Sesame Chicken Strips

What's in the Sesame Chicken Strips?

At 579 calories per serving, the Sesame Chicken Strips represents about 29% of a 2,000-calorie daily intake. On the macronutrient side, roughly 14% of those calories come from protein, 74% from fat, and 29% from carbohydrates — a profile typical of TGI Fridays's Imported section. Sodium is often the line to watch with sit-down chain entrees, and this dish delivers 315mg, or about 14% of the FDA's daily reference value. If you're watching salt, pairing the Sesame Chicken Strips with a side salad (dressing on the side) and water rather than a sweetened beverage is the standard mitigation. Like most items at TGI Fridays, 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 Sesame Chicken Strips supplies 579 calories, which represents roughly 29% of a 2,000-calorie reference day. That is a moderate restaurant-portion meal — generous compared to a home-cooked plate but not at the upper end of the chain's menu. A side salad or a smaller appetizer can round it out without pushing the day over budget.

The macronutrient split lands at roughly 12% protein, 25% carbohydrate and 63% 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 content is modest at 20g, so the dish leans on carbohydrate and fat to do most of the calorie work. Pairing it with a protein-forward side helps balance the plate.

Sodium clocks in at 315mg, or about 14% of the FDA's 2,300mg daily reference value. That is well within a reasonable share for a single meal and gives plenty of room for the rest of the day.

Allergen profile

Gluten Sesame-seeds

The Sesame Chicken Strips is flagged for Gluten and Sesame-seeds in the chain's posted allergen panel. 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 61 Imported entries we track in this category — averaging 620 calories and 426mg sodium per serving — the Sesame Chicken Strips at TGI Fridays sits roughly 7% lighter than the category average. It also delivers 111mg less sodium than the typical Imported 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 Imported matches we track at competing chains:

Ordering strategy

If the Sesame Chicken Strips is the entrée you want, the highest-leverage adjustments are usually the ones that change the surrounding meal rather than the dish itself. Because the entrée itself is moderate, you have headroom for an appetizer or a starter side without dropping into restrictive territory — useful for a longer dinner where the goal is to stretch the meal rather than minimize it. 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 STRIPS: CHICKEN BREAST FILLET (58%) WHEAT FLOUR, FULLY REFINED SOYA BEAN OIL WATER MODIFIED TAPIOCA STARCH, DEXTROSE, CORN STARCH, WHEAT GLUTEN. SALT. ACIDITY REGULATORS: SODARY CAREONATES, CITRIC ACID: YEAST. GARLIC POWDER TENNESSEE STYLE GLAZE: WATER, SUGAR MODIFIED TAPIOCA STARCIL SOY SAUCE (WATER SOYA BEAN, WHEAT FLOUR SALTY WHITE VINEGAR FULLY REFINED SOYBEAN OIL, COLOURS: PLAIN CARAHEL PAPRIKA EXTRACT: SALT, DRIED CHILLL FLAVOURINGS, GARLIC POWDER. ACIDITY REGULATORS CITRIC ACID. SESAME SEEDS: ROASTED WHITE SESAME SEED ALLERGY ADVICE:

The bottom line

The Sesame Chicken Strips from TGI Fridays is a moderate entry on the chain's menu at 579 calories and 315mg of sodium per serving. Protein delivery is in the typical mid-range for the category. 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.