I’m a nutritionist – here’s the healthiest possible Nando’s order…and the ‘good for you’ meal that’s actually fattening

Founded in South Africa in 1987, Nando’s has since become a beloved fixture on the British high street.

Since first opening its doors in the UK in 1992, it’s hard to find anyone who hasn’t, at some point in their lives, had a cheeky Nando’s.

Centred around the fiery flavours of PERi-PERi chilli peppers, Nando’s menus are filled with different variations of chicken, a slew of sides, and several vegetarian-friendly choices available.

With options like grilled chicken wraps and burgers for £8.75, it’s a budget-friendly way to eat out without breaking the bank.

But is it any better for you than a McDonald’s burger and chips, or bucket of fried chicken?

Dieticians have told the Daily Mail that the key to a healthy Nando’s order lies with your choice of side. 

Some add a filling boost of vital nutrients, including bowel-friendly fibre and essential vitamins many of us lack. 

But some can transform a relatively healthy meal into a calorific feast that, if eaten regularly, will quickly pile on the pounds. Here, experts reveal what to choose for the most balanced option – and the meals slimmers must avoid.

Quarter chicken leg, thigh or breast or chicken butterfly (with two sides),  from £11.75

Per quarter chicken portion: 289 cals, 4g sat fat, 0.7g fibre, 0g sugar, 39.3g protein, 0.9g salt

For the full meal: 566 cals, 5.2g sat fat, 9.2g fibre, 3.5g sugar, 46.7g protein, 2.8g salt

According to top dietician Nichola Ludlam-Raine, a quarter chicken with two sides is just about the healthiest meal you can get at the restaurant chain, so long as you pick certain options.

‘Pick breast, rather than leg or thigh for even less fat – and remove the skin,’ advises Ludlam-Raine, author of How Not To Eat Processed.

While she adds that this is an excellent source of filling protein for less than 300 calories, there’s virtually no fibre, which is vital for preventing bowel cancer – a disease that’s rising in young people.

A chicken butterfly is another good option, costing you roughly 50 more calories for half the saturated fat and 20g more protein. 

Ms Ludlam-Raine advises choosing the double side option and selecting tenderstem broccoli (32 calories and a third of your daily fibre intake), as well as hearty grains – a mixture of chickpeas, butternut squash and cranberries – to get extra vitamins, fibre and even more filling protein to stop you snacking.

However, she adds, the meal will total 2.8g of salt, which is nearly half of your daily recommended intake – so be careful of your dosage for the rest of the day. Or, she suggests, swap the broccoli for corn-on-the-cob, which contains 0.4g less salt. 

As for spices, opt for a medium or lemon and herb to keep the calorie count under 600. 

Verdict: 9/10

Grilled chicken burger, from £8.75 

Per burger: 443 cals, 2g sat fat, 4.6g sugar, 3.4g fibre, 34.8g protein, 1.9g salt

Chicken breast is grilled in a spice and served in a rustic Portuguese roll, along with PERi-tomato relish, lemon & herb mayo, lettuce and tomato, for this favourite. 

Ludlam-Raine says this option is pretty low calorie for a burger, and supplies nearly as much protein as the above option, as well as half the saturated fat – which is beneficial for heart health.

The bun, lettuce and tomatoes also add important minerals as well as a 10th of your daily fibre intake (although Ludlam-Raine advises adding a side of broccoli, peas or corn to up it further). 

The only drawback here is the 1.9g of salt – almost a third of the recommended daily maximum. There’s roughly a teaspoon of sugar, but most of it comes naturally from the tomatoes. If you’re looking for a very low option, ask for the burger without relish.

Verdict: 8/10

Grilled Chicken Pitta, from £8.75

Per pitta: 508 cals, 3.7g sat fat, 5.9g sugar, 1.9g fibre, 36.4g protein, 1.9g salt

Here, a chicken breast is grilled in a favourite spice and served with toasted pitta, mayo and crunchy slaw.

While the sugar from the slaw dressing isn’t ideal – about as much as two and a half digestive biscuits – you’re getting some 80 per cent of your daily protein intake, a small boost of fibre and less saturated fat than the Fino option (below).  

‘Broccoli, rainbow slaw or macho peas would be preferable to chips alongside it to increase the fibre intake,’ says Ludlam-Raine.

Beanie Wrap, from £8.75

Per wrap: 644 cals, 7.2g sat fat, 10.7g sugar, 11.3g fibre, 21.5g protein, 2.4g salt  

A beanie patty is made with cheddar cheese, chickpeas, sweetcorn, lentils, peas and pumpkin seeds, and served in a wrap with lettuce, yoghurt mayo and chilli jam.

This is the standout meal for fibre, providing 11.3g (more than a third of the UK’s 30g daily target), thanks to its chickpeas, lentils, peas, sweetcorn and seeds. 

It also offers a respectable amount of plant protein for a vegetarian option, although cheese, mayonnaise and chilli jam bring the calories, saturated fat and salt up.

So, as long as you’re not having the same bean wrap for lunch and dinner, this is a very nutritious choice, according to Ludlam-Raine, who adds asking for the wrap without the jam – to save on sugar – is a good idea.

Verdict: 7/10 

Spicy Rice Bowl, from £9.95

Per bowl: 600 cals, 3.5g sat fat, 8.3g sugar, 3.6g fibre, 15.1g protein, 3.6g salt

This veggie bowl comes with rice, broccoli, slaw, pickled cauliflower and houmous, as well as a sprinkling of seeds.

The bowl offers the greatest variety of plant foods, including broccoli, slaw, cauliflower, chickpeas and seeds, providing 15g of vegetarian protein from the houmous.

The variety of plants here is, according to dietician Azmina Govindji, a big plus. ‘Different plants provide different fibres and compounds that feed the helpful bacteria in our gut,’ she says. ‘Including a wide variety can support a healthy and diverse gut microbiome, which has been linked to a reduced risk of a host of diseases. 

Both Govindji and Ludlam’s main concern is the 3.6g of salt here – 60 per cent of an adult’s daily maximum. 

Verdict: 6.5/10

 …and the meals to steer clear of 

 The experts highlighted the Fino pitta – a chicken pocket with halloumi cheese and onion relish – as well the Garlic Churrasco Burger, the loaded chips – coated in cheddar cheese and creamy dressing and, surprisingly, the caesar salad as the meals to eat sparingly.

While the Fino pitta is ‘exceptionally high in protein’ – boasting 62g of the muscle-boosting nutrient – this is ‘more than most people need in one sitting’, according to Ludlam-Raine. 

What’s more, halloumi, aioli and chicken thighs result in a whopping 841 calories – almost the same as a Big Mac meal – as well as a striking 15g of saturated fat.   

It also contains 3.3g of salt – over half the recommended adult daily maximum of 6g.

The Garlic Churrasco burger, meanwhile, also totals nearly 800 calories. 

‘The garlic bread, creamy sauce and chicken skin contribute to its 12g of saturated fat,’ says Ludlam-Raine, ‘so it would be better viewed as an occasional indulgence – particularly if ordered with chips’.

The caesar salad may sound like a healthy option, but for nearly 500 calories, you’re getting few satiating ingredients, with the bulk of energy coming from creamy dressing and cheese, the experts say. 

But the biggest blow out comes from the Fully Loaded Chips – which Nando’s say feeds two to three people. 

If split between two, you’re looking at a sizeable 550 calories for a side, as well as a teaspoon of sugar and more salt than you’ll find in a sausage roll (2.25g). 

‘This, as well as the 6g of saturated fat – almost twice the amount of a McDonald’s hamburger – makes it the least healthy option of all the side dishes,’ says nutritionist Jenna Hope.