Panera Bread is a popular fast casual restaurant chain that serves salads, sandwiches, soups and baked goods. One of their most popular salad offerings is the BBQ Chicken Salad. This salad features chopped romaine lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, bacon, corn, black beans, shredded Monterey Jack and cheddar cheeses and barbecued pulled chicken. The salad is then topped with BBQ ranch dressing.
Many health-conscious consumers want to know the calorie and nutrition information for Panera menu items like the BBQ Chicken Salad. This article will provide a detailed breakdown of the calorie count and nutrition facts for a whole BBQ Chicken Salad from Panera Bread. We’ll look at the calories and macros for each individual ingredient that makes up this salad.
Knowing the calorie content of menu items can help consumers make informed choices about what they eat. This is especially important for people following particular diets like keto, paleo, vegan, low-carb, etc. Counting calories and macros (protein, carbs, fat) is also useful for anyone trying to lose weight or improve their health through better nutrition.
Calories in Each BBQ Chicken Salad Ingredient
To determine the total calories in a BBQ Chicken Salad from Panera Bread, we need to look at the calorie count for each component:
Romaine Lettuce
– 2 cups of chopped romaine lettuce = 16 calories
Romaine lettuce is very low in calories, with only 8 calories per cup raw. The base of Panera’s BBQ Chicken Salad starts with 2 cups of chopped romaine, totaling an estimated 16 calories.
Cherry Tomatoes
– 1 cup of cherry tomatoes = 27 calories
The BBQ Chicken Salad includes around 1 cup of halved cherry tomatoes. There are about 27 calories in 1 cup of cherry tomatoes.
Red Onions
– 1/4 cup red onion = 15 calories
Panera’s nutrition information estimates approximately 1/4 cup of red onions are included in the BBQ Chicken Salad. A 1/4 cup of raw red onion contains about 15 calories.
Applewood Smoked Bacon
– 2 slices of bacon = 80 calories
2 slices or strips of nitrate-free applewood smoked bacon are crumbled on top of the BBQ Chicken Salad. Each slice of bacon contains around 40 calories, totaling 80 calories for 2 slices.
Corn
– 1/2 cup corn = 67 calories
The salad also includes 1/2 cup of corn kernels, which provides about 67 calories.
Black Beans
– 1/4 cup black beans = 57 calories
Panera estimates there is around 1/4 cup of black bean mix in their BBQ Chicken Salad. A 1/4 cup of canned black beans contains approximately 57 calories.
Monterey Jack and Cheddar Cheese
– 1/4 cup shredded cheese = 110 calories
Shredded Monterey Jack and cheddar cheese tops the salad. Panera’s nutrition data shows there is about 1/4 cup of the mixed shredded cheese blend. A 1/4 cup of shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese contains around 110 calories.
Barbecued Pulled Chicken
– 3 oz chicken = 140 calories
The barbecued pulled chicken is the main protein source and a major contributor of calories to this salad. Panera states there are 3 oz of pulled chicken breast meat on the salad. A 3 oz portion of cooked, boneless, skinless chicken breast provides approximately 140 calories.
BBQ Ranch Dressing
– 2 tbsp ranch dressing = 145 calories
Finally, the BBQ Chicken Salad is dressed with 2 tablespoons of Panera’s BBQ ranch dressing. Their BBQ ranch dressing has about 73 calories per tablespoon, totaling 145 calories for 2 tbsp.
Total Calories in BBQ Chicken Salad
Adding up the calories from each ingredient gives us the total calories in a whole Panera Bread BBQ Chicken Salad:
| BBQ Chicken Salad Ingredient | Calories |
|---|---|
| Romaine Lettuce | 16 |
| Cherry Tomatoes | 27 |
| Red Onions | 15 |
| Applewood Smoked Bacon | 80 |
| Corn | 67 |
| Black Beans | 57 |
| Shredded Cheese | 110 |
| Pulled Chicken | 140 |
| BBQ Ranch Dressing | 145 |
| Total Calories | 657 |
As the table shows, a full BBQ Chicken Salad from Panera Bread contains approximately 657 calories.
This salad is a higher calorie menu option at Panera due to the chicken, cheese, bacon and dressing. However, it also provides a significant amount of protein from the chicken and beans, making it a filling and nutritious lunch or dinner option.
Nutrition Facts for BBQ Chicken Salad
In addition to calories, many people tracking their diet are interested in the nutrition facts, including protein, carbs, fat and other vitamins and minerals provided in the salad.
Here is an overview of the nutrition facts for a whole Panera Bread BBQ Chicken Salad:
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 657 |
| Protein | 44g |
| Carbs | 44g |
| Fiber | 7g |
| Sugar | 9g |
| Fat | 40g |
| Saturated Fat | 15g |
| Sodium | 1530mg |
As you can see from the nutrition facts, while the BBQ Chicken Salad is higher in calories, fat and sodium compared to other lighter salad options at Panera, it also provides significant protein at 44g per salad. It has 7g of fiber and is relatively low in sugar at just 9g.
This salad makes a good meal option for those looking for a balance of protein, carbs and veggies along with robust flavors from the chicken, cheese, bacon and smoky barbecue ranch dressing. It can fit into a wide variety of healthy eating plans.
Ways to Reduce Calories in the BBQ Chicken Salad
For consumers looking for ways to lighten up this salad, there are a few easy substitutions you can request to reduce the calories, fat and sodium:
– Ask for the salad with 1 tablespoon of ranch dressing instead of 2. This cuts out about 70 calories and 8g of fat.
– Choose grilled chicken rather than barbecued chicken. The grilled chicken option saves around 40 calories.
– Skip the bacon crumbles to save 80 calories and 6g of fat.
– Ask for just 1 oz of shredded cheese rather than 1/4 cup to remove about 55 calories and 5g of fat.
– Request your salad with light ranch dressing instead of BBQ ranch. The light ranch has about half the calories (40 per tbsp).
Making some of these simple modifications can remove 200 or more calories from your BBQ Chicken Salad at Panera to make it a lighter but still delicious meal.
Conclusion
Panera Bread’s BBQ Chicken Salad contains around 657 calories in total. The main sources of calories come from the dressing, chicken, cheese and bacon. While it is one of the higher calorie salads on Panera’s menu, it also provides ample protein and flavor.
Those looking for a lower calorie option can ask for light dressing, less cheese, no bacon or grilled chicken to reduce the calories by 200 or more. This can make the BBQ Chicken Salad a more diet-friendly option. But even in its original form, this salad can be enjoyed as part of an overall balanced diet.
Knowing the complete nutrition facts and calorie content can help consumers build this tasty salad into their daily meal plan. Panera makes the nutrition information for all menu items readily available to help you make the best choices for your diet and nutrition goals.