Chicken Tenders: calories and sugar by portion and age

Papa John's Chicken Tenders, 6 crispy coated chicken tenders in a takeaway box, nutrition and calories

Boone’s analysis puts a box of 6 tenders of Papa John's Chicken Tenders at 23% of an adult’s daily calories, 77% of the daily salt limit for a child aged 4 to 6 and 0.3 teaspoons of free sugar.

How many calories are in Papa John's Chicken Tenders? A box of 6 tenders is 456 kcal, with 23g of fat (9.2g saturated), 1.1g of sugar and 2.3g of salt. 1 portion (serves 2) is 228 kcal.

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Nutrition information

Nutrition information: Papa John's Chicken Tenders (1 portion (serves 2) / whole box of 6 tenders)

Energy	228 kcal / 456 kcal
Fat	12g / 23g
of which saturates	4.6g / 9.2g
Carbohydrate	16g / 32g
of which sugars	0.53g / 1.1g
Fibre	0.63g / 1.3g
Salt	1.2g / 2.3g
Protein	17g / 34g

Nutrition figures are Papa John's UK published data (October 2026). Boone converts them to the portion and age comparisons on this page.

A box of 6 tenders of Papa John's Chicken Tenders contains 456 kcal, which is 23% of the 2,000 kcal adult daily reference intake. It provides 23g of total fat, of which 9.2g is saturated, 1.1g of sugar, 2.3g of salt, 1.3g of fibre and 34g of protein.

The saturated fat content of 9.2g represents 46% of the adult daily guideline of 20g.

Papa John's gives the weight as 210g, which works out at 217 kcal per 100g.

Sugar in Papa John's Chicken Tenders

A box of 6 tenders of Papa John's Chicken Tenders contains 1.1g of free sugar (0.3 teaspoons). Low sugar

The NHS free sugar limit is 30g per day for adults, 24g for children aged 7 to 10, and 19g for children aged 4 to 6. Free sugar excludes the sugars naturally present in milk and whole fruit.

Free sugar by portion: Papa John's Chicken Tenders

Portion	Adult (female) 30g	Adult (male) 30g	Age 11 to 17 30g	Age 7 to 10 24g	Age 4 to 6 19g
1 portion (serves 2)	0.53g 2%	0.53g 2%	0.53g 2%	0.53g 2%	0.53g 3%
Whole box of 6 tenders	1.1g 4%	1.1g 4%	1.1g 4%	1.1g 4%	1.1g 6%

Teaspoons: 0.3 tsp

Boone calculates these percentages from Papa John's UK published nutrition data against UK Dietary Reference Values and NHS free sugar and salt limits. Free sugar, salt, calories and saturated fat are limits to stay under. For guidance only.

Salt in Papa John's Chicken Tenders

A box of 6 tenders of Papa John's Chicken Tenders contains 2.3g of salt. Moderate salt

Children have lower salt limits: 3g per day for ages 4 to 6, 5g for ages 7 to 10.

Salt by portion: Papa John's Chicken Tenders

Portion	Adult (female) 6g	Adult (male) 6g	Age 11 to 17 6g	Age 7 to 10 5g	Age 4 to 6 3g
1 portion (serves 2)	1.2g 19%	1.2g 19%	1.2g 19%	1.2g 23%	1.2g 39%
Whole box of 6 tenders	2.3g 39%	2.3g 39%	2.3g 39%	2.3g 46%	2.3g 77%

Calories in Papa John's Chicken Tenders

A box of 6 tenders of Papa John's Chicken Tenders contains 456 kcal. Moderate calorie share

Daily calorie needs vary by age and sex.

Calories by portion: Papa John's Chicken Tenders

Portion	Adult (female) 2,000 kcal	Adult (male) 2,500 kcal	Age 11 to 17 1,936 kcal	Age 7 to 10 1,553 kcal	Age 4 to 6 1,291 kcal
1 portion (serves 2)	228 kcal 11%	228 kcal 9%	228 kcal 12%	228 kcal 15%	228 kcal 18%
Whole box of 6 tenders	456 kcal 23%	456 kcal 18%	456 kcal 24%	456 kcal 29%	456 kcal 35%

Saturated fat in Papa John's Chicken Tenders

A box of 6 tenders of Papa John's Chicken Tenders contains 9.2g of saturated fat. High saturated fat

The saturated fat guideline is 20g a day for women and 30g for men, and lower for children.

Saturated fat by portion: Papa John's Chicken Tenders

Portion	Adult (female) 20g	Adult (male) 30g	Age 11 to 17 20g	Age 7 to 10 18g	Age 4 to 6 16g
1 portion (serves 2)	4.6g 23%	4.6g 15%	4.6g 23%	4.6g 26%	4.6g 29%
Whole box of 6 tenders	9.2g 46%	9.2g 31%	9.2g 46%	9.2g 51%	9.2g 58%

Free sugar vs total sugar

Where the sugar comes from: Papa John's Chicken Tenders

All 1.1g counts as free sugar. Papa John's does not separate naturally occurring sugar from added sugar, so Boone counts the full figure. Sugars from tomato sauce, BBQ sauce, honey drizzles, dough and added sugar are free sugars; any from whole vegetables, pineapple or cheese would not be, so this may slightly overstate it. That is 0.3 teaspoons.

NHS daily free sugar limits: 30g for adults and children 11+, 24g age 7 to 10, 19g age 4 to 6.

Ultra-processed food: what is really in it

Processing: Papa John's Chicken Tenders

Boone cannot classify this item, because Papa John's does not publish full ingredient lists for its dough, sauces, cheese or toppings.

NOVA classification is read from an ingredient list. Papa John's names the toppings on each item and the allergens in each component, which is more than many chains publish, but that is not enough to count additives, separate raw ingredients from manufactured ones, or say whether an item is ultra-processed. Boone does not estimate a NOVA group, because a guess presented as a classification would be worse than saying nothing.

Where Papa John's does publish a full list (its wheat-free base, its sourdough base and its vegan Sheese) it is shown in the ingredients section above.

Ingredients

Ingredients: Papa John's Chicken Tenders

Papa John's does not publish an ingredient list for Chicken Tenders, and it is under no legal obligation to do so.

Food made to order counts as non-prepacked under UK food law. The legal requirement is to declare the 14 major allergens, and for large businesses in England to show calories. A full ingredient list is voluntary, so Boone cannot count the ingredients in this item or say how many are manufactured.

Allergen information for this item is published by Papa John's and is shown below. Recipes change, so always check with the store before ordering if you have an allergy.

Allergens at a glance

Papa John's Chicken Tenders contains wheat, celery and soya.

Allergen information: Papa John's Chicken Tenders

Allergen	Status
Wheat	Contains
Rye	Not present
Barley	Not present
Oats	Not present
Sesame	Not present
Soya	Contains
Milk	Not present
Eggs	Not present
Fish and shellfish	Not present
Molluscs	Not present
Celery	Contains
Mustard	Not present
Lupin	Not present
Sulphites	Not present
Peanuts	Not present
Tree nuts	Not present

Contains = declared by Papa John's as an ingredient allergen. May contain traces = Papa John's or its supplier flags a risk of cross contact. Papa John's makes food by hand in stores that handle milk and wheat, and all pizzas and many sides pass through shared ovens and equipment, so it cannot guarantee any item is free from any allergen, including its wheat-free base, which is not suitable for coeliacs. From the Papa John's UK Allergen and Nutritional Information Guide (valid from 1 October 2026).

Frequently asked questions

How many calories are in Papa John's Chicken Tenders?+

Boone calculates that a box of 6 tenders of Papa John's Chicken Tenders is 456 kcal, which is 23% of an adult’s 2,000 kcal daily reference intake and 35% of the daily intake for a child aged 4 to 6. 1 portion (serves 2) is 228 kcal.

How much sugar is in Papa John's Chicken Tenders?+

A box of 6 tenders contains 1.1g of sugar, all of which Boone counts as free sugar, or about 0.3 teaspoons. That is 4% of an adult’s 30g daily limit and 6% of the 19g limit for a child aged 4 to 6.

How much saturated fat is in Papa John's Chicken Tenders?+

A box of 6 tenders contains 9.2g of saturated fat. Boone calculates this as 46% of the daily guideline for an adult woman and 31% for an adult man, because the guideline differs by sex: 20g and 30g.

How much salt is in Papa John's Chicken Tenders?+

A box of 6 tenders contains 2.3g of salt. Boone calculates that as 77% of the daily limit for a child aged 4 to 6 and 39% of an adult’s 6g limit.

Is Papa John's Chicken Tenders classed as less healthy?+

Under the government’s 2018 nutrient profiling model Papa John's Chicken Tenders scores 5. The model classes a food scoring 4 or more as less healthy, so this item would be. The 2018 model is published but not yet used for advertising rules.

Is Papa John's Chicken Tenders ultra-processed?+

Papa John's does not publish a full ingredient list for food made to order, and UK law does not require it to, so Boone cannot assign a NOVA group to this item.