I sometimes struggle to find Paleo/Keto fast-food options that are filling, taste great, use the freshest ingredients, are free of complex carbs and have a detailed breakdown of ingredients and outline the amount of protein/fats/carbs.

There are a few well-known chains where you can get Paleo fast food 24 hours a day. One of these is surprisingly Wendy’s restaurants. Wendy’s has recently revamped their salad menu to accommodate the changing tide within the palette of patrons who want to eat healthy well-balanced paleo friendly meals.

Enter the Southwest Avocado Chicken Salad, a delightfully fresh and delicious entree for only $8.99 ($5.39 for the half entree) that offers a base of hand-cut lettuce topped with freshly grilled chicken coupled with a sprinkle of one or two strips of Applewood smoked bacon, a handful of shredded Pepper Monterey Jack cheese topped with a finish of cool creamy avocado for a taste of the Southwest.

The cheese has a nice sweet yet mildly spicy taste to it, as it combines red bell pepper with jalapeno pepper. The salad blend is always super fresh at Wendy’s, as they pride themselves on the freshest of ingredients. They’ve combined iceberg and romaine lettuce with a spring mix of baby red and green romaine, red and green oak, red and green leaf, lolla rosa, tango, spinach, mizuna, arugula, tatsoi, along with red and green chard.

The Applewood Smoked Bacon does contain sugar, sodium phosphates, sodium erythorbate, and sodium nitrite, so it’s probably healthier to ask for a salad without it. The Grilled Chicken Breast is juicy, not overly grilled, but then again I suspect it was precooked on the grill and then later reheated in a microwave. The chicken is pleasantly seasoned. And finally, the creamy avocado is made with a simple combination of avocados, lime juice, and salt.

This yummy entree clocks in at only 590 calories, with 41 grams of fat, a total of 18 grams of carbs with only 6 grams of sugar and a whopping 41 grams of protein. The only thing I can suggest to reduce the calories is to perhaps ask for a salad without smoked bacon, which would reduce the total by roughly 60 calories and 4 grams of protein. Perhaps the biggest win by removing the bacon is in reducing the total of 1190 grams of sodium by 200 grams while also reducing total fat of 20 grams by 5.3 grams.

If you’re not that hungry or are really worried about your calorie count, then simply ask for a half order of the salad, which basically cuts it down to 300 calories, but without giving up the taste of this delicious entree.

To summarize, Wendy’s is very committed to maintaining strict quality control over the freshness and taste of its ingredients. I have yet to have a negative experience with their paleo salad options and would rate this current entree a 4 out of 5 stars due to its consistency, ability to satisfy your hunger, comparatively low price (only $8.99 for a full order, $5.39 for half order), adherence to paleo / ketogenic dietary requirements, combination of healthy fats with a good source of protein as well as the flavour and overall plating of the dish.

For more information about finding a Wendy’s near you click here: https://find.wendys.com

If you want specific information about this menu items, then click here: https://menu.wendys.com/en_CA/product/southwest-avocado-chicken-salad/

If you want to have Skip The Dishes deliver a Wendy’s menu item to you click here: https://www.skipthedishes.com