Figures from McDonald's UK nutrition calculator, 17 to 18 August 2026 , collected by Boone
McChicken Sandwich, as published. Calorie split calculated by Boone. How
The McChicken Sandwich as published, seen four ways.
0 of 3 limits are over 30% in one burger, the UK front-of-pack mark for high.
Nothing here passes 30% of an adult’s daily limits in one burger.
Lower free sugarBacon Mayo →4g free sugar (13%), 329 kcalNHS limits by age: salt goes from 20% for an adult to 40% at age 4 to 6.
For age 4 to 6, salt is the bigger share: 1.2g is 40% of the day’s 3g limit in one burger.
Lower-salt swapMayo Chicken →0.92g salt, 31% of the 3g limitFor age 7 to 10, free sugar is the bigger share: 7g is 29% of the day’s 24g limit.
Lower-salt swapMayo Chicken →0.92g salt, 18% of the 5g limitFor age 11 to 17, free sugar is the bigger share: 7g is 23% of the day’s 30g limit.
Lower-salt swapMayo Chicken →0.92g salt, 15% of the 6g limitProtein counts in your favour here, but the saturated fat is still 8% of the adult limit.
17g of protein, #42 on the menu. Per calorie the Chicken Selects (5 pieces) gives more: 7.0g per 100 kcal against 4.6g.
Most protein per calorieChicken Selects (5 pieces) →39g protein in 560 kcalHere the 480mg of sodium counts as useful after sweaty exercise.
41g of carbohydrate, with 36% of the energy from fat.
Natural sugars in milk, fruit and veg don’t count. NHS →
For smaller portions: the most nutrition per calorie, against all 151 McDonald's items.
More protein per calorie than 59% of the 151 items on the menu.
More fibre per calorie than 74% of the 151 items on the menu.
McDonald's does not publish vitamins or minerals for this item, so Boone does not estimate them.
The 2018 model indicates this burger is less healthy: it scores 9, above the line of 4.
Higher is less healthy; 4 or more would be classed as less healthy under this model. How the score works →
Joint #51 of 109 on the menu for this score (lower is better).
UK Nutrient Profiling Model 2018 →46 ingredients across 4 parts; 15 are additives or processed (orange).
Group 4 because of the additives or industrial ingredients listed above. How NOVA works →
Mayo Chicken 12g protein, 0.92g salt282
Cheeseburger 16g protein, 1.4g salt303
Filet-O-Fish 14g protein, 1.4g salt316Bacon Mayo 18g protein, 1.5g salt329
McChicken Sandwich 17g protein, 1.2g salt371
McPlant 19g protein, 2.1g salt426
Double Cheeseburger 27g protein, 2.1g salt452
Double Filet-O-Fish 24g protein, 2.1g salt453371 kcal as published. 371 kcal is 19% of a 2,000 kcal adult reference intake.
For a child aged 4 to 6 it is 40% of the day’s 3g salt limit and 37% of the 19g free sugar limit in one item. A Mayo Chicken has 0.92g of salt, 31% of that salt limit.
7g of total sugar as published. Boone estimates 7g of it is free sugar, from dextrose, maltodextrin, sugar in the sesame bun, sugar in the coated chicken patty, sugar in the vegan sandwich sauce: 1.8 teaspoons and 23% of an adult’s 30g daily maximum.
17g, 4.6g per 100 kcal. It ranks #42 of 146 items on the menu for protein. The Chicken Selects (5 pieces) gives the most protein for the calories, 7.0g per 100 kcal.
9 on the UK Nutrient Profiling Model 2018, calculated by Boone per 100g. Scores run from -20 to 40, and the higher the score, the less healthy the model rates the food. Foods scoring 4 or more would be classed as less healthy under this model.
Yes, NOVA group 4. The ingredient list includes emulsifiers, preservatives, colours and flavourings.
As published, wheat, sesame and mustard. Rye, barley, milk and celery may be present.
Source. McDonald's UK nutrition calculator, 17 to 18 August 2026 , per item as sold.
Collected. Copied by Boone from McDonald's’s published figures. Data checks are led by Murray Dare.
Calculated by Boone. Labelled where it appears.
Limits. NHS free sugar and salt limits by age; UK reference intakes for adults.
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