The Shocking Truth: 55 Chemicals Hiding in Your Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich

Have you ever wondered what makes that Chick-fil-A sandwich so darn addictive? Sure, they’re closed on Sundays and famous for their customer service, but what’s really in that simple-looking chicken sandwich? The answer might surprise you (and not in a good way).

I’ve been researching fast food ingredients for years, and what I discovered about America’s favorite chicken sandwich is concerning to say the least. That “simple” Chick-fil-A sandwich actually contains a whopping 55 different ingredients! Yes, you read that right – fifty-five. And many of them aren’t things you’d find in your kitchen.

What’s Really in Your Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich?

Let’s break down this chemical cocktail by the main components

The Chicken

The chicken itself contains:

• Boneless skinless chicken breast filet
• Salt
• Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)
• Sugar
• Spices (black pepper, paprika, and mustard)
• Paprika

That MSG is particularly concerning – it’s what food scientists call an “excitotoxin” that essentially excites your brain cells to death while making you crave more It’s literally designed to make the food addictive!

The Breading/Coating

The crispy coating includes:

• Enriched bleached wheat flour
• Sugar
• Salt
• More MSG
• Nonfat milk
• Baking soda
• Sodium aluminum phosphate
• Monocalcium phosphate
• Spice
• Soybean oil
• Color (paprika)
• Water
• Egg
• Fully refined peanut oil
• Dimethylpolysiloxane (an anti-foaming agent)

Yes, that’s the same dimethylpolysiloxane found in Silly Putty! According to Food Babe, this substance “was also commonly used as a filler fluid in breast implants, which is being phased out due to safety concerns, but supposedly it’s ‘safe’ to eat.”

The Bun

The bun contains:

• Enriched wheat flour
• Water
• Sugar
• Yeast
• Soybean oil
• Wheat gluten
• Salt
• Cultured wheat flour
• Vinegar
• Calcium sulfate
• Monoglycerides
• DATEM
• Calcium propionate
• Ascorbic/citric acid
• Enzymes
• Soy lecithin
• Potassium iodate

Many of these ingredients are highly processed. For example, monoglycerides and DATEM are potential sources of trans fats, which are extremely harmful to heart health. And potassium iodate is actually banned in flour in Europe and several other countries due to concerns about thyroid function!

The “Butter” on the Bun

That buttery-looking substance isn’t butter at all! It’s actually:

• Soybean oil
• Palm kernel oil
• Soy lecithin
• Natural flavor
• Beta carotene (for color)

The Pickles

The pickles also contain multiple ingredients:

• Cucumbers
• Water
• Vinegar
• Salt
• Calcium chloride
• Potassium sorbate (preservative)
• Turmeric extract (color)
• Natural flavor
• Dill pickle spice
• Beta carotene (color)
• Garlic emulsion

Note: Chick-fil-A did make some improvements to their pickles in 2022. They removed artificial colors (Yellow 5, Blue 1), alum, and Polysorbate 80 that were previously in them.

Why So Many Ingredients?

So why does Chick-fil-A need 55 ingredients to make what should be a simple sandwich? Most of these additives cut costs and make their food more addictive so we keep coming back for more. This means more money in their pockets, but at what cost to our health?

A homemade chicken sandwich would need maybe 10 ingredients, tops:

• Chicken breast
• Salt and pepper
• Flour
• Egg
• Milk
• Oil
• Bun
• Butter
• Pickles

Has Chick-fil-A Made Any Improvements?

To be fair, Chick-fil-A has made some positive changes:

1. They implemented a “No Antibiotics Ever” policy for their chicken (though they announced on March 22, 2024 that they’re reversing this policy)
2. They removed TBHQ and high fructose corn syrup
3. They dropped artificial dyes from their sauces

But clearly, they still have a long way to go!

Health Concerns with These Ingredients

Many of the ingredients in the Chick-fil-A sandwich raise health concerns:

• MSG: Linked to headaches, obesity, and even neurological problems
• Sodium aluminum phosphate: Contains aluminum (a neurotoxin) and is on EWG’s “Dirty Dozen Additive Watch List”
• Soybean oil: Used multiple times in the sandwich, this highly refined oil is linked to inflammation, obesity, and heart disease
• DATEM and monoglycerides: Potential sources of harmful trans fats
• Potassium iodate: Banned in flour in many countries due to thyroid concerns

What About Their “Healthier” Options?

You might think their grilled options are better, but even the Chick-fil-A Grilled Chicken Sandwich contains soybean oil, yeast extract (an alternative form of MSG), and “natural flavors” (which can contain up to 100 different chemicals).

Their salads aren’t much better – the chicken is still spiked with MSG and unhealthy oils, and those colorful chips on top contain artificial colors like Red 40 and Blue 1.

Even their cheese comes with “powdered cellulose” (essentially wood pulp), which is linked to weight gain and digestive problems.

The Healthiest Options at Chick-fil-A

If I absolutely HAD to eat at Chick-fil-A, I’d order:

• Market Salad without chicken, nuts, granola, or dressing
• Superfood Side without dressing and toppings (basically just plain kale and broccoli)
• Fruit Cup

But honestly, at that point, why even go there?

Make Your Own Healthier Version at Home

The good news is you can make a healthier “Chick-fil-A style” sandwich at home using organic ingredients. There are plenty of copycat recipes online that taste just as good (maybe even better!) without all the chemicals and additives.

By making it at home, you can control exactly what goes into your food and avoid those potentially harmful ingredients. Plus, you can enjoy it on Sundays!

The Bottom Line

The next time you’re craving that Chick-fil-A sandwich, remember what’s really in it – 55 ingredients, many of which are highly processed and potentially harmful. Is it really worth it?

I’m not saying you can never indulge (we all do sometimes!), but knowing what’s in your food empowers you to make better choices most of the time. Your body will thank you!

And if you’re really craving that Chick-fil-A flavor, try making a healthier version at home using real, whole food ingredients. You might be surprised at how delicious it can be without all those chemicals!

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Note: This information is based on Chick-fil-A’s nutrition and ingredient information as of March 2024 and may change as the company updates their formulations.

The classic Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich is made with a boneless chicken breast that is seasoned, breaded, and pressure-cooked in peanut oil, served on a toasted bun with dill pickle chips. The bun is buttered. The chicken itself includes seasoning with spices like salt, sugar, and paprika.

Chick-fil-A sandwiches are not inherently bad but depend on the type; the classic fried chicken sandwich is high in calories, fat, and sodium, while grilled options offer a lower-calorie, lower-fat alternative. Healthier choices include the grilled chicken sandwich, which has less fat and sodium, or the Cool Wrap. Overall, it’s important to consider the nutritional profile of any meal and balance it with healthier choices within your diet.