Popeye’s is a great option for finding meals when you’re bulking.
Below, I give you six bodybuilder-friendly Popeye’s meals with exact calorie and macronutrient breakdowns.
Note any customizations, like adding or removing ingredients, as they will make or break your meal.
New here? Hi, I’m Philip, a nutrition coach who helps you eat out while sticking to your fitness goals. If you have any questions, leave a comment at the end of the post.
Check Out Our Complete Guide On The Best Bodybuilding Fast Food
Popey’s Bulking Meals
1. Chicken With Corn on a Cob (840 Calories)
Order a two-piece chicken meal with a breast and a wing, and add corn on the cob.
Nutrition:
- 840 calories
- 54 grams of protein
- 61 grams of carbohydrates
- 43 grams of fat
The chicken breast and wing combo is a high-protein, high-fat bulking meal. Adding corn on a cob provides an extra 37 grams of carbs and 190 extra calories.
Occasionally, having a high-fat meal can be beneficial when bulking because it provides more calories without being as high in volume. As such, you can more easily get the daily calories you need.
Customizations on this meal:
- Adding a dipping sauce to your chicken will add between 45 and 150 calories. The three dipping sauces with the highest calories are ranch (150 calories), tartar (140 calories), and blackened ranch (120 calories).
- Adding a side to your meal will also increase calories. A regular serving of red beans and rice is a great option with 230 calories, 7 grams of protein, and 23 grams of carbs.
2. Three-Piece Chicken Meal (820 Calories)
Order a three-piece chicken meal with a breast, wing, and a leg without a side.
Nutrition:
- 820 calories
- 61 grams of protein
- 29 grams of carbohydrates
- 51 grams of fat
Adding a chicken leg to your meal boosts the calories by 170, protein by 13 grams, and fats by 10 grams.
With 61 grams of total protein, it makes it easier to hit the daily target of 1.6 to 2.2 grams per kilogram (0.7 to 1 gram per pound), recommended by the Journal of Nutrients.
Customizations on this meal:
- Add a dipping sauce to your chicken for an extra 45 to 150 calories. Rach is a good option with 150 calories.
- Add a side for extra calories and carbs. A regular serving of red rice and beans provides 230 calories and 23 grams of carbs, whereas corn on the cob adds 190 calories and 37 grams of carbs.
3. Three-Piece Chicken Meal With Mashed Potatoes (920 Calories)
Order a three-piece chicken meal with a breast, a wing, and a leg with a side of mashed potatoes (regular serving).
Nutrition:
- 920 calories
- 65 grams of protein
- 47 grams of carbohydrates
- 54 grams of fat
This meal provides a balanced serving of protein, carbs, and fats. The three-piece chicken option supplies the protein, whereas most of the carbs come from the mashed potatoes.
Having this meal can be a good way to increase your intake of all three macronutrients and get extra calories, making it easier to achieve the necessary surplus.
Customizations on this meal:
- Add a dipping sauce for your chicken for an extra 45 to 150 calories. Barbecue is a lower-calorie option (only 45 calories), whereas tartar adds 140 calories per serving.
4. Chicken Breast, Wing, and a Thigh With Mashed Potatoes (1040 Calories)
Order a three-piece chicken meal with a breast, a wing, and a thigh with a side of mashed potatoes (regular serving).
Nutrition:
- 1040 calories
- 65 grams of protein
- 49 grams of carbohydrates
- 66 grams of fat
Opting for a thigh instead of a wing boosts the meal’s calories by 116 while keeping a balanced macronutrient mix.
Carbs will provide energy for your day, and fat will provide low-volume calories so you don’t feel too physically full.
That said, this meal has 66 grams of fat, which covers most people’s daily needs. So, if you want to have this meal, avoid high-fat foods during your other meals (e.g., egg yolk, natural oils, and butter).
Customizations on this meal:
- You can add a 1 or 6-piece jalapenos serving for extra flavor and spice without altering your meal’s nutritional composition.
5. Two-Piece Chicken Meal With Tenders & Mashed Potatoes (1100 Calories)
Order a two-piece chicken meal with a breast and wing and add:
- Three-pice serving of chicken tenders
- A side of mashed potatoes (regular serving)
Nutrition:
- 1100 calories
- 78 grams of protein
- 68 grams of carbohydrates
- 59 grams of fat
Adding chicken tenders to your meal is a way to increase the protein in your meal without increasing the fat as much as a piece of signature chicken would.
That way, you get 78 grams of protein in your meal and keep the fats to under 60 grams.
Customizations on this meal:
- Add a dipping sauce for your chicken and chicken tenders for an extra 90 to 300 calories.
6. Chicken Sandwich With Tenders (1349 Calories)
Order a chicken sandwich and add:
- A loaded chicken wrap
- A three-piece serving of chicken tenders
Nutrition:
- 1349 calories
- 69 grams of protein
- 109 grams of carbohydrates
- 69 grams of fat
The chicken sandwich and chicken wrap are higher carb options compared to the signature chicken.
Adding more carbs can provide energy without increasing the fat too much.
This meal also has sufficient protein, providing your body with the tools it needs to repair and build muscle.
Customizations to this meal:
- Adding a dipping sauce to your chicken, wrap, and sandwich can add 135 to 450 calories. To add fewer calories, you can opt for a single serving of a sauce.
- Adding a side to your meal will also further increase calories. A regular serving of red rice and beans or corn can add 190 to 230 calories and 23 to 34 grams of extra carbs.
Tips for Eating at Popeye’s Before a Workout
1. Order a side of corn or mashed potatoes
According to data from the Journal of Nutrients, having a gram of carbs per kilogram of body weight can optimize workout performance.
So, consider carb-rich sources like mashed potatoes or corn. Two servings of a carb source will provide most of the carbs you need to perform at your best.
At Popeye’s, chicken tenders provide one serving of carbs, so adding a second serving with corn or mashed potatoes is the best option.
This combo also works as a post-workout meal because you get protein and carbs, which kickstart muscle recovery and help replenish lost glycogen (the complex carb primarily found in your muscles).
2. Opt for three chicken tenders as your protein
Limit your fat intake pre-workout. This nutrient digests more slowly and can cause stomach discomfort during training.
While all meat options at Popeye’s are higher in fat than optimal, chicken tenders are the lowest in fat, with 14 grams of fat per three-piece serving.
In comparison, chicken thighs and breasts have 21 to 27 grams of fat.
3. Skip the sauces
Most sauces at Popeye’s are high in fat, so choose carefully.
If you want to have a sauce for the extra flavor, pick barbecue or sweet heat, as both have 0 grams of fat.
Tips for Eating at Popeye’s After a Workout
1. Load up on protein
The International Society of Sports Nutrition recommends having 0.3 to 0.5 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight after training.
The good news is that any signature chicken option will supply high-quality protein. For example, a 35-gram chicken breast has enough protein to cover an 80-kilo (176-lb) person’s post-workout protein needs.
2. Don’t forget carbs
Getting 0.3 to 0.5 grams of carbs per kilogram following a workout helps replenish lost glycogen, which is important for muscle recovery as it influences protein synthesis.
Similar to your pre-workout meal, corn and mashed potatoes are your best options, as they provide carbs that digest fairly quickly.
Barbecue and sweet heat sauces are also good options as both provide carbs and extra flavor to your meal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will Eating at Popeye’s Ruin Your Gains?
No, eating at Popeye’s will not ruin your gains. To maintain muscle mass, the most important factor is eating enough protein.
Popeye’s menu has lots of high protein options, such as two, three, and four-piece signature chicken meals.
Can You Eat at Popeye’s and Still Gain Muscle?
Yes, you can eat at Popeye’s and still gain muscle because you can easily get 50, 60, or even 70+ grams of protein.
Plus, their meals are often high in calories, allowing you to more easily maintain a calorie surplus.
What Meal at Popeye’s Has the Most Protein?
The meal at Popeye’s with the most protein is the four-piece signature chicken with red beans and rice.
This meal has up to 1288 calories, 84 grams of protein, 58 grams of carbohydrates, and 80 grams of fat.
What Meal at Popeye’s Has the Most Calories?
The meal at Popeye’s with the most calories is the four-piece signature chicken with a side of onion rings.
This meal has 1370 calories, 79 grams of protein, 61 grams of carbohydrates, and 83 grams of fat.
Which Meal at Popeye’s Has the Least Calories?
The meal at Popeye’s with the least calories is the six-piece chicken nuggets.
This meal has 230 calories, 11 grams of protein, 14 grams of carbohydrates, and 14 grams of fat.
More Fast Food Meal Plans For Bodybuilders
Check out our other bulking and cutting meal plans from popular fast-food restaurants:
References
Alghannam AF, Gonzalez JT, Betts JA. Restoration of Muscle Glycogen and Functional Capacity: Role of Post-Exercise Carbohydrate and Protein Co-Ingestion. Nutrients. 2018 Feb 23;10(2):253. doi: 10.3390/nu10020253. PMID: 29473893; PMCID: PMC5852829.
Kerksick C, Harvey T, Stout J, Campbell B, Wilborn C, Kreider R, Kalman D, Ziegenfuss T, Lopez H, Landis J, Ivy JL, Antonio J. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: nutrient timing. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2008 Oct 3;5:17. doi: 10.1186/1550-2783-5-17. Erratum in: J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2008;5:18. PMID: 18834505; PMCID: PMC2575187.
Howarth KR, Phillips SM, MacDonald MJ, Richards D, Moreau NA, Gibala MJ. Effect of glycogen availability on human skeletal muscle protein turnover during exercise and recovery. J Appl Physiol (1985). 2010 Aug;109(2):431-8. doi: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00108.2009. Epub 2010 May 20. PMID: 20489032.
About The Author
Philip Stefanov is a certified conditioning coach, personal trainer, and fitness instructor. With more than nine years of experience in the industry, he’s helped hundreds of clients improve their nutritional habits, become more consistent with exercise, lose weight in a sustainable way, and build muscle through strength training. He is passionate about writing and has published more than 500 articles on various topics related to healthy nutrition, dieting, calorie and macronutrient tracking, meal planning, fitness and health supplementation, best training practices, and muscle recovery.
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