Shake Shack Vs Popeyes: Which Serves A Healthier Classic Chicken Sandwich

While fried chicken sandwiches will never be among the healthiest fast food orders, they can be part of a healthy diet when enjoyed in moderation. However, customers watching their fat, sodium, or cholesterol will still want to know which items are a better pick. Shake Shack's Chicken Shack and Popeyes' Classic Chicken Sandwich are both renowned for their crispy, juicy deliciousness, but one chain is definitely a healthier choice: Shake Shack.

Shake Shack is home to one of the best chicken sandwiches from non-chicken chain restaurants, with a hand-breaded chicken breast on a soft potato roll with lettuce, pickles, and buttermilk herb mayo. Meanwhile, Popeyes' chicken sandwich features a seasoned, buttermilk-battered chicken breast on a brioche bun with pickles and mayo. Despite the similarities in ingredients, Popeyes' sandwich rings in at 700 calories and 42 grams of fat, while the Chicken Shack contains 550 calories and 31 grams of fat. That's a difference of 150 calories and 11 grams of fat. Popeyes' sandwich also has twice the saturated fat at 14 grams compared to Shake Shack's 7 grams.

Popeyes' sandwich contains more carbs at 50 grams (8 of those being sugar) versus Shake Shack's 34 grams (6 of those being sugar). Lastly, Shake Shack's sandwich is a less salty option at 1,170 milligrams of sodium, compared to Popeyes' 1,440 milligrams. It's clear that Shake Shack's sandwich has the nutritional edge so far, but what about protein, fiber, and cholesterol? The competition gets a bit more complicated in those areas.

If you're always looking for high-protein fast food items, both Shake Shack's and Popeyes' chicken sandwiches are good choices, but the Chicken Shack has 33 grams of protein, compared to Popeyes' 28 grams. On the flip side, anyone trying to get more fiber in their diet won't benefit much from either sandwich, yet Popeyes' version offers 2 grams while Shake Shack's contains zero. This is surprising, given that the Chicken Shack contains lettuce while Popeyes' sandwich is devoid of veggies.

In another small surprise, Shake Shack's sandwich contains a smidge more cholesterol at 110 milligrams versus Popeyes' 90 milligrams. However, this isn't necessarily the be-all and end-all for customers watching their cholesterol and overall heart health. Consuming lots of saturated fat can raise one's LDL or "bad" cholesterol, while excessive sodium raises blood pressure. Additionally, Popeyes' chicken sandwich contains 1.5 grams of trans fats, while Shake Shack's Chicken Shack contains zero. This type of fat also raises LDL cholesterol while lowering HDL, or "good" cholesterol, and is considered to be the worst fat nutritionally.

Given that Shake Shack's sandwich contains half the saturated fat and 270 fewer milligrams of sodium, it may appeal more than Popeyes', depending on your specific health concerns. All in all, the Chicken Shack is a superior choice for anyone watching their fat, carb, or sodium intake — but if you're wondering about even better choices at both Shake Shack and Popeyes, you have a few options.

Unfortunately, neither Shake Shack nor Popeyes' sells grilled chicken, the classic healthier alternative to fried. Popeyes, however, offers Blackened Chicken Tenders that are not breaded or battered, but coated in New Orleans-style blackened seasoning. This gives the meat a blast of peppery flavor with less fat and fewer calories and carbs — a five-count serving contains 280 calories, 9 grams of fat, 1,430 milligrams of sodium, 4 grams of carbs, and 47 grams of protein. Customers love how flavorful these tenders taste in addition to their high protein content, but be aware that they contain more cholesterol than Popeyes' chicken Sandwich, with 140 milligrams total.

Meanwhile, Shake Shack actually offers its Chicken Shack in a lettuce wrap instead of a bun. It rings in at 420 calories, 30 grams of fat, 105 milligrams of cholesterol, 1,080 milligrams of sodium, and 11 grams of carbs, though it has less protein than the classic sandwich at 27 grams. That said, the chicken item with the lowest fat, cholesterol, and sodium is a six-count order of Chicken Bites. These fried nuggets deliver 350 calories, 18 grams of fat, 45 milligrams of cholesterol, 980 milligrams of sodium, 28 grams of carbs, and 18 grams of protein.

In case neither Popeyes nor Shake Shack is your chicken sandwich spot of choice, we also found out whether KFC or Chick-fil-A serves a healthier classic chicken sandwich. And for fans of either the Golden Arches or the King, you can see if Burger King or McDonald's has a healthier chicken sandwich, too.