High protein KFC meals
Combinations built for protein, sorted by protein per 100 calories — the leanest first. Sweet corn and coleslaw add the fewest calories as a side.
| Meal | Protein | Calories | Typical price | Protein per 100 calories |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 breasts | 78 g | 780 | $9.58 | 10.0 g |
| Original Recipe breast + sweet corn | 41 g | 460 | $9.01 | 8.9 g |
| 12 pc. nuggets + coleslaw | 37 g | 590 | $12.75 | 6.3 g |
| 4 tenders + sweet corn | 46 g | 750 | $16.86 | 6.1 g |
| Famous Bowl | 31 g | 590 | $8.16 | 5.3 g |
| Classic Chicken Sandwich + sweet corn | 36 g | 720 | $10.80 | 5.0 g |
Protein per dollar: tenders and nuggets boxes
Bigger boxes bring the price of protein down. In the 36 piece nuggets box 10 g of protein costs $2.37, in the 8 piece $2.52.
| Box | Protein | Typical price | Price per 10 g protein |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 pc. Nuggets | 24 g | $6.04 | $2.52 |
| 12 pc. Nuggets | 36 g | $8.53 | $2.37 |
| 36 pc. Nuggets | 108 g | $25.61 | $2.37 |
| 8 pc. Tenders (tenders only) | 88 g | $25.61 | $2.91 |
| 12 pc. Tenders (tenders only) | 132 g | $35.08 | $2.66 |
| 16 pc. Tenders (tenders only) | 176 g | $44.83 | $2.55 |
Price per piece for every box: KFC nuggets & tenders prices · lighter options: low calorie KFC menu · the whole menu by value: KFC value menu.
High Protein items with prices
| Menu item | Typical price | Price range | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 pc. Tenders (tenders only) | $44.83 | $36.59 – $62.39 | 2,720 |
| 12 pc. Tenders (tenders only) | $35.08 | $29.99 – $51.59 | 2,040 |
| 36 pc. Nuggets | $25.61 | $23.78 – $46.79 | 1,260 |
| 8 pc. Tenders (tenders only) | $25.61 | $22.19 – $39.59 | 1,360 |
| Popcorn Chicken Bucket | $12.20 | $12.00 – $12.20 | 1,670 |
| Chicken Breast (1 piece) | $4.79 | $3.89 – $7.19 | 390 |
| 12 pc. Nuggets | $8.53 | $7.92 – $18.59 | 420 |
| Classic Chicken Sandwich | $6.58 | $4.87 – $11.99 | 650 |
| Spicy Chicken Sandwich | $6.58 | $5.99 – $11.99 | 620 |
| Famous Bowl | $8.16 | $6.00 – $12.59 | 590 |
| 10 pc. Nuggets | $7.25 | $7.19 – $11.99 | 350 |
| Chicken Pot Pie | $8.58 | $6.83 – $9.83 | 720 |
| 8 pc. Nuggets | $6.04 | $5.48 – $12.59 | 280 |
| Popcorn Chicken | $6.09 | $5.99 – $7.31 | 620 |
Nutrition
| Item | Calories | Protein | Fat | Carbs | Sodium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 pc. Tenders (tenders only) | 2720 | 176 g | 96 g | 320 g | 6400 mg |
| 12 pc. Tenders (tenders only) | 2040 | 132 g | 72 g | 240 g | 4800 mg |
| 36 pc. Nuggets | 1260 | 108 g | 54 g | 36 g | 5040 mg |
| 8 pc. Tenders (tenders only) | 1360 | 88 g | 48 g | 160 g | 3200 mg |
| Popcorn Chicken Bucket | 1670 | 63 g | 110 g | 106 g | 5260 mg |
| Chicken Breast (1 piece) | 390 | 39 g | 21 g | 11 g | 1190 mg |
| 12 pc. Nuggets | 420 | 36 g | 18 g | 12 g | 1680 mg |
| Classic Chicken Sandwich | 650 | 34 g | 35 g | 49 g | 1260 mg |
| Spicy Chicken Sandwich | 620 | 34 g | 33 g | 49 g | 2140 mg |
| Famous Bowl | 590 | 31 g | 22 g | 67 g | 2160 mg |
| 10 pc. Nuggets | 350 | 30 g | 15 g | 10 g | 1400 mg |
| Chicken Pot Pie | 720 | 26 g | 41 g | 60 g | 1750 mg |
| 8 pc. Nuggets | 280 | 24 g | 12 g | 8 g | 1120 mg |
| Popcorn Chicken | 620 | 23 g | 41 g | 40 g | 1970 mg |
Leanest protein: most protein per calorie
| Item | Protein | Calories | Protein per 100 calories |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken Breast (1 piece) | 39 g | 390 | 10.0 g |
| 36 pc. Nuggets | 108 g | 1,260 | 8.6 g |
| 12 pc. Nuggets | 36 g | 420 | 8.6 g |
| 10 pc. Nuggets | 30 g | 350 | 8.6 g |
| 8 pc. Nuggets | 24 g | 280 | 8.6 g |
| 16 pc. Tenders (tenders only) | 176 g | 2,720 | 6.5 g |
| 12 pc. Tenders (tenders only) | 132 g | 2,040 | 6.5 g |
| 8 pc. Tenders (tenders only) | 88 g | 1,360 | 6.5 g |
| Spicy Chicken Sandwich | 34 g | 620 | 5.5 g |
| Famous Bowl | 31 g | 590 | 5.3 g |
Most protein for your money
Most protein per dollar
| # | Item | Typical price | Protein | Protein per $1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chicken Breast (1 piece) | $4.79 | 39 g | 8.1 g |
| 2 | Classic Chicken Sandwich | $6.58 | 34 g | 5.2 g |
| 3 | Spicy Chicken Sandwich | $6.58 | 34 g | 5.2 g |
| 4 | Popcorn Chicken Bucket | $12.20 | 63 g | 5.2 g |
| 5 | Chicken Thigh (1 piece) | $4.22 | 19 g | 4.5 g |
| 6 | 12 pc. Nuggets | $8.53 | 36 g | 4.2 g |
| 7 | 36 pc. Nuggets | $25.61 | 108 g | 4.2 g |
| 8 | 10 pc. Nuggets | $7.25 | 30 g | 4.1 g |
| 9 | KFC Snacker | $3.65 | 15 g | 4.1 g |
| 10 | 8 pc. Nuggets | $6.04 | 24 g | 4.0 g |
Filter the whole menu
Need to avoid specific allergens or combine conditions (for example vegan and under 500 calories)? Use the interactive allergen & diet filter. Other guides: Low Calorie.
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Frequently asked questions
What has the most protein at KFC?
Among single pieces, the Original Recipe breast with 39 g of protein. Among single-serve mains, the Classic Chicken Sandwich has 34 g and the Famous Bowl 31 g.
What is the leanest protein at KFC?
The Original Recipe breast: 39 g of protein for 390 calories. Tenders come close with 11 g for 170 calories each.
How much protein is in KFC nuggets?
8 nuggets have 24 g of protein and 12 nuggets 36 g, according to KFC's nutrition guide.
What is the cheapest protein at KFC?
The big boxes: 10 g of protein costs $2.37 in the 36 piece nuggets box and $2.55 in 16 tenders.
Is KFC good for a high protein diet?
Breasts, tenders and nuggets give a lot of protein, but most KFC items are also high in sodium — a breast has 1190 mg. Pair them with sweet corn or coleslaw rather than fries.
Where do these figures come from?
Protein and calories from KFC US (official nutrition guide) for the standard recipe; prices are median delivery-menu prices from 74 US restaurants (October 13, 2026), before fees.