Muscle Gain
Best High-Protein Jack in the Box Orders in 2026
The best high-protein Jack in the Box orders in 2026, from grilled chicken salads to the Sourdough Grilled Chicken Club, with official calories and macros.
The short answer
The best high-protein order at Jack in the Box in 2026 is the Southwest Salad with Grilled Chicken: 290 calories and 30 grams of protein before dressing, based on the chain's nutrition facts. For a sandwich, the Sourdough Grilled Chicken Club has 33 grams of protein for 500 calories. The Bacon Ultimate Cheeseburger has the most protein of any item, 55 grams, but costs 930 calories.
Jack in the Box is known for late-night burgers and tacos, but it also sells grilled chicken, and that's where the best protein deals are. A Garden Salad with Grilled Chicken has 25 grams of protein for 210 calories. The big burgers have more protein in total, but they bring a lot more calories and fat with it.
Here's what to order, using the Jack in the Box 2026 nutrition facts, which the chain says is effective as of November 2026.
What has the most protein at Jack in the Box?#
The Bacon Ultimate Cheeseburger has the most protein at Jack in the Box, with 55 grams, followed by 5 Crispy Chicken Strips at 54 grams. Both cost 780 calories or more. For protein per calorie, the grilled chicken salads lead by a wide margin. Here's how the main items compare, from the chain's official data:
| Item | Calories | Protein | Protein per 100 cal | Sodium |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Garden Salad with Grilled Chicken (no dressing) | 210 | 25 g | 11.9 g | 800 mg |
| Southwest Salad with Grilled Chicken (no dressing) | 290 | 30 g | 10.3 g | 800 mg |
| Crispy Chicken Strips (3 pc.) | 470 | 33 g | 7.0 g | 1,760 mg |
| Crispy Chicken Strips (5 pc.) | 780 | 54 g | 6.9 g | 2,940 mg |
| Sourdough Grilled Chicken Club | 500 | 33 g | 6.6 g | 1,440 mg |
| Bacon Ultimate Cheeseburger | 930 | 55 g | 5.9 g | 1,960 mg |
| Ultimate Cheeseburger | 840 | 47 g | 5.6 g | 1,550 mg |
| Jack Wrap (Classic Grilled) | 270 | 15 g | 5.6 g | 980 mg |
| Double Jack | 830 | 46 g | 5.5 g | 1,430 mg |
| Sourdough Jack | 690 | 33 g | 4.8 g | 1,300 mg |
| Teriyaki Grilled Chicken Bowl | 590 | 28 g | 4.7 g | 1,910 mg |
| Jumbo Jack | 520 | 23 g | 4.4 g | 700 mg |
| Homestyle Ranch Chicken Club | 790 | 35 g | 4.4 g | 1,930 mg |
| Bacon Double Smashed Jack | 1,120 | 45 g | 4.0 g | 2,070 mg |
| Chicken Nuggets (8 pc.) | 380 | 15 g | 3.9 g | 970 mg |
| Jack's Spicy Chicken Sandwich | 690 | 27 g | 3.9 g | 1,360 mg |
| Chicken Sandwich | 560 | 15 g | 2.7 g | 940 mg |
Nutrition from the Jack in the Box 2026 nutrition facts, effective November 2026. Salad values do not include dressing or crunchy toppings. The chain notes that some items may not be available in your area and that test, limited-time and some regional items are not included.
What is the best high-protein meal at Jack in the Box?#
The best high-protein meal at Jack in the Box is a Garden Salad with Grilled Chicken plus a Classic Grilled Jack Wrap: about 480 calories and 40 grams of protein before dressing. These orders are added up from the chain's published item values:
| Order | Calories | Protein |
|---|---|---|
| Garden Salad with Grilled Chicken + Classic Grilled Jack Wrap | 480 | 40 g |
| Southwest Salad with Grilled Chicken + Classic Grilled Jack Wrap | 560 | 45 g |
| Southwest Salad with Grilled Chicken + Balsamic Vinaigrette | 440 | 30 g |
| Sourdough Grilled Chicken Club + milk | 610 | 42 g |
| 3 Crispy Chicken Strips + Side Salad | 520 | 36 g |
| 5 Crispy Chicken Strips + BBQ dip cup | 820 | 54 g |
The grilled chicken orders give you the most protein for the calories. The salads are counted without dressing, so add what you use: the Hidden Valley Balsamic Vinaigrette is 150 calories, the Creamy Southwest Dressing 190 and the Buttermilk Ranch 250. If you'd rather have something fried, the 3-piece strips with a side salad clear 35 grams for about 520 calories.
Does Jack in the Box have grilled chicken?#
Yes. Jack in the Box lists grilled chicken in the Sourdough Grilled Chicken Club, the Classic and Spicy Grilled Jack Wraps, the Garden and Southwest salads, and the Teriyaki Grilled Chicken Bowl. The salads are the leanest way to get it, at 10 to 12 grams of protein per 100 calories.
The Sourdough Grilled Chicken Club has 33 grams of protein for 500 calories, against 15 grams for 560 calories in the regular breaded Chicken Sandwich. The grilled wraps are small, at 270 calories and 15 grams each, so they work best as a second item. The Teriyaki Bowl looks healthy but has 100 grams of carbs, 26 grams of sugar and 1,910 mg of sodium for 28 grams of protein.
Which Jack in the Box burger has the most protein?#
The Bacon Ultimate Cheeseburger has the most protein of any Jack in the Box burger, at 55 grams for 930 calories. The Ultimate Cheeseburger has 47 grams for 840 calories, and the Double Jack has 46 grams for 830.
Per calorie, those three are close, at about 5.5 to 6 grams of protein per 100 calories. The newer burgers do worse: the Bacon Double Smashed Jack has 45 grams for 1,120 calories and 83 grams of fat. A Jumbo Jack is the lighter pick at 520 calories, but it has only 23 grams of protein. Adding a slice of Real Swiss Cheese gives you 5 more grams for 70 calories. Our best high-protein Burger King orders compare the Whopper lineup the same way.
What is the best high-protein breakfast at Jack in the Box?#
The Ultimate Breakfast Sandwich is the best high-protein breakfast at Jack in the Box, with 29 grams of protein for 510 calories, or about 5.7 grams per 100 calories. Other options from the breakfast menu:
- Loaded Breakfast Sandwich: 35 grams of protein for 690 calories.
- Sausage Croissant: 36 grams for 710 calories and 47 grams of fat.
- Grande Sausage Burrito: 39 grams, but 1,040 calories and 69 grams of fat.
- Bacon Breakfast Jack: 17 grams for 380 calories.
Pair a breakfast sandwich with milk (110 calories, 9 grams of protein) instead of a sweet iced coffee. A regular Caramel Sweet Cream Iced Coffee is 200 calories with 4 grams of protein.
What should you skip at Jack in the Box when you want protein?#
Skip the shakes, the loaded tacos, the egg rolls and the breaded Chicken Sandwich. They cost a lot of calories for the protein you get:
- Large Oreo Shake (24 oz): 990 calories for 20 grams of protein, with 115 grams of sugar.
- Bacon Double Smashed Jack: 1,120 calories and 2,070 mg of sodium for 45 grams.
- Tiny Tacos (Sauced & Loaded): 600 calories for 19 grams.
- Egg Rolls (3 pc.): 570 calories for 21 grams.
- Chicken Sandwich: 560 calories for 15 grams.
Watch the fries too. A medium order of French Fries adds 430 calories and 5 grams of protein, which takes a 500-calorie Sourdough Grilled Chicken Club meal to about 930 calories.
Is Jack in the Box good for building muscle?#
Jack in the Box can work for building muscle if you order grilled chicken and skip the fries and shakes. A grilled chicken salad and a grilled wrap give you 40 to 45 grams of protein for 480 to 560 calories, which is a solid meal for most lifters.
That matters if you train. A 2018 meta-analysis in the British Journal of Sports Medicine of 49 studies found that protein supplementation increased gains in muscle mass and strength from resistance training, with no further gains in muscle mass beyond a total intake of about 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight a day. The trade-off is sodium: 5 Crispy Chicken Strips alone have 2,940 mg, more than the FDA's 2,300 mg daily limit. Our guide to high protein fast food compares the best orders across chains, and our best high-protein Wendy's orders cover another drive-thru with grilled chicken.
At a local burger stand or taco shop that doesn't post nutrition, Menu Scan AI can help. Snap the menu with your iPhone and it estimates calories, protein, carbs and fat for each item from the menu descriptions, then labels the best matches for your goal. Treat the results as estimates, not lab values. The app is free to download; its listing says an annual subscription is required for full access, including menu scanning and AI nutrition analysis.
Frequently asked questions#
What has the most protein at Jack in the Box?#
The Bacon Ultimate Cheeseburger has the most protein at 55 grams for 930 calories, and 5 Crispy Chicken Strips have 54 grams for 780. For protein per calorie, the Garden Salad with Grilled Chicken leads with 25 grams for 210 calories.
How much protein is in the Jack in the Box Sourdough Grilled Chicken Club?#
The Sourdough Grilled Chicken Club has 33 grams of protein and 500 calories, according to the Jack in the Box 2026 nutrition facts. It also has 1,440 mg of sodium.
How much protein is in Jack in the Box chicken strips?#
Three Crispy Chicken Strips have 33 grams of protein for 470 calories, and five have 54 grams for 780 calories. Each order is about 7 grams of protein per 100 calories.
Is the Jack in the Box grilled chicken salad high in protein?#
Yes. The Southwest Salad with Grilled Chicken has 30 grams of protein for 290 calories, and the Garden Salad with Grilled Chicken has 25 grams for 210. Those values don't include dressing, which adds 150 to 250 calories.
How much protein is in a Jumbo Jack?#
A Jumbo Jack has 23 grams of protein and 520 calories, and the Jumbo Jack Cheeseburger has 28 grams for 600. The Double Jack has 46 grams for 830 calories.
Sources#
- Jack in the Box: 2026 Nutrition Facts (PDF, effective November 2026), the chain's official values for burgers, chicken, salads, breakfast, sides, sauces and drinks
- Jack in the Box: Menu, the current menu, which links the nutrition facts
- Morton et al., British Journal of Sports Medicine (2018), protein intake and muscle gains from resistance training
- FDA: Sodium in Your Diet, the 2,300 mg daily sodium limit