A grilled Asiago chicken sandwich from Wendy’s is a popular menu item that packs a lot of flavor. The grilled chicken breast, Asiago cheese, lettuce, tomato, and signature Asiago ranch sauce make it a tasty sandwich choice. However, when ordering without the bun to reduce carbohydrates, the nutrition facts change. So how many calories are in a Wendy’s grilled Asiago chicken sandwich without the bun?
Quick Answer
A grilled Asiago chicken sandwich from Wendy’s contains approximately 320 calories without the bun. This comes from the grilled chicken breast, Asiago cheese slices, lettuce, tomato, and Asiago ranch sauce. Removing the bun eliminates around 200 calories.
Breaking Down the Nutrition
To get a more detailed understanding of the calorie and nutritional breakdown, let’s look at each component of a Wendy’s grilled Asiago chicken sandwich without the bun:
Grilled Chicken Breast
The grilled chicken breast provides the bulk of the protein and calories. A standard grilled chicken breast at Wendy’s contains about 31g of protein and 160 calories. The chicken is grilled without any butter or oil, keeping the fat and calorie content relatively low.
Asiago Cheese Slices
The Asiago cheese gives the sandwich a distinctive flavor and texture. Each 1 oz slice of Asiago cheese adds about 110 calories and 9g of fat. So two slices would contribute approximately 220 calories and 18g of fat total.
Lettuce and Tomato
The lettuce and tomato provide nutrition without significant calories.
– Lettuce has under 5 calories per cup shredded. The sandwich likely contains around 1/4 cup lettuce, adding just 1 calorie.
– One slice of tomato has around 5-10 calories depending on size. Estimate 10 calories for the tomato slice on the Asiago chicken sandwich.
Asiago Ranch Sauce
Wendy’s Asiago ranch sauce gives the sandwich moisture and a tangy, creamy flavor. The nutrition facts aren’t published for the exact amount on a sandwich, but a typical ranch sauce would add around 30-50 calories for 2-3 tablespoons.
| Ingredient | Calories |
|---|---|
| Grilled Chicken Breast | 160 |
| Asiago Cheese Slices (2 oz) | 220 |
| Lettuce | 1 |
| Tomato | 10 |
| Asiago Ranch Sauce | 40 |
| Total | 431 |
No Bun
When ordering a Wendy’s grilled Asiago chicken sandwich without the bun, you remove a significant source of carbohydrates and calories. The standard bun contributes about 230 calories and 36g net carbs. Removing the bun creates a lower calorie, lower carb option.
Net Calories Without Bun
Accounting for removing the 230 calorie bun, a Wendy’s grilled Asiago chicken sandwich without the bun contains approximately 320 calories.
This comes primarily from the protein in the grilled chicken breast and fat from the Asiago cheese slices. Despite removing the bun, it remains a filling and flavorful menu option at Wendy’s.
Other Nutrition Facts
Beyond calories, here are some other key nutrition facts for a Wendy’s grilled Asiago chicken sandwich without the bun:
Protein
With 31g protein in the chicken breast plus about 6g protein from the cheese, you get about 37g total protein without the bun. This makes it an excellent choice for staying satisfied.
Fat
The total fat content comes out to around 23g without the bun. This comes mostly from the Asiago cheese slices. Removing the carb-heavy bun significantly lowers the total carbs.
Sodium
Sodium is on the higher side at around 870mg. Almost half of this comes from the Asiago cheese slices. The Asiago ranch sauce also contains a fair amount of sodium.
Carbs
Eliminating the bun removes most of the carbohydrates. The lettuce and tomato provide around 5g total carbs. This makes it a very low-carb choice for things like keto or low-carb diets.
Sugar
Without the bun there is minimal sugar, likely 1-2g or less. Again this makes it desirable for low-sugar or diabetic diets.
Comparisons to Grilled Chicken Sandwich
Wendy’s also offers a regular grilled chicken sandwich without the Asiago cheese and sauce. How does it compare calorie and nutrition-wise to the grilled Asiago version without the bun?
The grilled chicken sandwich also contains about 160 calories in the chicken breast itself. But it doesn’t include the extra calories from cheese or sauce.
Overall, a grilled chicken sandwich without bun has around 170 calories compared to 320 calories for the grilled Asiago version without bun.
The plain grilled chicken also has less fat at 5g vs 23g. But it’s also lower in protein with 27g vs 37g in the Asiago sandwich without bun.
For sodium, the regular grilled chicken comes in at 730mg vs 870mg for the Asiago.
So in summary, the Asiago adds more calories and fat from the cheese but also significantly more protein.
Low-Carb Side Options
When ordering a grilled Asiago chicken sandwich from Wendy’s without the bun, what are some good low-carb side options to consider?
Here are some tasty low-carb sides under 5g net carbs at Wendy’s:
– Small chili – 15g protein, 4g net carbs
– Side salad instead of fries – 4g net carbs without croutons
– 4 pc chicken nuggets – 27g protein, 0g carbs
– Baconator fries minus the bun – 0g carbs
A small chili makes a filling 320 calorie option with 19g protein. The side salad without croutons contains 25 calories. Chicken nuggets are a crunchy zero carb choice with 170 calories for 4 pieces.
Baconator fries provide fat and sodium but 0g carbs when served without a bun. Adding any of these sides will help round out your meal while keeping it low in carbs.
How to Order at Wendy’s
Here are some tips for ordering a grilled Asiago chicken sandwich from Wendy’s without the bun to reduce carbs:
– Request the grilled Asiago chicken sandwich as a lettuce wrap instead of a bun
– Ask them to serve it on a tray or in a salad bowl without the lettuce wrap
– For sides, choose a small chili, side salad without croutons, chicken nuggets, or Baconator fries without the bun
– Ask for any sauce on the side to control how much you use
– Water or diet soda are the best no carb drink choices
Let the cashier know you are minimizing carbs when placing your order. They may have suggestions based on low-carb requests from other customers.
Low-Carb Dining Tips
Here are some general tips for eating out and ordering low-carb at fast food restaurants:
– Review nutrition info online and plan your order ahead
– Opt for grilled, roasted and broiled meat entrees
– Skip the bread, buns, tortillas and wraps
– Ask for extra veggies or side salads instead of fries
– Sauces and dressings add carbs – get them on the side
– Stick with water, unsweetened tea, black coffee and diet sodas
– Scrape excess breading off fried items when possible
Follow these low-carb fast food tips when ordering the grilled Asiago chicken sandwich without bun at Wendy’s or any other menu item you want to make keto-friendly.
Summary
So how many calories does a Wendy’s grilled Asiago chicken sandwich contain without the bun? The total comes out to around 320 calories by eliminating the 230 calorie standard bun. This provides 37g protein and 23g fat while removing 36g of carbohydrates compared to the regular sandwich with bun.
Ordering without the bun significantly reduces calories, carbs, and sugar. Pair it with low-carb sides like a chili or chicken nuggets to make a filling keto-friendly meal. Use lettuce wraps or bowls and minimize sauces and dressings to further cut carbs.
While not the lowest calorie option, the flavor and satisfaction of the grilled Asiago chicken sandwich without bun make it a smart choice for low-carb and keto dieting at Wendy’s. Taking the bun off cuts over 200 calories and plenty of carbs to enjoy this tasty sandwich while maintaining your health goals.