Three Cheese Chicken Penne

What's in the Three Cheese Chicken Penne?

At 1340 calories per serving, the Three Cheese Chicken Penne represents about 67% of a 2,000-calorie daily intake. On the macronutrient side, roughly 20% of those calories come from protein, 48% from fat, and 33% from carbohydrates — a profile typical of Applebee's's Pasta section. Sodium is often the line to watch with sit-down chain entrees, and this dish delivers 2480mg, or about 108% of the FDA's daily reference value. If you're watching salt, pairing the Three Cheese Chicken Penne with a side salad (dressing on the side) and water rather than a sweetened beverage is the standard mitigation. Like most items at Applebee's, the dish is built for shareable portions and is plated at restaurant scale rather than a strict single serving. Boxing half of it before you start is one of the simplest ways to bring the per-meal calorie load down meaningfully without giving up the experience.

How this fits a 2,000-calorie day

One serving of the Three Cheese Chicken Penne supplies 1340 calories, which represents roughly 67% of a 2,000-calorie reference day. That puts the dish into the indulgent end of the casual-dining spectrum — closer to a daily caloric ceiling than to a single weekday meal. Splitting the plate or boxing half before you start eating is the simplest way to bring the per-meal load down meaningfully without skipping the experience.

The macronutrient split lands at roughly 20% protein, 33% carbohydrate and 47% fat by calorie share — a useful frame because raw gram counts often understate how much of a dish's energy actually comes from fat. Protein delivery at 67g is in the ordinary mid-range for the category — enough to anchor a meal, not high enough to be the dish's selling point.

Sodium clocks in at 2480mg, or about 108% of the FDA's 2,300mg daily reference value. That single dish nearly maxes out the recommended daily intake on its own — worth flagging for anyone managing blood pressure, taking diuretics, or trying to keep ankle swelling down on long-haul flights. Asking for sauces or seasoned items on the side is the most direct lever you have. Saturated fat is the other line worth watching at 32g — about 160% of the daily reference value — primarily a long-term cardiovascular consideration rather than a single-meal one.

Allergen profile

Milk Wheat Eggs

The Three Cheese Chicken Penne is flagged for Milk, Wheat and Eggs in the chain's posted allergen panel. The dairy component is most often in the sauce, the cheese topping or the butter used to finish the plate; an unsauced or sauce-on-the-side preparation can sometimes reduce — but rarely eliminate — the exposure. Wheat exposure typically comes from breading, pasta, the bun or batter; chains that publish gluten-friendly menus list specific substitution paths. Egg appears most commonly in the pasta, the breading wash or the mayonnaise-based dressings rather than as a stand-alone ingredient. Cross-contact in a shared kitchen is always possible, so when in doubt, ask the floor manager.

How it stacks up against the casual-dining category

Across the 36 Pasta entries we track in this category — averaging 1,304 calories and 2,373mg sodium per serving — the Three Cheese Chicken Penne at Applebee's sits roughly 3% heavier than the category average. It also delivers 107mg more sodium than the typical Pasta item we list, which is the more useful number if you're cross-shopping menus on the way to a reservation.

For direct cross-shopping, here are the closest Pasta matches we track at competing chains:

Ordering strategy

If the Three Cheese Chicken Penne is the entrée you want, the highest-leverage adjustments are usually the ones that change the surrounding meal rather than the dish itself. Splitting one entrée between two diners and adding a soup or salad starter typically results in a more satisfying meal at a lower per-person calorie load than each person ordering their own full-size plate. Applebee's portions, like most casual-dining chains, are sized to be shareable. Asking for a take-home box at the start of the meal — and immediately moving half the dish into it — is the single most reliable behavioral lever for managing portion drift over the course of dinner. Sauces, dressings and finishing oils are routinely the largest hidden source of calories on a casual-dining plate; getting them on the side gives you direct portion control without changing the dish you actually want to eat.

Ingredients summary

Chicken, penne, alfredo, parmesan, mozzarella

The bottom line

The Three Cheese Chicken Penne from Applebee's is a indulgent entry on the chain's menu at 1340 calories and 2,480mg of sodium per serving. Protein delivery is strong, which is the dish's most useful nutritional feature. Anyone tracking sodium specifically — including most people on blood-pressure medication — should weigh this dish against the chain's lower-sodium options on the same menu before committing.