Convenience and flavor often converge in the Chick-fil-A drive-thru. The popular fast food chain has established itself as a go-to spot for customers who crave consistency — both in the quality of food and the customer service. While it isn’t necessarily considered a “healthy” fast food establishment, one healthier Chick-fil-A menu hack in particular has gone viral on social media. The kale crunch salad and grilled chicken nuggets make a delicious, protein-packed pair that you can customize to your palate.
Not only is creating your own Chick-fil-A salad easy with a two-ingredient recipe, but it’s also a budget-friendly choice compared to the restaurant’s specialty salads. While the three main salad options cost $9.55 and up, the kale crunch salad starts at a price point of $4.15, and an order of five grilled nuggets begins at $3.70 (prices may vary based on location). Between its simple combination, wallet-friendliness, and nutritional benefits, it’s understandable that this handy order idea is all the rage on social media. Next, we’ll take an in-depth look at why you might want to swap your crispy chicken sandwich for this healthy hack during your next Chick-fil-A visit.
The nutritional value of this healthier Chick-fil-A salad is undeniable
It’s no secret that most salads tend to be a lighter, less calorie-dense choice when you’re hitting up a fast food restaurant. At Chick-fil-A, even salads with several toppings and a dressing can still beat out the fan-favorite chicken nuggets in terms of how good they are for you. That said, the kale crunch salad and grilled nuggets combination shines as an impressively healthy and satisfying meal.
The kale crunch salad offers plenty of flavor (and crunch, as the name suggests) at just 170 calories. Adding a five-count of grilled chicken nuggets only adds an additional 80 calories, bringing this well-rounded meal to a total of 250 calories. In contrast, the menu-based Chick-fil-A salad with the lowest calories is the market salad with a grilled chicken filet, which has 550 calories.
If you’re looking for ways to increase your protein intake, you’re also in luck. The kale crunch salad and a five count of grilled nuggets together offer 20 grams of protein. While the cobb salad does boast a whopping 42 grams of protein, it also contains a considerable 830 calories; if you’re keeping an eye on your diet, it’s a good idea to weigh your options based on the ratio of calories to protein, and it’s clear that adding grilled chicken nuggets to the kale crunch salad at Chick-fil-A stands out thanks to its nutritional makeup.
You can savor whatever flavor you choose
A fun (and tasty) benefit of ordering a kale crunch salad with grilled chicken nuggets from Chick-fil-A is the customizability. If you’ve caught a video or two about the menu hack on social media, you’ve probably seen most creators opt for adding a packet of the restaurant’s buffalo sauce to the salad for a nice zesty kick. Although the kale crunch side already contains a light dressing itself, adding an additional condiment could cater the taste of the salad to your personal preference.
Thanks to Chick-fil-A’s variety of dipping sauces (which we’ve ranked from worst to best), from the newer sweet and spicy sriracha sauce to the classic Chick-fil-A sauce, you might want to jazz up your order by pouring a sauce packet into the container of grilled nuggets, shaking them up with the lid closed, and popping them right onto the salad. Voilá — you’re in for a zesty, crunchy, flavor-packed treat.
