Checkers Chicken

[Geneva Andreotti]

Freshlyfried chicken and your favorite mouth-watering comfort-food sides on-the-go! Fried chicken tenders and chicken dippers, fried fish, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, potato wedges, and more. Oh- and don't forget to give #theRealCHAMP a try! Our premium chicken sandwich can take down all the other chicken sandwiches around. Try it.

Champs Chicken is redefining quality and convenience by serving up the best fried chicken at convenient locations all across the United States. We've got the most mouth-watering, make-grandma-proud fried chicken in town. Tenders, dippers, chicken sandwiches and all the heart-warming make-your-insides-feel-good sides to go with it!

Stop in at a convenient location near you, order on our app, or look for us on your favorite delivery app. And, hey, make your friends happy and hit us up for your next party or group catering need, too!

The Mother Cruncher Fried Chicken Sandwich is the latest entrant in the chicken sandwich wars. In May, KFC announced tests of a reformulated chicken sandwich at 15 Orlando-area locations until June 21.

We've consulted with our team of licensed nutritionists and dietitians to bring you informed recommendations for food products, health aids and nutritional goods to safely and successfully guide you toward making better diet and nutrition choices. We strive to only recommend products that adhere to our philosophy of eating better while still enjoying what you eat.

Navigating a fast-food menu can be tricky, and this stands true for Checkers. Specialty items, affordable combos, seasonal specials, and monstrous meals litter the Checkers menu. With so many options, choosing a reasonable order that helps your wellness goals can be hard. What makes this process more challenging is even the healthiest items in each category aren't as healthy as what you may make at home or get at another fast-food restaurant.

Your favorite drive-thru may make it easy to grab a quick meal, but this convenience doesn't always mean healthy. In fact, a single Checkers burger can pack enough calories for a full day, and some of their slushies have more than a day's worth of sugar in them. Although they don't offer any salads, and all of their fish and chicken options are fried, there are still some reasonable orders on the Checkers menu.

Wings may be a classic, but the calorie count can get sky-high, depending on your portion and sauces. This 5-piece order without sauce is only 350 calories with an impressive 35 grams of protein. This makes it filling for the calorie amount, and it provides no added sugar. To keep these numbers reasonable, avoid tossing your wings in sauce or dipping them in ranch or blue cheese.

Similar to wings, chicken fingers are notorious for high fat and calorie counts. This 4-piece option has 410 calories, which is nearing our 500 calorie cut-off, but provides 27 grams of protein and 2 grams of fiber. Skip the dips to avoid added fat and sugar grams, and instead dip with mustard if you are looking for a flavor boost.

This simple sandwich is comprised of a crispy chicken breast topped with lettuce and mayo and served on a sesame bun. To get this meal to 500 calories, skip the mayo. This modification will also save you several grams of fat, including some saturated fat. Unfortunately, this sandwich only has 15 grams of protein, so add some veggies from home to make for a more filling meal while staying under 500 calories.

A seasoned beef patty, cheese, pickles, ketchup, and mustard make this classic burger one of the healthiest options on the entire menu. At only 330 calories, there is room for you to add a side or, even better, some fruit or veggies from home. Skip the ketchup to drop your sugar count by a few grams, and nix the cheese for even more calorie and fat savings.

Hot dogs aren't known for their health attributes, but this simple option is the best in the category at Checkers. Unfortunately, they are lower in protein than we suggest for a meal, so you may consider adding a side from home to boost protein. Luckily, at only 310 calories, you have room in your budget to include Greek yogurt with fruit or some veggies and hummus to round out this meal.

This fish sandwich sneaks in just under 500 calories. To make this a healthier option, skip one side of the bun. This will save several grams of carbohydrates, and will open your calorie budget to include some healthy sides. You can also skip the mayo to save some fat grams, and ask for extra lettuce for more crunch.

You may be surprised to see fried mozzarella on this list, but the 4-piece serving actually has a decent nutrient breakdown. For under 300 calories, you get 12 grams of filling protein and only 20 grams of carbohydrates. This makes for a reasonable base to a meal, or even a hearty snack. Enjoy alongside a salad from home to make a more balanced meal option.

You may not think fried potatoes have any redeeming qualities, but they are actually quite high in fiber. A small order of fries is nearly 400 calories, which is a lot for a side, but this provides 5 grams of filling fiber. Have half an order to keep calories lower, and pair it with a protein-rich order to create a more well-rounded meal.

When it comes to fast-food desserts, most options are high in fat and sugar. This soft serve, however, provides only 4.5 grams of fat! Although it does contain 15 grams of sugar, this is much lower than the other sweets on the Checkers menu. Skip the cone to avoid extra sugar, and share this dessert to reduce your calories and sugar grams even more.

Another three-patty bacon burger, this option has even more fat, saturated fat, and sodium. More cheese and bacon contribute to these shocking nutrition numbers and make this a burger option to skip at Checkers. Unless you plan on splitting this burger four ways, skip it for one of our healthier menu orders.

No surprise here, but an order of fully loaded fries that comes topped with cheese, ranch dressing, and bacon makes our worst list. While you will get a few grams of fiber from this order, that is the only perk. A small order of fries can be a reasonable side, especially if you split it with someone, but this fully loaded option is better left skipped. To make it worse, this nutrition info is just for the regular order, so you can imagine the large order is even higher in calories, fat, saturated fat, and sodium.

There aren't many slushies available that would make a "healthiest" list, and this one is no exception. With 55 grams of sugar, no fiber, and no protein, this large slushie is full of empty calories. Although it is only 200 calories, about the same as a small soda at Checkers, you'll get more than a full day's worth of added sugar. The regular size only saves you 30 calories and 8 grams of sugar, so skip the slushie section altogether and save your calories for something more filling and nutritious.

Checkers & Rally's is launching its first-ever fry-seasoned chicken tenders. Available nationwide Feb. 21, the chicken tenders feature white meat crispy coated in Checkers & Rally's fry seasoning for a signature zesty taste. The three-, five- and eight-piece orders are available as part of a combo meal in each respective size, according to a press release.

"Given the incredible popularity of the #1 Most Craveable Fries in America, we've decided to double down and take our legendary fry seasoning to new heights with our first-ever fry-seasoned chicken tenders," Frances Allen, president and CEO of Checkers Drive-In Restaurants, Inc., said in the release. "No matter your relationship status, Checkers & Rally's invites you to feel our love by receiving a free single tender as part of every order on Feb. 15. The delectable taste of our new tenders is sure to delight everyone's hearts and taste buds."

In celebration of the fry-seasoned tenders launch later this month, the company is also offering a chance to win coupons for free Checkers & Rally's Chicken Tenders and special tenders-inspired swag. Free entry and official rules are available by visiting SeasonedChickenTenders.com Feb. 16-22. The sweepstakes will award 25 randomly selected winners with limited-edition prize packs consisting of eye masks, bath robes, slippers and more, plus another 100 winners will receive coupons to redeem three-piece orders of Checkers & Rally's Fry-Seasoned Chicken Tenders.

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