Here's How Much Protein Is In A Single McDonald's Chicken Nugget

If you're Googling "how much protein is in a single McDonald's chicken nugget," we respect it. Taking a keen interest in your macros is essential if you're eating in a calorie deficit or simply want to take an interest in the combination of nutrients you're consuming for body recomposition purposes. Perhaps you're keen to factor your protein into your meals first to guarantee that you feel full and satisfied?

Whatever your reasons, here are the deets: McDonald's chicken nuggets are available in several sizes, for example, a chicken nugget Happy Meal for kids includes four nugs in total (along with a small fries and a drink) but you can also purchase them in six, 10, 20, and even 40-piece boxes. There are nine grams of protein in a four-piece chicken nugget order (totaling 170 calories), so if we do the math, it works out at 2.25g of protein in a single nugget. Extrapolate from there, and a 20-piece box contains 45g of protein and a 40-piece box contains 90g of protein.

McDonald's chicken nuggets are made with white boneless chicken, vegetable oils, wheat flour, flavorings, and spices. Surprisingly, this savory snack also contains a sweetener called dextrose. All McNuggets are produced in four specific shapes, known as the bell, the ball, the boot, and the bone (we reckon the jutting base of "the boot" makes it the best for dipping and optimum crunch).

McDonald's uses three cuts of chicken to make chicken nuggets: the breast, tenderloin, and rib meat. The chicken is separated, ground up, and mixed with other ingredients before it's molded into shapes and partially fried. Each nugget is also double-battered, which lends them a super-crispy texture on their exterior. The standardized shapes ensure that every nugget has textural variety but still cook through at the same rate when fried again in-store.

Now a popular item on the menu, McDonald's nearly went in a widely different direction with McNuggets. They were originally brainstormed with vegetarian customers in mind and were made with ground onions. However, these allium-filled nugs didn't take off as intended and the stuffing was switched for chicken. They've been on the U.S. menu since 1983 and were first accompanied by four sauce options — honey, sweet and sour, hot mustard, and barbecue sauce. Over the years, that original recipe has been tweaked and every nug is now free from artificial preservatives, colors, and flavors in line with consumer demand for high-quality ingredients.

You'd have to eat over 20 McNuggets to get roughly the same amount of protein that's in the McDonald's item with the highest amount of protein: the double quarter pounder with cheese. However, bear in mind that 20 nugs have 830 calories, whereas the burger has 740.