Quick Answer
The three cheese chicken penne pasta at Applebee’s contains around 1,520 calories per serving. This is based on the nutrition information provided on Applebee’s website.
Nutrition Information for Applebee’s Three Cheese Chicken Penne Pasta
According to Applebee’s nutrition calculator, here are the calorie and macronutrient amounts for their three cheese chicken penne pasta:
| Nutrition Facts | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 1520 |
| Total Fat | 59g |
| Saturated Fat | 25g |
| Cholesterol | 155mg |
| Sodium | 3280mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 156g |
| Dietary Fiber | 4g |
| Total Sugars | 8g |
| Protein | 54g |
As you can see, one serving of this pasta dish contains 1520 calories, which is quite high. The majority of calories come from fat (59g) and carbohydrates (156g). It also contains a whopping 3280mg of sodium.
Breakdown of Calories
To understand where all these calories are coming from, let’s break down the individual components of Applebee’s three cheese chicken penne pasta:
Pasta
– Penne pasta: Around 200 calories per serving
Cheese
– Parmesan cheese: Around 110 calories per 1/4 cup grated
– Cheddar cheese: Around 120 calories per 1/4 cup shredded
– Romano cheese: Around 120 calories per 1/4 cup grated
Chicken
– Grilled chicken breast: Around 230 calories for 4oz cooked breast meat
Sauce
– Creamy Alfredo sauce: Around 400-500 calories per 1 cup, depending on ingredients
Butter and Oil
– Butter: Around 100 calories per tbsp used for cooking
– Olive oil: Around 120 calories per tbsp used for cooking
Adding up the estimated calories from each component, the total comes out to around 1500 calories for the entire dish. This matches up closely with the nutrition information from Applebee’s.
The bulk of the calories comes from the Alfredo sauce, pasta, cheese, and grilled chicken. The use of butter and olive oil during cooking also contributes additional calories.
How to Make This Dish Healthier
If you want to lighten up this dish, there are a few simple tweaks you can make:
– Use whole wheat or veggie pasta instead of regular white pasta
– Opt for light Alfredo sauce or make your own lower-calorie sauce
– Use reduced fat cheese options and limit the amount
– Increase veggies like spinach or broccoli
– Choose grilled or roasted chicken instead of fried
– Cook with cooking spray instead of butter/oil
– Ask for sauce on the side and use half the amount
Making a few substitutions like these can help reduce the calories, fat, and sodium in this pasta dish significantly. Portion control is also very important when dining out.
Conclusion
Applebee’s three cheese chicken penne pasta is a very high-calorie dish, containing about 1520 calories per serving. This comes from the generous amounts of pasta, full-fat cheese, creamy Alfredo sauce, and grilled chicken. To make this meal healthier, opt for whole grain pasta, lighter sauce, and leaner protein. Limiting portion size and asking for sauce on the side can also help reduce the calorie intake when dining at Applebee’s. With some simple modifications, you can still enjoy the delicious flavor while consuming fewer calories.