Fried chicken is a popular fast food that many people enjoy as an occasional treat. KFC is one of the largest fast food chicken chains, and their fried chicken is loved by millions of customers. But how healthy or nutritious is their fried chicken breast? Let’s take a detailed look at the nutrition facts.
Nutrition Facts for KFC Fried Chicken Breast
Here are the basic nutrition facts for a fried chicken breast from KFC (without skin or breading):
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 230 |
| Fat | 12 g |
| Saturated Fat | 3 g |
| Trans Fat | 0.5 g |
| Cholesterol | 85 mg |
| Sodium | 760 mg |
| Carbohydrates | 0 g |
| Fiber | 0 g |
| Sugars | 0 g |
| Protein | 27 g |
As you can see, a fried chicken breast from KFC without skin or breading provides 230 calories, 12g of fat, 85mg cholesterol, 760mg sodium, and 27g of protein. It contains no carbohydrates, fiber or sugars. Now let’s take a deeper look at each nutrient.
Calories in KFC Fried Chicken Breast
A fried chicken breast from KFC contains 230 calories. This represents about 11% of the daily calorie recommendation for the average adult. While the calorie count is not extremely high, it’s still a significant amount, especially if eating more than one piece.
The calorie content comes entirely from the protein and fat in the fried chicken, as there are no carbs. The flour breading and skin would add more calories. For example, a chicken breast with the skin and original recipe breading has 340 calories.
Fat in KFC Fried Chicken Breast
The fried chicken breast contains 12g of total fat. This includes 3g of saturated fat and 0.5g of trans fat. The daily recommendation for saturated fat is no more than 20g per day, so one chicken breast provides 15% of that.
The type of oil used for frying also impacts the fat content. KFC fries their chicken in a blend of soybean oil and palm oil. This oil absorbs into the meat during the frying process.
While the total fat may seem high compared to a grilled chicken breast, it’s not extremely high in the context of a fast food meal. However, the saturated and trans fats are less than ideal. The skin adds quite a bit of additional fat.
Ways to Reduce Fat in KFC Fried Chicken
- Order chicken without the skin or breading
- Choose grilled or roasted chicken if available
- Eat just a single piece rather than multiple
- Pair with lower fat side dishes like green beans
Cholesterol in KFC Fried Chicken Breast
One fried chicken breast from KFC contains 85mg of cholesterol. This is 28% of the daily 300mg recommended limit for cholesterol.
The cholesterol comes naturally from the chicken meat itself. Frying adds a bit more. The breading and skin also increase the cholesterol count substantially. For example, an extra crispy chicken breast with skin has 115mg cholesterol.
For most healthy adults, one fried chicken breast will not push your daily cholesterol intake over the recommended limit. However, for people with high cholesterol or heart disease, the cholesterol content may be a concern.
Ways to Reduce Cholesterol in KFC Fried Chicken
- Remove skin and breading
- Limit to one piece
- Choose chicken dishes lower in cholesterol like grilled chicken
- Enjoy fried chicken only occasionally as part of an overall low cholesterol diet
Sodium in KFC Fried Chicken Breast
The fried chicken breast contains 760mg of sodium. This represents 32% of the daily 2300mg limit for sodium recommended by health experts.
Most of the sodium occurs naturally in the chicken. Frying doesn’t add a huge amount. But KFC does season its fried chicken with salt, which does increase the sodium content substantially.
Eating one fried chicken breast will put a dent in your recommended sodium intake for the day. Eating multiple pieces could put you over the limit, especially if Enjoying other high sodium foods and condiments.
Ways to Reduce Sodium in KFC Fried Chicken
- Request unsalted or low sodium chicken
- Avoid dipping in high sodium condiments and sauces
- Choose lower sodium side dishes
- Drink plenty of water to help flush out excess sodium
Carbs, Fiber and Sugars in KFC Chicken Breast
The chicken breast itself contains no carbohydrates, fiber or sugars. However, the skin, breading and any dipping sauces or sides would add carbs.
For example, an extra crispy chicken breast with the skin has 2g net carbs. A breast with the original recipe breading would have around 15g net carbs. And honey BBQ dipping sauce has 13g carbs per 2 tablespoon serving.
So while the chicken itself is very low carb, the meal overall still ends up with a moderate amount of carbs depending on your choices.
Ways to Reduce Carbs/Sugars in KFC Chicken
- Avoid the breading and skin
- Skip any sugary sauces or dressings
- Choose lower carb side dishes like green beans or salad
- Stick to just the chicken to keep carbs minimal
Protein in KFC Fried Chicken Breast
There are 27g of protein in a KFC fried chicken breast. This represents 54% of the Recommended Daily Value for protein based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Chicken breast is high in protein naturally. The frying process doesn’t change the protein content. This makes it one of the better sources of protein among fast food options.
Getting 25-30g+ of protein is ideal in a meal for appetite control and muscle recovery. So the chicken breast provides an excellent protein boost.
Other Vitamins and Minerals
Here are some other vitamins and minerals found in a KFC fried chicken breast and their percentages of the Recommended Daily Value:
- Niacin – 25% DV
- Vitamin B6 – 15% DV
- Phosphorus – 15% DV
- Zinc – 14% DV
- Vitamin B12 – 13% DV
As you can see, fried chicken breast provides significant amounts of B vitamins, zinc, and phosphorus. There are also small amounts of magnesium, iron, selenium and other vitamins/minerals.
Skinless chicken breast is a good source of B vitamins like niacin, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12. Frying doesn’t significantly change the vitamin content. However, the skin does lower the overall nutrition density.
Is KFC Fried Chicken Breast Healthy?
Overall, a KFC fried chicken breast can be a relatively healthy fast food option if sticking to the chicken without skin or breading. It provides lean protein, B vitamins, zinc, phosphorus and minimal carbs.
However, the high sodium content and saturated fat aren’t ideal. The skin, breading and sauces also drive up fat, carbs, sodium and cholesterol quickly. And the calories add up fast if you eat multiple pieces.
Occasionally enjoying fried chicken in moderation as part of an overall balanced diet is perfectly fine for most healthy adults. But regular, heavy consumption, especially with the skin and breading, could have negative health impacts over time.
Healthier KFC Chicken Options
Here are some of the healthier KFC chicken choices if you are looking to improve nutrition:
- Grilled chicken – lower in fat, carbs and sodium
- Roasted chicken – lower in fat, sodium and cholesterol
- Extra crispy chicken breast without skin or breading – reduces fat, carbs, sodium and cholesterol
- Original recipe chicken breast without skin or breading – lowers fat, sodium and cholesterol compared to extra crispy
- Seasoned grilled chicken with green beans – provides fiber, vitamins and minerals
Conclusion
A fried chicken breast from KFC provides a good amount of lean protein along with B vitamins, phosphorus, zinc and minimal carbs. However, it’s high in sodium and saturated fat, so enjoying it occasionally in moderation is best, especially avoiding the skin and breading.
Overall, KFC fried chicken can be part of a balanced diet if you pay attention to your portion sizes, frequency and what you pair it with. Combining it with lower carb, lower sodium side dishes helps balance out the meal. Other grilled, roasted and oven-baked chicken options at KFC are lower in fat, carbs and sodium as well.
At the end of the day, fried chicken from KFC is a high-protein fast food option that’s tasty in moderation but should be enjoyed sensibly as part of an overall nutritious diet.
