Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, renowned for its Southern-style fried chicken, might seem like a no-go zone for those adhering to a ketogenic diet. However, with careful selection and a few modifications, it's possible to navigate the menu and enjoy a satisfying keto meal. While Popeyes may not be the most accommodating fast-food restaurant for keto dieters, a few options can work in a pinch.
Navigating the Popeyes Menu on a Keto Diet
Eating fast food on a low-carb keto diet isn't the easiest task. When you think of Popeyes you probably think of fried chicken. That is their main and best selling point, however they do have a secret keto friendly item you may not know about.
The Good News: Blackened Tenders and Green Beans
The cornerstone of a keto-friendly meal at Popeyes lies in their blackened tenders. Though not advertised much, the blackened tenders from Popeyes fit the bill when it comes to low carb options with really great flavor. They're coated in a Popeyes seasoning blend and fried without breading. According to the nutritional information, three pieces of blackened chicken tenders contains 170 calories, 2 grams of fat, 2 grams of carbs, and 26 grams of protein. Popeyes handcrafted blackened chicken tenders can absolutely be part of a low-carb meal; they contain just 2 grams of carbs per 3-piece serving.
Complementing the blackened tenders, the green beans stand out as the only keto-compatible side dish. The green beans are juicy and cooked with smokey ham or bacon. They're addicting. Most fried chicken fast food restaurants will have some kind of green bean side dishes. They may not have a ton of side dishes, but their minimal grams of carbs in the green beans and chicken work well for a keto dieter.
The Not-So-Good News: Breaded Chicken, Sides, and Sauces
Unfortunately, many Popeyes offerings are high in carbohydrates and unsuitable for a ketogenic diet. You're going to want to avoid almost all side dishes including the mashed potatoes and red beans with rice. The Popeyes biscuit is decidedly not keto-approved. At 19 grams of net carbs per serving, this side item is to be avoided at all costs!
Read also: Smart Eating at Popeyes
Sauces can be one of the most deceiving menu items. You will also need to stay away from all sauces at Popeyes as they contain added sugars and contribute to your overall carb intake. This means you’ll need to order your chicken unbreaded and enjoy it without any dips.
Tips and Tricks for Ordering Keto at Popeyes
Follow these tips to make it work for a low-carb diet at Popeyes. Just keep in mind that it won’t be a healthy meal. Here are a few answers to the most frequently asked questions about eating keto at Popeyes.
- Embrace the Blackened Tenders: Take full advantage of the blackened tenders.
- Stick to Green Beans: Pair them with a side dish of green beans for a more well-rounded and filling choice.
- Be Mindful of Carb Count: Be conscious of the carb count on the large green beans -- the carbs can add up quickly!
- Skip the Biscuit: Most Popeye's meals come with a biscuit.
- Don't get too fancy with your ordering: Go in with confidence. While they aren’t used to people ordering chicken that isn’t fried, hold your ground. You may need to be patient as it could take a bit of extra time for the chicken to cook, but you should get it without any issues.
- Speak clearly and be sure to clarify: If you are someone who knows you’ll eat a biscuit if they put it in the box, clearly say “please leave out the biscuit I avoid gluten.” This way they will simply leave it out entirely and you can enjoy your chicken and green beans in peace.
- Consider "Naked" Options: We noticed that Popeyes has “naked” chicken options listed on their nutrition information, but not on their main menu. Most of the time, “naked” preparations mean that they are grilled and not breaded. You can also ask for a naked chicken wrap, naked chicken tenders, or a naked BBQ Po’boy.
- BYOB (Bring Your Own Bun): This resulted in the chicken chain encouraging customers to BYOB, or bring your own bun. Although the restaurant assumes you’ll be bringing a bread bun to the restaurant to build your own chicken sandwich, we don’t see why you can’t bring a lettuce wrap as your bun. This is a good way to enjoy a low-carb sandwich.
- Ask for Blackened Options: You can always ask for a family meal that contains several pieces of blackened chicken and no sides. You can also see if you can order some of their other chicken blackened instead of fried, like a few pieces of chicken thighs, legs, or wings. Like we said above, it doesn’t hurt to ask.
- Hold the Sides: All side dishes at Popeyes are off limits! Instead, ask for more blackened chicken tenders.
- Order the Po’Boy without the Bread: We noticed they have a chicken Po’Boy sandwich on the menu that you can order with blacked chicken tenders. Get this sandwich without the bread and mayo to keep it low-carb.
- Avoid Breaded Seafood: We should mention that Popeyes offers seafood as well, but again, it’s all breaded. You can get shrimp or a whole fish fillet, but ask to have these non-breaded as well.
- Skip the Sauces: You will also need to stay away from all sauces at Popeyes as they contain added sugars and contribute to your overall carb intake. This means you’ll need to order your chicken unbreaded and enjoy it without any dips.
- Get in a fat source: Whether that be a low carb sauce with your chicken, or to add butter in your green beans.
Keto FAQs at Popeyes
Here are a few answers to the most frequently asked questions about eating keto at Popeyes.
Is Popeyes non-breaded chicken keto?
Popeyes non-breaded chicken can definitely fit into a ketogenic diet. As long as you make a low-carb dipping sauce choice, you should be able to easily fit Popeyes non-breaded chicken into your daily macros.
How many carbs are in 1 Popeyes chicken leg?
There are 5 grams of carbs and 4 grams of net carbs in 1 Popeyes chicken leg. At first glance, this menu item may seem keto-friendly. It is unlikely, however, that your meal will stop at a single chicken leg; the carb count will rise fast! Also, note that Popeyes chicken legs are both battered and breaded with high-carb ingredients, so even if the carb count for one piece is relatively low, this breaded addition keeps it from being keto.
Read also: Easy Low-Carb Cheese Crackers
Are Popeyes blackened tenders keto?
Popeyes handcrafted blackened chicken tenders can absolutely be part of a low-carb meal; they contain just 2 grams of carbs per 3-piece serving.
Is Popeyes biscuit keto-friendly?
The Popeyes biscuit is decidedly not keto-approved. At 19 grams of net carbs per serving, this side item is to be avoided at all costs!
Foods to Avoid at Popeyes on Keto
The list of foods to avoid at Popeyes far exceeds the list of foods that you can eat there. Here is a list of foods that you’ll want to avoid at Popeyes on a low-carb diet.
- Fried Chicken Sandwich- It is best to not order anything on the menu with breading. This item specifically though will not only have breading on the chicken, but also breading on top of their original chicken’s breading by adding a bun.
- Fried Chicken Leg, Wings, ect.- These once again have breading that you will not want to eat.
- Just like the bun above you’ll want to skip that oh so delicious complementary biscuit.
- Most of the sides at Popeyes will not work for keto. The best keto side is the green beans and bacon. Everything else is wheat, potatoes, and sugar. All these menu item sides are definitely not okay on a keto diet.
- A regular sized serving of coleslaw at Popeyes has a whopping 220 calories, 19 grams of carbs, and 15 grams of sugar!
- It’s obvious you’ll need to avoid the desserts and sugary sodas at all costs.
- You’ll also want to pass on some of their not so low carb chicken dipping sauces.
Potential Downsides and Considerations
Popeyes is probably a delicious treat for people who aren’t worried about their carb intake, but it has some of the worst food options we’ve seen in a restaurant so far.
- Limited Options: The menu at Popeyes isn’t extensive, so your options are pretty limited.
- Hidden Ingredients: Most fast food restaurants will at least offer a cheeseburger and a salad, which you can get without the bun and dressing for a one-time low-carb meal. However, Popeyes has nothing of the sort.
- Preparation Methods: We always like to point out that there is a big difference between low-carb and keto. For example, you can order a cheeseburger at most restaurants, but most of the meat will be conventionally raised and probably cooked in cheap vegetable oil, unless stated otherwise. This means that in addition to highly inflammatory oils, you might be subjecting yourself to preservatives and possibly added sugar. These things might not mean much to you if you only eat out once and awhile, but they add up if you’re trying to keep track of your macros. That bacon on your cheeseburger probably contains nitrates and sugar, and the eggs on your breakfast sandwich likely contain milk and vegetable oil to preserve them. The worst part is that those are your best options for a low-carb fast food meal and Popeyes doesn’t offer any of them!
Read also: Keto Calorie Counting: A Detailed Guide