Highest Protein Items at KFC (September 2026)
KFC's Kentucky Grilled Chicken is the lean pick: a breast has 38 g protein for 210 calories. An Original Recipe breast has 39 g for 390 calories. Numbers come from KFC's full nutrition guide, which Nutritionix hosts for kfc.com.
Top picks
Best overall protein pick
Original Recipe Chicken Breast
39 g protein · 390 cal · 10 g per 100 cal
Best low-calorie pick
Kentucky Grilled Chicken Breast
38 g protein · 210 cal · 18.1 g per 100 cal
Best GLP-1-friendly pick
Kentucky Grilled Chicken Breast
38 g protein · 210 cal · 18.1 g per 100 cal
All KFC items by protein
Sorted by protein per 100 calories. Tap a column to sort.
| Kentucky Grilled Chicken Breastchicken | 38 | 210 | 18.1 | 0 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky Grilled Chicken Drumstickchicken | 11 | 80 | 13.8 | 0 |
| Kentucky Grilled Chicken Thighchicken | 17 | 150 | 11.3 | 0 |
| Original Recipe Chicken Breastchicken | 39 | 390 | 10 | 2 |
| Spicy Crispy Chicken Breastchicken | 30 | 350 | 8.6 | 1 |
| Original Recipe Chicken Thighchicken | 19 | 280 | 6.8 | 1 |
| Extra Crispy Chicken Breastchicken | 35 | 530 | 6.6 | 0 |
| Original Recipe Tender (each)tenders | 11 | 170 | 6.5 | 0 |
| BBQ Baked Beansside | 11 | 190 | 5.8 | 7 |
| Spicy Chicken Sandwichsandwich | 34 | 620 | 5.5 | 1 |
| KFC Famous Bowlbowl | 31 | 590 | 5.3 | 4 |
| Classic Chicken Sandwichsandwich | 34 | 650 | 5.2 | 1 |
| Green Beansside | 1 | 25 | 4 | 3 |
| Popcorn Chickenchicken | 23 | 620 | 3.7 | 2 |
| Chicken Pot Piepot pie | 26 | 720 | 3.6 | 7 |
| Mashed Potatoes With Gravyside | 3 | 130 | 2.3 | 1 |
| Secret Recipe Friesside | 5 | 320 | 1.6 | 3 |
“—” means the source doesn’t list that number. Items without protein or calories are never ranked.
Best orders by goal
Muscle gain
The most protein per order. Calories are higher, so these suit big eaters and heavy training days.
- Original Recipe Chicken Breast
39 g protein · 390 cal · 10 g per 100 cal - Kentucky Grilled Chicken Breast
38 g protein · 210 cal · 18.1 g per 100 cal - Extra Crispy Chicken Breast
35 g protein · 530 cal · 6.6 g per 100 cal - Spicy Chicken Sandwich
34 g protein · 620 cal · 5.5 g per 100 cal - Classic Chicken Sandwich
34 g protein · 650 cal · 5.2 g per 100 cal
Fat loss
Lots of protein for the calories, and 600 calories or less.
- Kentucky Grilled Chicken Breast
38 g protein · 210 cal · 18.1 g per 100 cal - Kentucky Grilled Chicken Drumstick
11 g protein · 80 cal · 13.8 g per 100 cal - Kentucky Grilled Chicken Thigh
17 g protein · 150 cal · 11.3 g per 100 cal - Original Recipe Chicken Breast
39 g protein · 390 cal · 10 g per 100 cal - Spicy Crispy Chicken Breast
30 g protein · 350 cal · 8.6 g per 100 cal
GLP-1 friendly
Smaller portions with at least 20 g protein, 10 g sugar or less, and no more than 35% of calories from fat. Higher fiber ranks higher.
- Kentucky Grilled Chicken Breast
38 g protein · 210 cal · 18.1 g per 100 cal
Under 500 calories
The highest-protein orders (15 g or more) that stay under 500 calories.
- Original Recipe Chicken Breast
39 g protein · 390 cal · 10 g per 100 cal - Kentucky Grilled Chicken Breast
38 g protein · 210 cal · 18.1 g per 100 cal - Spicy Crispy Chicken Breast
30 g protein · 350 cal · 8.6 g per 100 cal - Original Recipe Chicken Thigh
19 g protein · 280 cal · 6.8 g per 100 cal - Kentucky Grilled Chicken Thigh
17 g protein · 150 cal · 11.3 g per 100 cal
Build a 40g+ protein meal at KFC
Simple ways to order for more protein.
Original Recipe Chicken Breast39 g protein · 390 cal
How to order: Kentucky Grilled Chicken Breast has 38 g protein for 210 calories.
Kentucky Grilled Chicken Breast38 g protein · 210 cal
How to order: Grilled has 38 g protein for 180 fewer calories than an Original Recipe breast.
Extra Crispy Chicken Breast35 g protein · 530 cal
How to order: An Original Recipe breast has more protein (39 g) for 140 fewer calories.
Secret Recipe Fries5 g protein · 320 cal
How to order: Green Beans are 25 calories.
Green Beans1 g protein · 25 cal
How to order: A 25-calorie side.
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest protein item at KFC?
Original Recipe Chicken Breast has the most protein on our list, with 39 g of protein and 390 calories.
What is the best low-calorie, high-protein option at KFC?
Kentucky Grilled Chicken Breast gives you 38 g of protein for 210 calories. That’s 18.1 g of protein per 100 calories.
Does KFC have a high-protein or GLP-1 menu?
KFC doesn’t have a labeled GLP-1 or high-protein menu that we know of. Our GLP-1-friendly picks on this page show smaller orders with more protein and less sugar.
How can I get 40 grams of protein at KFC?
Start with Original Recipe Chicken Breast (39 g protein). Kentucky Grilled Chicken Breast has 38 g protein for 210 calories. Add a high-protein side to pass 40 g.
Where does this KFC nutrition info come from?
KFC doesn’t publish full nutrition information, so we used Nutritionix (KFC's full nutrition guide, embedded on kfc.com), a third-party source, last checked on September 24, 2026. We compared 17 menu items. These numbers may not match what you’re served.
Source
KFC doesn’t publish full nutrition information, so these numbers come from Nutritionix (KFC's full nutrition guide, embedded on kfc.com), a third-party source, checked September 24, 2026. They may not match what you’re served.
Last updated September 24, 2026. How we check our data.
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