You Should Never Get The Homestyle Chicken At Cracker Barrel. Here's Why

Comfort food seekers who made a special trip to their local Cracker Barrel on Sundays just to eat the daily special, the Homestyle Chicken, thought they got good news when the chain announced this decadent Southern favorite would be added to the menu 7 days a week (via PR Newswire). But for anyone whose goals in life include, well, living, this apparent blessing may have been a curse in disguise. 

That's because Cracker Barrel's Homestyle Chicken dish is so high in salt, fat, and calories that the restaurant might better serve public health if it began serving this dish less often — not on the daily. A diet of fried foods has been linked to earlier death, reported Harvard Medical School. 

Cracker Barrel invitingly describes their Homestyle Chicken as "two boneless chicken breasts hand-dipped in Cracker Barrel's special buttermilk batter, breaded and fried to a crispy, golden brown."

So yeah, it's chicken that's essentially fried in butter and biscuit crumbs. Neither of these is good for your waistline — or your lifeline! 

If raw carrots and celery could have a "food opposite," Cracker Barrel's Homestyle Chicken would be it.

"Congratulations, Cracker Barrel. You've managed to knock out an entire day's worth of sodium (and then some) with just one plate of breaded and deep-fried chicken," wrote Eat This, Not That's Riley Cardoza, referring to the dish's 3200 mg of sodium.

In addition to all of this salt, a single serving of Homestyle Chicken has 1350 calories, 92 grams of fat, and 65 grams of carbohydrates, according to Cracker Barrel's online nutritional facts.

So what should you order at Cracker Barrel? Eh, your choices are limited if dietary discretion is on your agenda. This roadside pitstop features many other options that give the Homestyle Chicken a run for its money when it comes to unhealthiness. (Even the Fresh Fruit 'N Yogurt Parfait sounds a lot more wholesome than it is.)

At 450 calories, 9 grams of fat, and half the sodium of the Homestyle Chicken, Chicken 'N Dumplins is probably your most heart-healthy option when you're craving CB comfort food. Just go easy on those side dishes.