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High-Protein Cookout Orders: Best Picks and Trays

The highest-protein Cookout items and trays, ranked by grams and by protein per calorie.

Last updated September 29, 2026
Table of Contents
  1. Which Cookout items have the most protein?
  2. Best protein per calorie
  3. High-protein Cookout tray builds
  4. Tips for more protein at Cookout
  5. FAQs

The highest-protein single item at Cookout is the Huge Burger at 40 grams, and the best protein for the calories is the Regular BBQ Sandwich: 29 grams in 368 calories. Below are the top items both ways, plus tray builds, using Cook Out's official nutrition figures.

Which Cookout items have the most protein?

ItemProteinCalories
Huge Burger (1/2 lb)40 g516
Chicken Strip Club39 g846
Chicken Strips (3 pc)36 g660
BBQ Plate35 g976
Char-Grilled Chicken (Cheddar)33 g534
Spicy Chicken (Cheese Style)32 g634
Out West Style Burger30 g530
Cheddar Style Burger30 g561
Regular BBQ Sandwich29 g368
Chicken Strip Sandwich28 g674

Best protein per calorie

If you are counting calories as well as protein, grams per 100 calories is the better measure. Barbecue and char-grilled chicken lead, and fried items fall down the list because breading adds calories without protein.

ItemProtein per 100 calProteinCalories
Regular BBQ Sandwich7.9 g29 g368
Huge Burger (1/2 lb)7.8 g40 g516
Regular Burger (1/4 lb)6.7 g22 g328
Chicken Nuggets Full Order6.7 g16 g240
Char-Grilled Chicken (BBQ Style)6.6 g25 g376
Char-Grilled Chicken Breast6.6 g25 g377
Char-Grilled Chicken (Cajun)6.6 g25 g377
Big Double™ Burger6.4 g20 g311
Swipe sideways to see every column.

High-protein Cookout tray builds

A tray adds two sides, so the protein total depends on picking sides with meat in them. Chicken nuggets and a chicken wrap are the tray sides with the most protein; fries, hushpuppies and onion rings add very little.

BuildProteinCalories
3 Chicken Strips + Cajun Wrap + Chicken Nuggets + waterAbout 71 gAbout 1,305
Regular BBQ Sandwich + Chicken Nuggets + Side of Chili + unsweet teaAbout 44 gAbout 676
Char-Grilled Chicken + Chicken Nuggets + Onion Rings + waterAbout 38 gAbout 649
Big Double Burger + Chicken Nuggets + Onion Rings + Diet CokeAbout 33 gAbout 583

Tips for more protein at Cookout

  • Choose char-grilled chicken over the crispy spicy fillet; you keep the protein and lose the breading.
  • Pick chicken nuggets or a chicken wrap as tray sides instead of fries.
  • A peanut butter milkshake adds about 27 grams, though it also adds more than 800 calories.
  • Skip mayo-based styles if calories matter; the protein comes from the meat, not the sauce.

Build and total your own order with the Cookout calories calculator, or see every item's numbers in the Cookout nutrition guide.

FAQs

1What has the most protein at Cookout?

The Huge Burger (1/2 lb) at 40 grams, followed by the Chicken Strip Club (39 g) and 3 Chicken Strips (36 g).

2What is the leanest high-protein item at Cookout?

The Regular BBQ Sandwich: 29 grams of protein in 368 calories.

3How much protein is in Cookout chicken strips?

Three strips have 36 grams of protein and 660 calories.

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