Keto Diet And Kfc: Chicken Options For Low-Carb Eaters

KFC is loved by many, but when you're on a keto diet, it's natural to wonder if you can still eat there. The answer is yes, but you'll need to be careful about what you order.

KFC's grilled chicken is the best low-carb option, with zero carbs per piece. The original recipe chicken is also an option, with 3g net carbs per wing or drumstick. The extra crispy and Nashville hot spicy chicken wings are higher in net carbs and best avoided, but a single piece can fit into your diet in moderation.

KFC's green beans are the only homestyle side dish that fits within the 5g net carb limit, with 2g net carbs per serving. Salads are another good option, and you can add butter to your green beans to boost the fat content.

When it comes to sauces, the buttermilk ranch and creamy buffalo dipping sauces are both keto-friendly options, with 2g net carbs per serving.

So, if you're craving some KFC, go for the grilled chicken with a side of green beans and butter, or a keto-friendly salad. Just remember to check the nutrition information before ordering, as recipes and ingredients can change.

KFC Grilled Chicken is keto-friendly, with zero carbs

The quest for health and fitness has grown wider and stronger with time. People are leaving no stone unturned to get a flat tummy, healthy skin, and a healthy lifestyle. The keto lifestyle has been a relatively novel and most effective approach to weight loss. If you are on a keto diet, you should know what to eat and what not to eat.

A Ketogenic diet is low-carb, moderate protein, and a high-fat diet. A typical Ketogenic diet starves your body of carbohydrates by limiting the intake of carbs below 5%. This stimulates your body to go into a metabolic state called ketosis. During Ketosis, your body is programmed to effectively utilize fats for energy, without sacrificing your calorie and other nutrient requirements.

A keto diet is known to be restrictive. It always encourages you to eat healthy food—healthy fats and moderate proteins. Taking on a keto diet might be easy, but sustaining a keto diet for long isn’t. Your cravings will sometimes force you into leaving the keto diet. The thing that you should focus on is that you should try to search for varied foods, snacks, and other fast food that is good for your keto.

Keeping your carb intake at a minimum is the key. You need to eat anything after researching what it can do to you and how it can affect your keto.

When you are on a keto diet, most of the time, you have a dilemma. The dilemma gets serious when you don’t know if you should eat your favorite fast food or not. KFC is loved by many for obvious reasons—the tastiest chicken recipes being one. KFC makes the chicken so good that you can’t control your cravings but eat. When it comes to chicken lovers, KFC becomes a favorite.

One of the many options you get with KFC is the KFC Grilled Chicken. We also know that you love KFC Grilled Chicken so much that you can’t sacrifice your cravings even when you are on a keto diet.

For a balanced meal, if you pair KFC Grilled Chicken with Green Beans or a side salad with the buttermilk ranch dressing, you can keep well within your diet goals. Each piece of KFC Grilled Chicken has less than 1 gram of carbs and Green Beans contain 2 grams of digestible carbs per serving.

So the bottom line is: “There are only a few fast-food restaurants that offer some good low-carb options and KFC is one of them!”

Tips for staying keto at KFC

• Be informed before ordering—Not sure of the carb count for a certain meal or food item at KFC? Not a problem! Be sure to always have a read of their very useful nutrition guide or calculator, or make a note of some of the suggestions that I’ve made in this post.
• Choose your sides wisely. Some sides, as mentioned, can immediately kick you out of ketosis and are no longer your friend when going keto. Despite this, there are a few options available that fit your needs.
• Have a glass of water before ordering out. Sometimes thirst can mask itself as hunger. You might be amazed at how your hunger can tame itself a notch when you’re properly hydrated!
• Veer towards the grilled chicken options as much as possible, but know that it IS possible to include some of the breaded chicken within your net carb counts. Sticking with the grilled options though will make it more likely to fall within daily net carb counts—especially since it is likely that you will be adding a side or dipping sauce with your chicken, further adding to the carbohydrate count.

KFC Fried Chicken is not keto-friendly, with 8-11 grams of carbs per medium-size piece

If you're craving KFC while on a keto diet, opt for their grilled chicken instead. It has zero carbs and can be ordered as thighs, breasts, drumsticks, or wings. The original recipe chicken wings and drumsticks are also an option, with only 3 grams of net carbs each. However, it's important to note that the breast and thigh pieces have more breading, resulting in 9 and 7 grams of net carbs, respectively.

For a balanced keto meal at KFC, pair their grilled chicken with green beans or a side salad. You can also add the buttermilk ranch dressing or creamy buffalo dipping sauce as condiments, as they have only 2 grams of net carbs per serving.

While it may be challenging to find keto-friendly options at fast-food restaurants like KFC, with careful planning and knowledge of nutrition facts, it is possible to make informed choices that fit within your dietary requirements.

KFC's Original Recipe Chicken has 3 grams of net carbs

KFC's Original Recipe Chicken is a great option for those on a keto diet, with only 3 grams of net carbs per serving. While it is important to be mindful of your carb intake when following a keto diet, this delicious fried chicken can be enjoyed in moderation as part of a keto-friendly meal.

When following a keto diet, it is recommended to limit your daily net carb intake to around 20 grams, so choosing low-carb options like the Original Recipe Chicken can help you stay within this limit. The Original Recipe Chicken has a crispy, crunchy coating that gives it a satisfying texture and flavour, making it a great option for those who want to enjoy fried chicken while sticking to their keto diet.

In addition to the Original Recipe Chicken, KFC also offers other keto-friendly options, such as grilled chicken, which has zero net carbs. The grilled chicken is a healthy and tasty alternative to the fried options, and can be ordered as thighs, breasts, drumsticks, or wings.

When ordering keto at KFC, it is important to be mindful of the sides and sauces that you choose. Some sides, such as mashed potatoes, wedges, and coleslaw, are high in carbs and should be avoided. Instead, opt for green beans or a side salad with a keto-friendly dressing like ranch or Caesar. With careful choices, you can enjoy a delicious and satisfying keto-friendly meal at KFC.

KFC's Extra Crispy Chicken has 5 grams of net carbs

KFC's Extra Crispy Chicken is not the best option for those on the keto diet. While it is possible to eat KFC and remain in ketosis, it is recommended that you opt for grilled chicken, which has zero net carbs. The Extra Crispy Chicken has 5 grams of net carbs per drumstick and 9 grams of net carbs per breast. This is because the extra crispy option has more breading, which is where the carbs come from.

If you are on a keto diet and are craving KFC, it is best to go for the grilled or original recipe chicken. The original recipe chicken has 3 grams of net carbs per drumstick and 7 grams of net carbs per breast. While this is still more than the grilled option, it is a better choice than the Extra Crispy Chicken.

It is important to note that the keto diet is typically low in carbs and high in fat. When ordering KFC, it is best to avoid items that are breaded, fried, or grain-based, as these will be high in carbs. This includes items like biscuits, macaroni salad, and mashed potatoes.

If you are looking for keto-friendly options at KFC, the grilled chicken is a good choice, as it has zero net carbs. You can also go for the original recipe chicken, which has some net carbs but is still a better option than the Extra Crispy Chicken. Just be sure to avoid the breast and thigh pieces, as these will have more breading and, therefore, more carbs.

In addition to the chicken, there are a few other keto-friendly options at KFC. The green beans are the only homestyle side dish that is within the 5-gram net carb limit. You can also enjoy the Colonel's Buttery Spread, Buttermilk Ranch Dipping Sauce, and Creamy Buffalo Dipping Sauce, as these are high in fat and low in carbs.

KFC's Nashville Hot Spicy Crispy Chicken has 4-5 grams of net carbs

KFC's Nashville Hot Spicy Crispy Chicken is a relatively low-carb option, with 4-5 grams of net carbs per serving. This is a much lower carb count than other KFC chicken options, such as the Extra Crispy Chicken breast, which has 18 grams of net carbs per serving.

The Nashville Hot Spicy Crispy Chicken is a good choice for those following a keto diet, as it is grilled rather than fried, and it is not breaded. This cooking method and preparation style significantly reduce the carb count compared to other fried or breaded chicken options.

According to the KFC nutrition facts, the Nashville Hot Spicy Crispy Chicken thigh contains 12 grams of total carbs, 10 grams of net carbs, 32 grams of fat, 13 grams of protein, and 390 calories. The drumstick contains 190 calories.

While this chicken option is keto-friendly, it is important to note that the Nashville Hot Spicy Crispy Chicken is still a processed food and may not be as healthy as a homemade baked chicken dish. It is also important to consider the other items in your meal when ordering from KFC. Green beans are the only homestyle side dish that fits within the 5-gram net carb limit, and drinks are limited to water, unsweetened tea, or diet soda.

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