KFC Vs Popeyes: Who Has The Healthier Fried Chicken?

Let's be realistic: Most of us don't see fried chicken as health food. That said, if you're trying to make healthier choices, there are some differences between the chicken at KFC versus Popeyes. Two nutritional values you'll want to pay attention to here are saturated fat and sodium.

Going with the classic bone-in pieces as an example, KFC's Original Recipe chicken breast will get you around 390 calories with 4 grams of saturated fat. Meanwhile, Popeyes Signature chicken breast is close with 380 calories, but double the saturated fat at 8 grams. The numbers are almost the same for chicken thighs, where KFC has a fractionally higher 4.5 grams of saturated fat, and 8 grams at Popeyes.

Saturated fat is singled out here because it's linked to high levels of so-called "bad" cholesterol, which is what can lead to clogged arteries. The American Heart Association recommends that saturated fat makes up no more than 6% of your daily calories (around 13 grams per day), so a piece from Popeyes eats up over half of that, and you'll blow past it with your second piece (and remember, that's without factoring in any other meals you might eat that day).

As for sodium, both chains eat up most of the Heart Association's recommended daily intake of 1,500 milligrams: KFC clocks in at 1,190 milligrams in a breast piece. At Popeyes, it depends on whether you get regular (1,048 milligrams a piece) or spicy (1,330 milligrams). Although a small amount of sodium is necessary, excessive sodium is linked to high blood pressure and reduced kidney function.

Of course, there are other chicken items at KFC and Popeyes: sandwiches are a popular choice, and there's a clearer distinction here. KFC's Classic Chicken Sandwich has 650 calories, 35 grams of fat (of which 4.5 grams are saturated); Popeyes' Classic Chicken Sandwich brings 700 calories, 42 grams of fat and a much-higher 14 grams of saturated fat. It also has 1.5 grams of trans fat, a fat type that can raise bad cholesterol and is considered to be a fat type to avoid.

As a side note, we're not assessing the chicken here on calorie count alone, since they don't give useful nutritional information; nutritional values like fat, protein, sodium, sugar, and so forth are more relevant (in the case of fried chicken, sugar is negligible, so it's irrelevant). Protein is relevant, but both chains have a similar amount per piece.

Dietitians have called out KFC's well-seasoned breading as a concern due to the sodium it adds to the chicken, but Popeyes uses palm oil for frying, which ups the saturated fat. So although the Colonel is not exactly a health food king, KFC's chicken is nonetheless a bit healthier than Popeyes, based on the saturated and trans fat content; for sodium, Popeyes is marginally better, but only if you avoid the spicy blend. Of course, if health is a serious concern, grilled chicken would be better, but neither chain offers that, despite reports that KFC occasionally serves it.