Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, Inc., known as Popeyes, is a famous fast-food chain in the United States. The company is headquartered in Miami and has over 3,705 restaurants in 46 states and 30 countries internationally. 50 locations are firm-owned and the rest are franchised. They are known for serving fried chicken since 1972, and since then their menu has been expanding. But are there Popeyes keto options?
Keto is a very popular low-carb, high-fat diet. It’s been around for a while, and it has seen a rise in popularity over the past few years due to its many benefits, such as weight loss, improved mental clarity, and better cardiovascular health. If you’re on a keto diet and want to dine out at Popeyes, be careful about ordering their items because more than half of their menu are not keto-friendly. They may not be the best option if you’re on keto. However, they do offer a variety of keto-friendly foods that you can indulge in without guilt. In this article, we will go through some of its keto-friendly items and give you some tips on how to order them.
Popeyes Keto Options
Popeyes is a chain restaurant with locations around the United States. They offer deliciously greasy, cheesy, and savory food that is both filling and healthful. They offer more than just fried chicken and fries, they have an array of other foods such as wraps, breakfast items, burgers, coffee, and also keto friendly items! This is great news for anyone who follows the keto diet, as it provides an alternative way of eating without having to give up all of your favorite fast food options.
Here is a list of Popeyes keto options:
Naked Chicken Tenders
Nutrition Information: 160 calories, 2 grams of carbs, 2 grams of fat, and 26 grams of protein.
Keto Popeyes offers a delicious and healthy alternative to the fried chicken found at other fast food joints. Naked Chicken Tenders is breaded-free chicken and is one of the top keto options at Popeyes. They are made with juicy, all-white meat chicken, coated in signature Louisiana spice, and fried in pure vegetable oil. Make sure to order it without dipping sauce.
Blackened Chicken Tenders
Nutrition Information: 160 calories, 2 grams of fat, 2 grams of carbs, and 26 grams protein.
Popeyes is a restaurant that specializes in Cajun-style fried chicken. They are also known for their blackened chicken tenders, another breaded-free, carb-free option. These Popeyes keto options should be ordered without dipping sauce or any sides.
Green Beans
Nutrition Information: 60 calories, 2 grams of fat, 5 grams of carbs, and 3 grams of protein.
Popeyes is a leading global quick service restaurant chain that specializes in fried chicken but also offers a variety of side dishes including Green Beans, that are perfect for the fall season.
Fried Chicken Legs, Wings, or Thighs (Remove the Breadings)
Nutrition Information: (Without the Breadings) 160 calories, 9 grams of fat, 5 grams of carbs, 4 net grams of net carbs, and 16 grams of protein.
As mentioned, the majority of Popeyes’ chicken items are breaded but you can still indulge in this protein goodness by removing the Breadings that are full of carbs.
Egg and Sausage Biscuit
Nutrition Information: 210 calories, 26 grams of fat, 3 grams of carbs and 2 grams of net carbs, and 20 grams of protein.
The Egg and Sausage Biscuit is a great breakfast dish that is comprised of eggs, sausage, and biscuits. To make this keto you have to omit the biscuit. You can also add cheese for extra fats and protein.
Bacon Biscuit
Nutrition Information: 225 calories, 25 grams of fat, 2 grams of carbs, 1 gram of net carbs, and 8 grams of protein.
Popeyes made the best decision when they decided to create a biscuit with bacon. This delicious treat will make your mouth water just thinking about it. The bacon is fried and then mixed with the buttermilk biscuit dough, giving it an amazing flavor. However, for a keto diet, you have to omit the biscuit just like the Egg & Sausage Biscuit. You can also add cheese.
Keto Drinks
You have to avoid sugary drinks on a keto diet. So what drink can you order at Popeyes?
Here is a list of keto friendly Popeyes drinks:
- Coke Zero
- Sprite Zero
- Diet Coke
- Diet Pepsi
- Unsweetened Iced Tea
- Bottled Water
Keto Friendly Sauces
Here is a list of your safe Popeyes low carb menu sauces:
Blackened Ranch – It has a delicious twist on the classic ranch. It’s low in carbs and heavy in fat, making it ideal for a low-carb diet. It contains 2 grams of net carbs, 13 grams of fat, and 2 grams of carbs.
Buttermilk Ranch – This is a low-carb sauce that we are all familiar with. It goes well with chicken and indeed better with a ketogenic diet. It provides 2 grams of net carbs, 15 grams of fat, and 3 grams of carbs.
Mardi Gras Mustard – This keto at Popeyes is a mustard-based sauce that’s also ideal for anyone looking to seek a more delicious dipping accompaniment. It contains 4 grams of carbs, 2 grams of net carbs, and 1 gram of protein.
Non-Keto Food Items at Popeyes That You Should Avoid
The list of dishes to avoid at Popeyes significantly outnumbers its list of keto dishes. Because most of their dishes are breaded or contain relatively starchy foods like rice, and beans, there are a few low-carb sides available.
All sauces at Popeyes should also be avoided because they include added sugars and contribute to your overall carb intake. This implies you must order your chicken without the breading and without the dips.
Here is a list of food items that you need to avoid at Popeyes on a ketogenic diet.
- Butterfly shrimp
- Popcorn shrimp
- All sauces
- All breaded items (Chicken wing, legs, and thighs)
- All desserts
- Chicken wraps
- Mashed potatoes
- Pecan pie
- French fries
- Apple cinnamon pie
- Onion rings
- Jambalaya
- Corn on the cob
- Coleslaw
- Baguettes
- Mashed potatoes
- Red beans and rice
- Rice
- Green beans
- Biscuits
- Sweetened drinks and Sodas
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a keto-friendly diet?
A Ketogenic Diet is a very low-carb, high-fat diet. The goal of the ketogenic diet is to get your body into a state of ketosis.
What are the benefits of going on the keto diet?
The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet that can help you lose weight, improve mental clarity, and better cardiovascular health. It’s very low in carbs. Your body will enter ketosis and burn fat for energy instead of using carbs.
How many calories should I eat to stay in ketosis?
To stay in ketosis, you need to limit your carbohydrate intake to 20 grams or less per day. . You can do that by taking in only 10-20 grams of carbs at a time, once or twice a day. This will help your body adjust to using fat for fuel. Of course, 20 grams by itself is too low for some people, and if you have an extreme carbohydrate intolerance you may need more carbs like 50 grams per day. The ketogenic diet is not a one-size-fits-all approach, so you’ll need to experiment to see if this level works for you.
How do I know what is or isn’t keto-friendly on the menu?
It can be hard to know what is or isn’t keto-friendly on a menu. The easiest way to figure out what you can eat is by looking for protein, vegetables, and healthy fats. If you’re at a restaurant that doesn’t have clear keto-friendly options, try checking out their website to check their ingredients or nutrition information.
Is Popeyes Chicken keto friendly?
Yes. Low carb options at Popeyes are available, including blackened chicken.
Final Thoughts
Overall, Popeyes is not a great option for a keto diet. I would rather suggest making a meal from your home that consists of high-quality ingredients and is safe for a ketogenic diet. They do offer a few keto-friendly items that are worth trying, like their blackened chicken tenders. So, if you’re dining out at Popeyes, be sure to follow our guide to stay on ketosis. I hope you find this article helpful. Thank you for reading!
We also provide a guide for vegan options at Popeyes that you can check below. And also some guides for other restaurants like Burger King, Chick Fil A, Chipotle, Dunkin’, Jack In The Box, KFC, McDonald’s, Panda Express, Panera, Popeyes, Starbucks, Subway, Taco Bell, and Wendy’s.
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Mark June
Saturday 14th of January 2023
Popeyes chicken tenders are my favorite!!