Miss E (held by Heather in a jean jacket and pigtails and smiling at Miss E) in a green and purple plaid dress waving to the Chick-fil-A cow wearing a red shirt

Complete Gluten-Free Chick-fil-A Guide (2023)

As a celiac and mother of a child with celiac disease, Chick-fil-A is one of our go-to, fast-food restaurants. It is one of a handful of fast-food chains with gluten-free options that we trust.

With restaurant locations throughout the US, it is easy to find a nearby Chick-fil-A whether at home or on the road. Having a reliable list of chain restaurants streamlines road trip planning when you or a loved one has celiac disease or gluten intolerance. Chick-fil-A definitely makes this list.

This chain offers a wide selection of items without gluten. Although Chick-fil-A discloses that there is a risk of cross-contamination due to a shared kitchen, its restaurants have excellent protocols to prevent cross-contact:

  • Cashiers note “gluten-allergy” on the ticket and notify kitchen staff verbally.
  • Cooks change gloves and clean surfaces.
  • There is a separate fryer for waffle fries. (Yay!)
  • Grilled chicken and grilled chicken nuggets are prepared separately from the fried chicken.
  • Your certified gluten-free bun (for a gluten-free grilled chicken sandwich) is served to you still sealed in its package.

Importantly, through these protocols, Chick-fil-A has demonstrated that it values its customers who are on a medically-necessary gluten-free diet.

Always check with the manager at any Chick-fil-A you visit to confirm cross-contamination protocols are in place, the staff is knowledgeable at that location, and the menu items you are ordering are still on the Chick-fil-A issued list of gluten-free options. Airport locations, in particular, may have limited kitchen space for typical cross-contamination protocols resulting in a more limited gluten-free menu.

Breakfast Items

gluten-free chick-fil-a breakfast menu in red heading box, two columns with red headings above, column 1: "entrees/sides:" Hash Brown Scramble Bowl w/ grilled chicken filet Hash Brown Scramble Bowl w/ sausage Bacon slice Sausage patty Hash browns Fruit cup Yogurt parfait (without harvest granola), Column 2 is Beverage: Iced Tea Soft Drinks Lemonade Iced Coffee Apple or Orange Juice Coffee Milk (reg. or chocolate) Dasani Water
Note: Chick-fil-A states that its iced coffee is not gluten-free.

Breakfast is where Chick-fil-A really stands out. So many of the chains we trust for gluten-free options serve only lunch and dinner, but Chick-fil-A is open for breakfast when you are in a hurry or on the road.

The Chick-fil-A breakfast menu has the following gluten-free items:

  • Hash Brown Scramble Bowl w/ grilled chicken filet
  • Hash Brown Scramble Bowl w/ sausage
  • Bacon slice
  • Sausage patty
  • Hash browns
  • Fruit cup
  • Yogurt parfait (without granola)

Another option is to order from the lunch/dinner menu at breakfast time. Chick-fil-A makes these items available all day, but they will take an extra 15-20 minutes to prepare during breakfast service.

Important note about the granola served with the yogurt parfait: while oats are inherently gluten-free, 90% of oats are cross-contaminated with gluten-containing grains in the field, or during transporting, processing and shipping. Chick-fil-A does not use gluten-free oats in its granola, so the Harvest granola package that comes with the yogurt parfait is not celiac safe. If you really want a little crunch in your parfait, you could bring a portion of gluten-free granola from home.

Lunch/Dinner Entrees

chick-fil-a-gluten-fee lunch/dinner menu in red heading box, three columns with red headings above and "pick one" in the red box below, column 1 is "Entree": Grilled Chicken Sandwich (sub gluten-free bun) Grilled Nuggets Market Salad* Cobb Salad w/ Grilled Nuggets, Grilled Filet, or no chicken* Spicy Southwest Salad w/ Grilled Nuggets, Grilled Fillet, or no chicken* , Column 2 is Side: Waffle Potatoe Fries Fruit Cup Waffle Potato Chips Side Salad* Kale Crunch Side Greek Yogurt Parfait*, Column 3 is Beverage: Iced Tea Soft Drinks Lemonade Iced Coffee Apple or Orange Juice Coffee Milk (reg. or chocolate) Dasani Water ----on the bottom left: "*Order without toppings "

Chick-fil-A offers a number of gluten-free menu items for lunch and dinner:

  • Grilled Chicken Sandwich (order gluten-free bun)
  • Grilled Nuggets
  • Entree Salads:
    • Market Salad (without toppings)
    • Cobb Salad w/ Grilled Nuggets, Grilled Filet (without toppings)
    • Spicy Southwest Salad w/ Grilled Nuggets, Grilled Fillet (without toppings)

There is so much to love about this lunch menu. My favorite is the grilled market salad, which I order with no blue cheese (preference), and the Zesty Apple Cider Vinaigrette (gluten-free). My husband typically gets the Cobb Salad with grilled nuggets.

salad in a plastic container with lettuce, strawberries and sliced grilled chicken

Miss E can’t pick a favorite and usually orders either the grilled nuggets or the grilled chicken sandwich (on a gluten-free bun). The grilled chicken sandwich comes disassembled, and the gluten-free bun is served in a separate package (the way it comes from the factory) to prevent cross-contamination in the kitchen.

Chick-fil-A’s gluten-free bun is enriched with vitamins and minerals, made with ancient grains quinoa and amaranth, instead of rice flour, and sweetened with molasses and raisins.

The regular breaded and spicy chicken options are not gluten-free.

Sides

The grilled chicken sandwich and grilled nuggets come with a choice of one of the following gluten-free sides, or you can order them a la carte:

  • Waffle Potato Fries
  • Waffle Potato Chips (pre-packaged)
  • Side Salad (without toppings)
  • Kale Crunch Side
  • Fruit Cup
  • Greek Yogurt Parfait (without toppings)

French fries in a dedicated fryer are a rarity, so for folks with celiac disease, the gluten-free Chick-fil-A waffle fries are the big win here! My daughter orders them every time.

As noted above, the oats that are served with the greek yogurt parfait are not gluten-free. They are packaged separately, so easily excluded from your meal.

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    Kids Meal

    "chick-fil-a-gluten-fee lunch/dinner menu" in red heading box, right below that box is another box with "entree" in the red sub-heading box and "grilled chicken nuggets" below, underneath are three columns with red headings above and "pick one" in the red box below, column 1: side: Waffle Potatoe Fries Fruit Cup Cinnamon Apple Sauce Waffle Potato Chips, column 2: beverage:Milk (1% or chocolate) Water Iced Tea Lemonade Soft Drink, column 3: surprise: Prize (ages 3 & under) Prize (ages 4 & up) Icedream in a cup

    There is only one menu item for a gluten-free kids’ meal: 5-count grilled nuggets. But your kiddo can have a choice of beverage and the following sides:

    • Waffle Potato Fries
    • Waffle Potato Chips (pre-packaged)
    • Apple Sauce (pre-packaged)
    • Fruit Cup

    The best part of the kids’ meal is the surprise. Choose from one of two prizes (ages 3 & under or ages 4 & up) or an Icedream Cup!

    Condiments

    Chick-fil-A says that the following dressings are gluten-free, which currently happen to be ALL of its salad dressings:

    • Avocado Lime Ranch Dressing
    • Creamy Salsa Dressing
    • Fat-Free Honey Mustard Dressing
    • Garden Herb Ranch Dressing
    • Light Balsamic Vinaigrette
    • Light Italian Dressing
    • Zesty Apple Cider Vinaigrette

    Gluten-Free Dipping Sauces:

    • Barbeque Sauce
    • Chick-fil-A® Sauce
    • Honey Mustard Sauce
    • Honey Roasted BBQ Sauce
    • Polynesian Sauce
    • Zesty Buffalo Sauce
    Chick-fil-A sauce package (white label with red font) and Polynesian sauce (purple label with white font)
    bottle of Chick-fil-sauce (white container, red font & red cap)

    The dipping sauces are so in demand that Chick-fil-A started selling them in large containers. I only know this because my son is a huge fan of Chick-fil-A sauce. Lovers of the popular Polynesian sauce and Chick-fil-A sauce will be thrilled to know that they made the gluten-free list.

    The only two dipping sauces missing from the gluten-free list are the Garden Herb Ranch Sauce and Siracha Sauce. The latter contains wheat.

    Treats

    • Icedream (in a cup)
    • Yogurt Parfait (without granola)
    • Frosted Lemonade

    Yogurt Parfait is not on Chick-fil-A’s list of treats, but it’s on mine! Even better, combine the fruit cup and Icedream for an upgraded ice cream treat!

    Sample Menu Combinations

    1. Grilled chicken sandwich, waffle fries, lemonade
    2. Grilled nuggets with Chick-fil-A sauce, side salad, soda
    3. Market salad, water, yogurt parfait for dessert
    4. Hash brown scramble bowl w/ sausage, fruit cup, coffee
    5. Kids’ nuggets with barbeque sauce, milk, fruit cup, icedream (combine fruit cup and icedream for dessert)

    FAQ

    Here are answers to Gluten-Free Chick-fil-A Frequently Asked Questions:

    Chick-fil-A is not a dedicated gluten-free restaurant chain, but it does offer a wide variety of options on its gluten-free menu.

    The Company discloses, “Due to the handcrafted nature of our food, variations in our supplier ingredients and our use of shared cooking and preparation areas, we cannot ensure that our restaurant environment or any menu item will be completely free of gluten.”

    While this disclaimer can be unnerving for those of us with celiac disease, it is standard for restaurants with a shared kitchen, where there is always a risk of cross-contamination.

    Chick-fil-A does have excellent cross-contamination protocols. Always ask for a manager when placing your gluten-free order. Explain that you have celiac disease, or state “a severe gluten allergy, which although not accurate, is often better understood in the food industry. Ask about the gluten-free status and cross-contamination protocols for the specific items you wish to order. Use your judgment regarding the allergy and cross-contamination knowledge and procedures at each local Chick-fil-A.

    Yes, the grilled nuggets at Chick-fil-A are gluten-free. Like the grilled chicken (if ordered on a gluten-free bun), the grilled nuggets do not contain gluten ingredients and are prepared separately from the breaded, fried chicken.

    Chick-fil-A lists the grilled nuggets as a “gluten-sensitive option” because there is risk of cross-contamination in any restaurant that is not 100% gluten-free. Always discuss cross-contamination protocols with the staff before placing your order.

    Yes! Chick-fil-A sauce is gluten-free, along with the popular Polynesian sauce and Barbeque sauce. Except for its Siracha sauce (which contains wheat) and Garden Herb Ranch sauce, Chick-fil-A lists all of its other dipping sauces as gluten-free.

    Chick-fil-A is a great option for a gluten-free, fast-food breakfast. Start your day with a hashbrown scramble with either sausage or grilled chicken. Or you can mix and match the following items to create a filling breakfast: bacon slice, sausage patty, hash browns, fruit cup, and yogurt parfait (without granola).

    Yes! For an additional charge, Chick-fil-A offers its gluten-free customers a certified gluten-free bun that is served individually packaged.

    Chick-fil-A fries waffle fries are gluten-free. They do not contain gluten ingredients and are fried in a separate fryer from the breaded chicken items. Always confirm cross-contamination protocols and a dedicated fryer at each individual restaurant before ordering.

    Yes! Like the waffle fries, Chick-fil-A hash browns have no gluten ingredients and are fried in a dedicated gluten-free fryer. Speak to a manager to confirm the current cross-contamination protocols and a dedicated fryer at your local Chick-fil-A.

    Chick-fil-A answers this question directly, “Although the ingredients in our Peppermint Chocolate Chip Milkshake are gluten-free, we do not classify it as gluten-free. Given that we make all of our Milkshakes on the same equipment.”

    Unfortunately, all of the Chick-fil-A milkshakes are processed on the same equipment as the Cookies & Cream milkshake, making them at very high risk for cross-contamination.

    My family has been enjoying Chick-fil-A since before Miss E and I were diagnosed with celiac disease. You can read the story of my diagnosis here. In the hazy, early days of a celiac diagnosis, it was such a joy and relief to find out that we could continue eating at Chick-fil-A! If this guide gives you and your family the same enjoyment, it will have been my pleasure.

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