Wendy’s

Flavor:

Loaded Nacho Chicken

Ingredients:

Classic Chicken Breast: Chicken Breast Fillets with Rib Meat, Water, Seasoning [Salt, Oat Bran, Monosodium Glutamate (MSG), Oat Fiber, Sugar, Yeast Extract, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Spices (including Celery Seed), Natural Flavors, Chicken Broth, Chicken Fat, Citric Acid, Cooked Chicken, Grill Flavor (from Sunflower Oil)], Modified Potato Starch, Sodium Phosphates. Battered and Breaded with: Wheat Flour, Water, Modified Corn Starch, Salt, Wheat Gluten, Monosodium Glutamate (MSG), Natural Flavors, Leavening (Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Sodium Bicarbonate, Monocalcium Phosphate), Spices, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Lactic Acid, Extractives of Turmeric. Breading Set in Vegetable Oil. Cooked In Vegetable Oil (Soybean, Canola, Corn and/or Cottonseed), Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Dimethylpolysiloxane (To Reduce Foaming). CONTAINS: WHEAT. COOKED IN THE SAME OIL AS MENU ITEMS THAT CONTAIN WHEAT, MILK, EGG, SOY, SESAME, AND FISH.

Jalapeño Cheddar Bun: Enriched Wheat Flour (Wheat Flour, Malted Barley Flour, Niacin, Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Water, Sugar, Shredded Cheddar Cheese (Pasteurized Milk, Cheese Cultures, Salt, Enzymes, Annatto and/or Beta Carotene [for color], Potato Starch and Powdered Cellulose [Anti-Caking Agents], Natamycin [Mold Inhibitor]), Degermed Yellow Corn Meal, Yeast, Honey, Soybean Oil, Dehydrated Jalapeno Flakes, Wheat Gluten, Salt, Mold Inhibitor (Cultured Wheat Flour, Vinegar), Natural Corn Type Flavor Blend, Natural Butter Flavor (Milk Solids, Nonfat Dry Milk, Salt, Natural Flavor), Natural Butter Type Flavor (Dextrose, Corn Starch, Maltodextrin, Dextrin, Natural Flavor, Triglycerides, Silicon Dioxide), Soy Lecithin, Enzyme Blend (Wheat Starch, Salt, Enzymes), Shine Agent (Modified Starch, Sodium Alginate, Mono and Diglycerides, Soy Lecithin, Polysorbate 60), Turmeric, Paprika. CONTAINS: MILK, SOY, WHEAT. MAY CONTAIN: SESAME. BUNS ARE TOASTED IN A COMMON TOASTER WITH PRODUCTS THAT CONTAIN WHEAT, SOY, MILK, SESAME.

Tomato: Tomato.

Poblano Queso: Water, Whipping Cream (Cream, Milk), Pasteurized Process Cheese Spread (American Cheese [Pasteurized Milk, Cheese Cultures, Salt, Enzymes], Water, Whey, Sodium Phosphate, Contains less than 2% of Milkfat, Salt, Sodium Alginate, Lactic Acid, Apo-Carotenal [Color]), Roasted Poblano Chili Peppers, Pasteurized Process Monterey Jack Cheese Product (Cultured Milk and Skim Milk, Milkfat, Natural Flavor, Salt, Sodium Phosphate, Enzymes), Seasoning (Nonfat Dry Milk, Sodium Caseinate, Salt, Sodium Phosphate, Xanthan Gum, Onion Powder, Spices, Guajillo Chili Pepper, Paprika [Color], Citric Acid), Modified Corn Starch, Jalapeno Peppers, Contains less than 2% of the following: Tomato Paste, Minced Garlic (Water, Garlic, Phosphoric Acid), Cheddar Cheese Ingredient (Cheddar, Granular, Semi-Soft and Blue Cheese [Pasteurized Milk, Cheese Cultures, Salt, Enzymes], Water, Sodium Phosphate, Vinegar, Salt), Red Bell Peppers, Soy Lecithin. CONTAINS: MILK, SOY.

Spicy Chipotle Sauce: Soybean Oil, Water, Chipotle Pepper Puree (Water, Chipotle Pepper), Distilled Vinegar, Egg Yolks, Guajillo Pepper, Salt, Sugar, Contains less than 2% of Garlic, Dehydrated Onion, Paprika, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate (A Preservative). CONTAINS: EGG.

Spicy Corn And Tortilla Strips: Hot & Spicy Crispy Corn (Toasted Corn [Corn, Canola Oil, Sea Salt], Hot & Spicy Seasoning [Salt, Chili Peppers, Cayenne Peppers, Spice Extractives, Torula Yeast, Natural Flavors], Canola Oil), Seasoned Tortilla Strip (Corn Masa Flour, Vegetable Oil [Sunflower, Safflower and/or Canola], Seasoning [Tomato Powder, Salt, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Torula Yeast, Sugar, Green Bell Pepper, Spices, Citric Acid, Chili Pepper, Natural Flavors]).

American Cheese Slice: Milk, Cream, Water, Sodium Citrate, Salt, Contains 2% or less of Apocarotenal and Beta Carotene (Color), Cheese Culture, Citric Acid, Enzymes, Sorbic Acid (Preservative), Soy Lecithin. CONTAINS: MILK, SOY.

Lettuce: Lettuce

Rating: We Avoid

Ingredient Score:

Rated at 1/5 green leaves, the Wendy’s Loaded Nacho Chicken is a product that stands at the bottom of the scale for those seeking cleaner food options. This rating reflects a composition that fails to meet the criteria for healthier alternatives in a market saturated with unhealthy choices.

The product is not organic, and it does not utilize non-GMO ingredients, which are significant factors in its low rating. The presence of added sugars, such as sugar and citric acid, further detracts from its healthfulness. The use of dextrose, a more harmful form of added sugar, exacerbates the product’s score. Beyond sugars, the Loaded Nacho Chicken contains a variety of potentially harmful additives including natural flavors, flavorings, diglycerides, enriched wheat flour, polysorbate 60, silicon dioxide, soy lecithin, xanthan gum, potassium sorbate, and sodium citrate. These ingredients are often associated with processed foods and are typically avoided by those seeking cleaner eating options.

Moreover, known harmful additives such as maltodextrin and monosodium glutamate (MSG) are present, which are commonly flagged for their negative health implications. The inclusion of various oils, specifically canola, soybean, and unspecified vegetable oils, is also problematic. These oils are often highly processed and may contain trans fats, which are linked to negative health outcomes.

The product’s composition includes a wide array of ingredients ranging from the classic chicken breast, which is battered and breaded, to the Jalapeño Cheddar Bun, which contains a long list of components including artificial preservatives and flavors. The Poblano Queso and Spicy Chipotle Sauce add to the complexity with additional processed ingredients and preservatives. Even the simpler ingredients like lettuce and tomato are overshadowed by the overall unhealthful profile of the product.

This assessment underscores the product’s positioning as a choice to avoid for those prioritizing clean eating. The Wendy’s Loaded Nacho Chicken’s ingredients and lack of organic or non-GMO certifications contribute to its minimal green leaf rating, reaffirming the recommendation to seek healthier alternatives.