Who doesn’t love a fancy dinner at Chili’s? Whether it’s Southwestern egg rolls, boneless wings, bacon ranch burgers, cajun pasta, or my personal favorite, the 2-for-1 margarita deal, Chili’s is his chain of restaurants packed with hearty, mouth-watering menu items. . However, it is no secret that most of these dishes are considered very “unhealthy” in terms of calories, fat, saturated fat and sodium levels.
We talked about, out of all the items on the menu, what is the unhealthiest? Mary Sabato MS, RDN, LD For this exact question, she selected the chili menu items she considered to be the least healthy based on the amount of calories, fat, sodium, and saturated fat. This doesn’t mean you have to avoid this dish forever, but it may be helpful to consume it only in moderation or leave it as a “special occasion” meal.
Read about her picks, then check out more nutritious alternatives with these 8 Healthiest Chili Orders.
The unhealthiest chili order is…the 6-piece Crispy Chicken Crisper Combo.
Chili’s says Chicken Crispers, “the grown-up version of chicken tenders,” are a staple at the restaurant chain. Choose from Crispy, Nashville Hot, or Honey Chipotle. You can also choose between 4-count, 5-count, or 6-count meals. Each order comes with a choice of fries, white cheddar mac and cheese, ranch dipping sauce, and two other his sauces.
of chicken crisper combo (with fries and mac and cheese) includes:
Nutritional information (per order):
calorie:1,880
total fat: 109g (saturated fat: 23.5g)
sodium:5,490mg
carbohydrates: 139g (dietary fiber: 8g, carbohydrates: 1g)
protein:84g
Sabato said Chili’s 6-piece chicken crisper combo is a “high-calorie, nutritionally unbalanced meal.” Eating such meals regularly can affect our health in many ways.
First, it has a “high fat and carbohydrate content and low fiber content, which can lead to weight gain and other health problems. Increased cholesterol levels increased risk cardiovascular disease” Sabato said.
Not only that, but this meal contains a whopping 5,490 milligrams of sodium, more than double that amount. recommended sodium It needs to be consumed throughout the day, and excess sodium “can cause high blood pressure and fluid retention,” Sabato added.
Overall, Sabato says, this is a dish you might want to avoid when spending time with loved ones at Chili’s. At the very least, it’s probably a dish you don’t want to make a part of your daily life. But thankfully, Chili’s still has plenty of healthier options.
Order healthier at Chili’s: Margarita Grilled Chicken
Nutritional information (per order):
calorie:630
fat: 16g (saturated fat: 3g)
sodium:2,280mg
carbohydrates: 68g (dietary fiber: 7g, carbohydrates: 9g)
protein:52g
Although Chili’s menu is full of unhealthy items like the chicken crisper combo, they do have a section titled “Chili’s.” Grill without the guilt-Contains 5 lighter options to choose from if you’re looking for a more nutritious option.
If you want to eat chicken but don’t want to deviate from your chicken crisper goal, margarita grilled chickencomes with black beans, pico, Mexican rice, and tortilla strips.
At just 630 calories, 16 grams of total fat, 7 grams of fiber, and 52 grams of protein, this chicken dish is a solid choice when visiting this restaurant chain. However, note that it contains almost 100% of the recommended daily limit of sodium, so it’s important to watch your sodium intake for the rest of the day.
Other delicious dishes we love at Guiltless Grill include the Classic Sirloin with Avocado, Ancho Salmon, and Sante Fe Salad. So there’s no need to worry. If you want to achieve a specific health goal, a restaurant chain like Chili’s can help you achieve it.