McDonald’s Southwest Salad Calories | Is It Healthy?

The southwest salad from McDonald’s is considered one of the chain’s healthier, low-calorie menu options. However, there have been plenty of speculations about the salad being unhealthy. If you have doubts about whether this salad is healthy, stay tuned with this post to look at McDonald’s Southwest salad calories! 

McDonald’s southwest salad made with the grilled chicken variation has about 350 calories, whereas the variation made with crispy buttermilk chicken has 520 calories. Either way, both versions of this salad are healthy if eaten in moderation. 

All the salads from McDonald’s, including this southwest chicken salad, have caused outrage about whether they are healthy options to enjoy. Since McDonald’s is a fast food chain known for serving primarily unhealthy food, people have had even more doubts about the salads. 

However, we are here to bust all myths about this salad. In this informative article, we will explore everything about these beautiful salads from McDonald’s, along with what makes them a healthy option to devour occasionally!

McDonald’s Southwest Salad Ingredients

McDonald’s has two different versions of this delicious salad, and we will look at the ingredients used to make both salads. First, here are the ingredients used to make McDonald’s southwest salad with grilled chicken: 

1. All-white grilled chicken
2. Baby Kale, 
3. Baby Spinach, 
4. Chopped Romaine Lettuce, 
5. Carrots, 
6. Red Leaf Lettuce, 
7. Poblano Peppers, 
8. Tomatoes, 
9. Corn, 
10. Black Beans, 
11. Cilantro, 
12. Chili-lime Tortilla Strips, 
13. Jack Cheese
14. Cheddar Cheese
15. Newman’s Southwest Dressing. 

Similarly, here is the list of ingredients used in making the Southwest chicken salad from McDonald’s with crispy buttermilk fried chicken strips:

1. Southwest Buttermilk Crispy Chicken
2. Baby Kale, 
3. Baby Spinach, 
4. Chopped Romaine Lettuce, 
5. Carrots, 
6. Red Leaf Lettuce, 
7. Poblano Peppers, 
8. Tomatoes, 
9. Corn, 
10. Black Beans, 
11. Cilantro, 
12. Chili-lime Tortilla Strips, 
13. Jack Cheese
14. Cheddar Cheese
15. Newman’s Southwest Dressing. 

How Many Calories In McDonald’s Southwest Salad With Dressing? 

Knowing the ingredients for making this salad will make it much easier to determine the calories and other nutritional values of this lovely delicacy from McDonald’s. First, look at the calories in both versions of this salad while it is served with some beautiful southwest dressing. 

Have a look at the calories in McDonald’s Southwest Grilled Chicken Salad and Southwest Crispy Chicken Salad with dressing in the table below: 

Look at this detailed article on McDonald’s menu nutrition to know the entire menu’s calories and other nutritional values. 

How Many Calories In McDonald’s Southwest Salad Without Dressing? 

If you would like to cut down on some more calories while enjoying this delicious salad, one easy way to do so is by completely cutting out the dressing from this salad. Now, look at the calories in McDonald’s and Southwest salad variations without dressing. 

Is McDonald’s Southwest Salad Healthy? 

Yes, McDonald’s Southwest salad is pretty healthy, as it is not too high in calories and is balanced with the essential nutrients needed for the human body. You can also make the salad healthier, if you wish, by cutting down on the dressing. 

McDonald’s Southwest salad is overall a healthy option to eat. The salad does have a slightly high amount of fat. However, it also comprises a balanced amount of protein from the chicken. Moreover, the dressing of this salad is also not too high in calories, which is undoubtedly a bonus. 

Of course, the version of this salad with grilled chicken is a lot healthier than the one with crispy chicken filets. So, if you want to cut down on your calorie intake even further, one of the best ways to do so is by sticking to the grilled chicken version of this salad. 

Moreover, you can also opt out of adding dressing, tortilla chips, and cheese to this salad to make it a lot healthier. However, although this salad is a healthy option, remember to have it in moderation, as too much McDonald’s food can be bad for the body.

Is McDonald’s Southwest Salad Still Available? 

No, McDonald’s does not have the Southwest salad on their menu. When the pandemic peaked, McDonald’s stopped selling the salad in 2020.  

McDonald’s discontinued many items from its menu when COVID-19 hit us since they wanted to simplify the menu as much as possible. During this time, McDonald’s removed the salads, which were a bit too complicated to serve via drive-thru.

McDonald’s eliminated most menu items that were a bit too complicated. Hence, the chain does not have salads anymore. However, if you like this salad and still want to enjoy it, you can make it right at home by following this easy recipe! 

Conclusion

McDonald’s has two versions of their Southwest salad, one with grilled chicken and the other with crispy chicken filets. Both versions of this salad can be considered healthy if eaten in moderation. 

If you would like to cut down on some extra calories, the best way is to stick to the grilled chicken version of this delicious salad. Another option to cut down the calories is to opt out of adding salad dressing and cheese and tortilla chips to the salad.

This way, you can enjoy this salad completely guilt-free! Suppose you love McDonald’s food but also worry about it being unhealthy. In that case, you should look at the calories in McDonald’s chicken wrap, McDonald’s biscuits and gravy, McDonald’s parfait calories, and also McDonald’s breakfast bagel calories. 

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