The Best Zaxby’s Keto Options

Is keto at Zaxby’s possible? It’s difficult, but there are some options you can choose from! Zaxby’s keto and low carb foods range from traditional wings and chicken “zalads” to two keto diet friendly, bunless sandwiches.

While we understand that eating at fast food restaurants is sometimes the only option in the moment, we strongly encourage you to prepare your meals at home. That way you exactly know what you’re putting into your body and how many calories, fat, protein and carbs you are consuming.

What Zaxby’s menu items are low in net carbs?

There’s definitely a few to choose from!

When it comes to wings, stay away from boneless wings and go for traditional wings. Pick from one of the keto and low carb sauces we listed for you below. You can find anything there, from mild to spicy.

If you want to stay keto at Zaxby’s, you can also grab a salad. Choose from a Grilled House Zalad, Grilled Cobb Zalad or get a regular House Zalad with no chicken.

You can also eat a bunless sandwich – a grilled chicken one or a Cajun club version. Just remember to skip on the Texas toast and soda. While technically a “zero” and “diet” type of soda has no carbohydrates, drinking dietary beverages negatively affects brain health. Let’s eat (and drink) responsibly.

Read on to find out which Zaxby’s keto and low carb meals we recommend!

Zaxby’s Keto & Low Carb Salads

Usually salads are your best bet at any fast food restaurant. All you need to do is stay away from breaded items such as fried chicken and high carb salad dressings. Most of their salads contain carrots, and we’re okay with those, in moderation. Carrots are full of vitamins and minerals, so go ahead!

The good part about Zaxby’s? You don’t need to swap any of the dressings – all salads are keto friendly just the way they are. The bad part? Don’t forget to ask for no fried onions and no Texas toast. Both of these sides are added to each salad meal. And they’re definitely not keto.

Note: Zaxby’s used to have a Caesar salad on their menu, but it’s no longer an option. This means you can’t get the Garden Caesar Zalad or the Grilled Caesar Zalad. If you’re still craving it, you can get a regular salad and get the Caesar dressing instead.

1. Grilled Chicken House Zalad (no fried onions, no toast)

Here’s one of our favorite menu items at Zaxby’s! Enjoy this low carb, keto salad with a bunch of mixed greens, some red cabbage, carrots, cucumbers, Roma tomatoes, cheddar and Jack cheeses. If you need more fat, grab an extra dressing packet.

Nutrition info: 330 calories; 15g fat; 40g protein; 9g total carbs; 6g net carbs

2. Garden House Zalad (no fried onions, no toast)

Same as above, here you’ll get mixed greens, red cabbage, carrots, cucumbers, Roma tomatoes, cheddar and Jack cheese. It’s an option for all of those who don’t want any chicken in their salad.

Nutrition info: 170 calories; 11g fat; 9g protein; 7g total carbs; 4g net carbs

3. Grilled Chicken Cobb Zalad (no fried onions, no toast)

If you want to do keto at Zaxby’s the right way, get this salad. It has mixed greens, red cabbage, carrots, Roma tomatoes, cucumbers, bacon, a hard-boiled egg and Jack cheese. The original combination has Lite Ranch Dressing, but if you want more fat just switch to regular Ranch.

Nutrition info: 450 calories; 22g fat; 50g protein; 10g total carbs; 7g net carbs

4. Garden Cobb Zalad (no fried onions, no toast)

Here you’ll get mixed greens, red cabbage, carrots, Roma tomatoes, cucumbers, bacon a hard-boiled egg, cheddar and Jack cheese. It comes with the Lite Ranch Dressing, but you can swap it for any of the keto friendly salad dressings we listed for you below.

Nutrition info: 290 calories; 19g fat; 19g protein; 8g total carbs; 5g net carbs

5. Blackened Chicken Blue Zalad (no fried onions, no toast)

Make sure to skip the sides! In this grilled chicken salad combo you’ll get mixed greens, red cabbage, carrots, Toma tomatoes, bleu cheese crumbles and a blackened chicken breast. Zaxby’s has a keto friendly blue cheese salad dressing – it will help you increase fat content in this Blackened Blue Zalad.

Nutrition info: 460 calories; 14g fat; 40g protein; 8g total carbs; 4g net carbs

6. Garden Blue Zalad (no fried onions, no toast)

Same as above but with no chicken, in this salad you’ll get a mix of greens, some red cabbage, carrots, Roma tomatoes and blue cheese crumbles. Remember to omit fried onions and the Texas toast!

Nutrition info: 140 calories; 10g fat; 8g protein; 6g total carbs; 2g net carbs

7. Zaxby’s Keto and Low Carb Sandwiches (and Wings)

In comparison to other restaurants, Zaxby’s keto diet sandwich options aren’t as forgiving as we would like them to be. Most of their sandwiches have breaded chicken or chicken fingers inside (chicken finger or not, it’s still breaded and we’re against it).

Note: They used to have a Chicken Salad Sandwich, but unfortunately it has been discontinued. If you’re still craving a Chicken Salad Sandwich, check out our Low Carb Chicken Salad recipe.

8. Grilled Chicken Sandwich (no bread, no fries, no soda)

This sandwich has a grilled chicken breast, mayo, tomatoes and lettuce. It’s really simple, if that’s what you’re going for. Remember to skip on the meal and ask for the sandwich only, with no bun if possible. Otherwise, just toss it the moment you get it since it’s high in carbs.

Nutrition info: 347 calories; 19g fat; 38g protein; 6g total carbs; 5g net carbs

9. Cajun Club Sandwich (no bread, no fries, no soda)

Don’t order the meal, instead ask for the sandwich only. Skip the bun and enjoy a generous piece of blackened chicken fillet, bacon, crisp lettuce, tomatoes, ranch sauce and American. And yes, you can keep the ranch since it’s actually a pretty low carb sauce on Zaxby’s menu.

Nutrition info: 404 calories; 24g fat; 42g protein; 5g total carbs; 4g net carbs

10. Traditional Wings

At Zaxby’s, you can get boneless wings and traditional wings. Stay away from boneless wings since they’re fried and instead go for traditional wings with a low carb, keto sauce, such as ranch, tongue torch, nuclear, insane and the original one. Below you’ll find net carbs for each one.

Nutrition info (5 pieces, no sauce): 380 calories; 24g fat; 38g protein; 3g total carbs; 0g net carbs

Keto and low carb friendly sauces and dressings

Sauces

• Ranch (1.5 oz) – 190 calories; 20g fat; 1g protein; 2g total carbs; 1g net carbs
• Tongue torch (1.5 oz) – 20 calories; 0g fat; 0g protein; 4g total carbs; 3g net carbs
• Nuclear (2 oz) – 30 calories; 1g fat; 1g protein; 4g total carbs; 3g net carbs
• Insane (2 oz) – 35 calories; 1g fat; 1g protein; 5g total carbs; 3g net carbs
• Original (2 oz) – 60 calories; 6g fat; 0g protein; 1g total carbs; 0g net carbs

Dressings

• Blue cheese (1.25 oz) – 180 calories; 19g fat; 1g protein; 2g total carbs; 2g net carbs
• Caesar (1.25 oz) – 90 calories; 9g fat; 2g protein; 2g total carbs; 1g net carbs
• Lite ranch (1.25 oz) – 90 calories; 8g fat; 1g protein; 2g total carbs; 1g net carbs
• Ranch (1.25 oz) – 160 calories; 16g fat; 1g protein; 1g total carbs; 1g net carbs
• Mediterranean (1.25 oz) – 140 calories; 13g fat; 0g protein; 4g total carbs; 3g net carbs

No chicken fingers or boneless wings?

Unfortunately, we’re saying no to these. Chicken fingers are both fried and breaded, meanwhile boneless wings are also fried

While eating one chicken finger won’t hurt you and it will definitely fit into your daily macros, it doesn’t really make sense to eat them since it won’t fill you up. Even without the sauce, a portion of five chicken fingers has 21g of net carbs. Stick with traditional wings instead.

What to avoid at Zaxby’s

• No fried salads (including Buffalo Blue Zalad and Southwest Zalad)
• No fried items
• No sandwich meals
• No Texas toast
• No fries
• No coleslaw
• No finger plates
• No chicken fingers
• No boneless wings
• No wimpy sauce
• No sweet & spicy sauce
• No teriyaki sauce
• No BBQ sauce
• No honey mustard
• No Zax sauce
• No marinara sauce
• No lite vinaigrette
• No milk
• No juice
• No sweetened tea

Our final opinion

Keto at Zaxby’s is difficult, but not impossible. This is also the general thing we would say for any restaurant, particularily if you’re a ketogenic newbie. Zaxby’s offers some keto diet and low carb friendly items such as salads (there, they’re called “Zalads”), two sammiches and traditional wings.

For the salads, omit the Texas toast and fried onions. These two come with the meal. Additionally, always remove the bun whenever necessary. Don’t forget to avoid breaded chicken, boneless wings and anything fried. Since we’re on keto, we need to try and eat as clean as possible.

If you’re interested you can check out their Nutritional Info & Allergen Guide on their website.

For more information on how to stay ketogenic at fast food restaurants, check out our guides on how to eat at Burger King, Five Guys, Olive Garden, Cheesecake Factory, Culver’s, Jimmy John’s and more here!

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