Popeyes Nutrition: 170 Calories for 3 Blackened Tenders, 700 for the Sandwich
Blackened tenders are the most protein per calorie on the Popeyes menu: three are 170 calories and 28 g of protein, by Popeyes’ own August 2026 nutrition guide. The Chicken Sandwich is 700 calories with 42 g of fat and 1,440 mg of sodium, and a bone-in breast is 620. The surprises are on the side: a large mac and cheese is 850 calories, more than the sandwich, and a large mashed potatoes with Cajun gravy carries 2,190 mg of sodium.
- 3 Blackened tenders
- 170 kcal · 28 g protein
- Chicken Sandwich
- 700 kcal · 1,440 mg sodium
- Large mac & cheese
- 850 kcal
Chicken
| Item | Calories | Protein | Fat | Sodium | Protein per 100 kcal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blackened tenders, 3 pc | 170 | 28 g | 6 g | 860 mg | 16.5 g |
| Blackened tenders, 5 pc | 280 | 47 g | 9 g | 1,430 mg | 16.8 g |
| Classic or Spicy tenders, 3 pc | 390 | 35 g | 19 g | 1,700 mg | 9.0 g |
| Classic or Spicy tenders, 5 pc | 650 | 58 g | 32 g | 2,840 mg | 8.9 g |
| Signature Chicken, leg | 200 | 15 g | 12 g | 540 mg | 7.5 g |
| Signature Chicken, wing | 220 | 14 g | 15 g | 630 mg | 6.4 g |
| Signature Chicken, thigh | 490 | 25 g | 34 g | 1,120 mg | 5.1 g |
| Signature Chicken, breast | 620 | 52 g | 30 g | 1,780 mg | 8.4 g |
Sandwiches, wraps and shrimp
| Item | Calories | Protein | Fat | Sodium |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken Sandwich, Classic | 700 | 28 g | 42 g | 1,440 mg |
| Chicken Sandwich, Spicy | 700 | 28 g | 42 g | 1,470 mg |
| Classic Tender Wrap | 480 | 19 g | 32 g | 1,260 mg |
| Classic Tender Blackened Ranch Wrap | 430 | 19 g | 25 g | 1,340 mg |
| Butterfly Shrimp, 8 pc | 360 | 14 g | 21 g | 1,140 mg |
Sides, regular and large
| Side | Regular: calories | Regular: sodium | Large: calories | Large: sodium |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mashed potatoes with Cajun gravy | 110 | 750 mg | 310 | 2,190 mg |
| Coleslaw | 160 | 210 mg | 480 | 620 mg |
| Cajun Rice | 230 | 560 mg | 780 | 1,650 mg |
| Red beans & rice | 260 | 580 mg | 640 | 1,420 mg |
| Cajun fries | 270 | 620 mg | 740 | 1,720 mg |
| Homestyle mac & cheese | 280 | 510 mg | 850 | 1,540 mg |
| Biscuit (one) | 230 | 520 mg | — | — |
The lowest-calorie side, regular mashed potatoes, carries 750 mg of sodium, among the highest of the regular sides; coleslaw is the lowest in sodium. Sauces add up too: a Buttermilk Ranch packet is 130 calories, more than a regular mashed potatoes, and Bayou Buffalo and BoldBQ carry 400 mg of sodium each.
Lower-calorie orders, added up
| Order | Calories | Protein | Sodium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Blackened tenders + regular mashed potatoes + unsweetened tea | 280 | 31 g | 1,620 mg |
| 3 Blackened tenders + regular coleslaw + unsweetened tea | 330 | 29 g | 1,080 mg |
| Leg + regular coleslaw + unsweetened tea | 360 | 16 g | 760 mg |
| Blackened Ranch Wrap + unsweetened tea | 430 | 19 g | 1,350 mg |
| For comparison: Chicken Sandwich + regular Cajun fries + regular Coke | 1,210 | 31 g | 2,120 mg |
Why the numbers online disagree
Popeyes revised its guide between January and August 2026, and older figures are still in circulation. The January guide listed the breast at 178 mg of sodium, a typo for the 1,780 now published, and put several wing-sodium figures 650 to 670 mg lower than today. One calorie-app page ranking for this search gives the breast as 380 calories; the August guide says 620. Another site lists the Chicken Sandwich at 14 g of fat; the guide says 42 g.
Logging a Popeyes tray
The difference between a 280-calorie and a 1,210-calorie Popeyes order is the side, the sauce and the drink, not the chicken. PlateLens logs the whole tray from one photo or a sentence such as “3 Blackened tenders, coleslaw, unsweetened tea”; the Dietary Assessment Initiative found it within ±1.1% of measured calories on 180 weighed meals, and the open-source Foodvision Bench reproduced that on 231 others.
The short version
- Most protein per calorie: Blackened tenders, 170 calories and 28 g for three.
- Chicken Sandwich: 700 calories, 42 g fat, 1,440 mg sodium.
- Watch the sides: large mac and cheese 850; large mashed potatoes 2,190 mg sodium.
- A 280-calorie order exists: 3 Blackened tenders, regular mashed potatoes, unsweetened tea.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many calories are in a Popeyes chicken sandwich?
The Classic Chicken Sandwich is 700 calories with 42 g of fat, 28 g of protein and 1,440 mg of sodium in Popeyes' August 2026 nutrition guide. The Spicy version is the same except for 1,470 mg of sodium.
What is the lowest-calorie meal at Popeyes?
Three Blackened tenders with a regular mashed potatoes and unsweetened tea add up to 280 calories and 31 g of protein. Swapping the mashed potatoes for coleslaw is 330 calories with the least sodium.
How many calories are in a Popeyes chicken breast?
A Signature Chicken breast is 620 calories with 52 g of protein and 1,780 mg of sodium. A leg is 200 calories and a thigh 490.
How many calories are in a Popeyes biscuit?
One biscuit is 230 calories, with 14 g of fat and 520 mg of sodium, more than a regular mashed potatoes (110) or coleslaw (160).
Which Popeyes side has the fewest calories?
Regular mashed potatoes with Cajun gravy, at 110 calories, though it carries 750 mg of sodium. Regular coleslaw is 160 calories with 210 mg, the lowest-sodium side.
How can I track a whole Popeyes meal quickly?
PlateLens logs the whole tray from one photo or a sentence such as "3 Blackened tenders, coleslaw, unsweetened tea", counting the side, the biscuit and the sauce that decide whether an order is 280 or 1,210 calories. The Dietary Assessment Initiative found it within ±1.1% of measured calories on 180 weighed meals, and the open-source Foodvision Bench reproduced that on 231 others.
Where these numbers come from
- The Popeyes USA Nutrition Guide, August 2026, linked from popeyes.com as “Nutrition Information”, retrieved 23 September 2026. Popeyes publishes portion labels but no serving weights.
- Meal totals are sums of the published items. The January 2026 comparison uses the earlier edition of the same guide.
- Popeyes is a trademark of its owner; the figures are its own published nutrition data, reproduced independently.
- Independent measurement of PlateLens: the Dietary Assessment Initiative six-app validation study (180 weighed meals) and the Foodvision Bench mini-231 leaderboard.