Quick Answer
A Chick-fil-A Cobb salad contains around 25-35 grams of net carbs, depending on size and dressing choice. The salad itself has around 15 grams of carbs from vegetables and bacon bits. The remaining carbs come from the dressing, which can range from 10-20 grams depending on type and amount. Light Italian, Light Balsamic Vinaigrette, and Light Zesty Apple Cider Vinaigrette are lower carb choices.
Counting Carbs in a Cobb Salad
A Cobb salad is made up of mixed greens, diced chicken, bacon, egg, tomatoes, and blue cheese crumbles. Most of the carbs come from the vegetables and bacon bits:
Salad Ingredients
| Ingredient | Carbs (grams) |
|---|---|
| Mixed Greens | 2 |
| Diced Chicken | 0 |
| Bacon Bits | 2 |
| Egg | 0 |
| Tomatoes | 4 |
| Blue Cheese | 1 |
| Total | 9 |
As you can see, the vegetables and bacon contribute about 9 grams of carbs to the total carb count.
The bulk of the remaining carbs comes from the dressing:
Salad Dressings
| Dressing | Carbs (2 oz serving) |
|---|---|
| Light Italian | 7 |
| Light Balsamic Vinaigrette | 4 |
| Light Zesty Apple Cider Vinaigrette | 2 |
| Ranch | 2 |
| Avocado Lime Ranch | 3 |
| Blue Cheese | 2 |
| Caesar | 3 |
| Honey Mustard | 9 |
| Creamy Salsa | 2 |
As you can see, the lighter vinaigrette and ranch style dressings are lowest in carbs, while honey mustard is highest.
In general, most of the light dressings have 4-7 grams of carbs per 2 oz serving. Regular dressings tend to range from 2-9 grams per 2 oz serving.
So if we take the 9 grams of carbs from the salad itself, plus an estimated 10-20 grams from the dressing, a Cobb salad ends up having around 19-29 grams of total carbs.
However, we need to calculate the net carbs, which is total carbs minus fiber. Most of the carbs from the vegetables and bacon are fiber, which doesn’t count.
Figuring Net Carbs
To get a good estimate for net carbs, we can subtract about 5 grams of fiber from the vegetable carbs.
So the total net carbs would be:
| Item | Net Carbs |
|---|---|
| Salad Ingredients | 4 |
| Dressing (10-20g) | 10-20 |
| Total Net Carbs | 14-24 |
This means a Cobb salad made with a light dressing will have around 14-19 grams of net carbs. With a regular dressing, it would be 19-24 grams of net carbs.
So in summary:
Chick-fil-A Cobb Salad Net Carbs
- Total carbs: 19-29g
- Fiber: 5g
- Net carbs: 14-24g
The exact amount depends on size, dressing choice, and amount of dressing. Sticking with light dressings in moderation will provide the lowest amount of net carbs.
Tips for Ordering a Low Carb Cobb Salad
Here are some tips to reduce carbs when ordering a Cobb salad:
- Choose a light dressing like Light Italian, Light Balsamic Vinaigrette, or Light Zesty Apple Cider Vinaigrette.
- Ask for dressing on the side and use sparingly.
- Avoid high carb toppings like croutons.
- Order a half or small salad instead of a large.
- Skip high-sugar menu items like fruit, muffins, or sugary drinks.
- Add extra veggies for more fiber.
Following these tips can help reduce excess carbs and keep your Cobb salad within keto, low carb, and diabetic diet limits.
Low Carb Dressing Options
Here is a run-down of the best low carb salad dressing choices at Chick-fil-A:
Vinaigrettes
- Light Balsamic Vinaigrette – 45 calories, 4g carbs per 2 fl oz
- Light Zesty Apple Cider Vinaigrette – 45 calories, 2g carbs per 2 fl oz
The vinaigrettes are great low carb options, with only 2-4 grams of net carbs per serving. They add lots of flavor without the added sugar and carbs.
Low Fat Ranch Style Dressings
- Light Ranch – 45 calories, 2g carbs per 2 fl oz
- Light Avocado Lime Ranch – 40 calories, 3g carbs per 2 fl oz
The low fat ranch dressings also have minimal carbs, even lower than the vinaigrettes. Ranch adds great flavor and creaminess.
Low Carb Alternatives
- Blue Cheese – 140 calories, 2g carbs per 2 fl oz
- Caesar – 150 calories, 3g carbs per 2 fl oz
- Creamy Salsa – 45 calories, 2g carbs per 2 fl oz
While not as low carb as the light dressings, blue cheese, Caesar, and salsa are better options than honey mustard (9g carbs) or regular fat dressings like buttermilk ranch (5g carbs).
So in summary, to limit carbs, go for a light vinaigrette or ranch dressing on the side. Avoid sugary dressings like honey mustard.
Cobb Salad Nutrition Facts
Here is the full nutrition breakdown for a Chick-fil-A Cobb salad:
Small Cobb Salad with Light Dressing
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 220 |
| Fat | 12g |
| Carbs | 14g |
| Fiber | 4g |
| Sugar | 4g |
| Protein | 21g |
Large Cobb Salad with Regular Dressing
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 490 |
| Fat | 36g |
| Carbs | 19g |
| Fiber | 5g |
| Sugar | 6g |
| Protein | 32g |
As you can see, the small Cobb salad with a light dressing provides 14g net carbs and 220 calories. The large salad with a regular dressing has 19g net carbs and 490 calories.
So choosing a smaller portion with light dressing can cut over 200 calories and 5+ grams of carbs!
Low Carb Salad Alternatives at Chick-fil-A
If you want an even lower carb salad option, Chick-fil-A has several other salads and lettuce wraps that fit lower carb diets:
Grilled Market Salad
The grilled market salad has romaine lettuce, chicken, cucumbers, grape tomatoes, cheddar and Monterey jack cheese and nuts. With light dressing, it has around 10g net carbs.
Grilled Chicken Cool Wrap
This lettuce wrap is filled with grilled chicken, cheddar and Monterey jack cheese, diced tomatoes, cucumbers, and avocado lime ranch dressing wrapped in lettuce. It has around 5g net carbs without the tortilla shell.
Spicy Southwest Salad
The spicy southwest salad includes chopped romaine, diced chicken, black bean & corn salsa, tortilla strips, cheddar cheese, tomatoes, avocado lime ranch dressing and salsa. Omitting the tortilla strips reduces the net carbs to 10-15g.
Chicken Caesar Salad
Romaine lettuce, grilled chicken, parmesan cheese and signature caesar dressing make up this salad. With light dressing, it contains 10-15g of net carbs.
So in place of the Cobb salad, these low carb salad and wrap options can better fit a keto or diabetic diet. Just be mindful of dressings, cheese, and higher carb toppings.
Low Carb Dining Tips at Chick-Fil-A
Here are some general tips for eating low carb at Chick-fil-A:
- Choose grilled chicken sandwiches or nuggets instead of breaded options.
- Order a side salad instead of waffle fries or other starchy sides.
- Ask for any sandwiches as lettuce wraps.
- Sauces like Buffalo, Polynesian, Zesty Apple Cider Vinaigrette are low carb.
- Stick to diet drinks, unsweetened tea, water.
- Avoid muffins, fruit cups, milkshakes.
- Get any sandwich as a salad instead.
- Swap the bun for extra lettuce.
Following these simple substitutions can help reduce carbs at Chick-fil-A while still enjoying delicious food. Focus on grilled chicken, lettuce wraps, salads with light dressing, and low carb sauces. Drink water and skip sugary beverages and desserts.
Conclusion
A Chick-fil-A Cobb salad contains around 14-24 grams of net carbs, depending on size and dressing. Sticking with light vinaigrette and ranch dressings can help reduce excess carbs and sugars. Ordering the salad as a small or half portion and avoiding high carb toppings like croutons can also minimize carbs.
Other lower carb salad options include the Grilled Market Salad, Grilled Chicken Cool Wrap or other lettuce wrap sandwiches, Spicy Southwest Salad, and Chicken Caesar Salad. Focus on grilled chicken, lettuce wraps, salads with light dressing, and stay away from starchy sides and sugary drinks and desserts. This allows you to enjoy the delicious flavors of Chick-fil-A while maintaining a low carb lifestyle.
