwich:** 380 calories
For lunch and dinner sides, opt for low-calorie choices like:
– **Fruit ‘n Yogurt Parfait:** 150 calories
– **3-piece Chicken McNuggets:** 190 calories
– **Side salad:** 15-25 calories
– **Apple slices:** 30 calories
And for breakfast, try items like:
– **Egg White Delight McMuffin:** 250 calories
– **Fruit ‘n Maple Oatmeal:** 290 calories
– **Scrambled eggs:** 140 calories
– **Hash browns:** 150 calories
So while the Hot ‘N Spicy McChicken is one of the higher calorie options, McDonald’s does offer alternatives to help customize a lower calorie meal.
Comparing Hot ‘N Spicy McChicken calories to other fast food sandwiches
How does the Hot ‘N Spicy McChicken stack up against spicy chicken sandwiches from other fast food restaurants? Here’s a comparison:
| Sandwich | Calories |
|---|---|
| Hot ‘N Spicy McChicken | 630 |
| Wendy’s Spicy Chicken Sandwich | 670 |
| Burger King Spicy Chick’n Crisp | 630 |
| Chick-fil-A Spicy Chicken Deluxe | 760 |
| Popeyes Spicy Chicken Po’ Boy | 690 |
As you can see, the Hot ‘N Spicy McChicken is on the lower end for fast food spicy chicken sandwiches, calorie-wise. The Wendy’s, Burger King, and Popeyes versions are all slightly higher. The Chick-fil-A Spicy Chicken Deluxe is the outlier with a significant 760 calories.
So if you’re looking for a lower-calorie spicy chicken sandwich, the Hot ‘N Spicy McChicken is one of the better options among popular fast food restaurants.
Conclusion
A Hot ‘N Spicy McChicken sandwich without mayonnaise contains about 630 calories. This represents over half the recommended daily calories for someone on a 1,200 calorie diet. Even on a 2,000 calorie diet, the 630 calorie sandwich makes up 31% of the total allowance.
Ordering without mayo saves you 110 calories compared to a Hot ‘N Spicy McChicken with mayo. Other customizations like a lettuce wrap bun or apple slices instead of fries can further reduce the calories.
While the Hot ‘N Spicy McChicken is one of McDonald’s higher calorie menu items, it offers moderate heat and is lower in calories than many competing spicy chicken sandwiches. So if you want to indulge in a fast food spicy chicken but not overload your diet, the Hot ‘N Spicy McChicken is a reasonable option. Just be mindful of customizations and side choices that can keep your meal within your calorie goals.