What to choose from the Nando’s menu if you want to lose weight

On a weight loss journey? Discover the healthiest picks from the Nando's menu.
Published 22 March, 2019

We love Nando's!

At WeightWatchers® we’re all about freedom and flexibility, which means you can lose weight while eating the foods you love.

There’s no need to miss out on social occasions with friends and family as a WW member. And we can prove it! From Nando’s to Pizza Express, this is the first in a series of articles dedicated to eating out and staying on track. 

Whether you’ve saved some weeklies for a special occasion, or someone’s sprung a surprise dinner on you, there are plenty of Points®-friendly choices at all your favourite restaurants. As long as you pay attention to portion sizes, plan ahead and make savvy food choices, nothing is off-limits.

Nando's menu

First up in the series is Nando’s! There are plenty of healthier options on the menu, but don’t just wing it: read our expert recommendations, then scroll for our Points® guide to boss your Budget while chowing down on some tasty Peri-Peri chicken.

Our 4.8* rated WW app can also help keep you on track, with in-built Points values for meals at 70 restaurants across the UK.

How to track on the WW app: simply scroll to 'Browse restaurants' on your My Day screen, tap 'Restaurant name' and type 'nando's' into the search bar, then scroll or search for your meal. Find out more about tracking on the app.

nandos chicken smartpoints weight watchers

Nando’s chicken

Skinless chicken breast is a lean protein, which means it's super low in Points. However, Nando’s chicken is cooked with the skin on and some is cooked on the bone, which means all menu items have a Points value that you’ll need to track.

Our top choices would be the ¼ chicken which is 7 Points or the chicken butterfly which is 6P. Both dishes feature chicken breast as opposed to thighs (which are higher in saturated fat) and wings (which are just plain fiddly!).

If you did want to opt for wings, 3 chicken wings are 6P and 5 chicken wings are 9P in total.

Nando’s burgers

Sink your teeth into a Grilled chicken burger for 10P or a Grilled chicken pitta 12P. Fancy doubling up? Just add 2 extra Points.

Top with a grilled portobello mushroom for an extra 3P.

Looking for veggie alternatives? Try the Spiced Chickpea Burger for 17P, The Great Imitator Burger for 15P or how about a Beanie Burger for 16P.

Nando’s salads

Fancy something lighter? At 0P, you don’t even need to track the mixed leaf salad. If a bowl of leaves isn’t going to cut it, add a chicken breast for an extra 2P.

The Rainbow Bowl Salad with Chicken (14P) is also a great option. Thanks to the wholegrains, green beans and butternut squash, this is a healthy and hearty dish. Keep it veggie by having the Rainbow Bowl Salad with PERi-plant strips instead for 19P.

Alternatively, you could build your own salad by ordering different sides and small dishes. For instance, the mixed leaf salad with chicken (2P) and a regular spiced grains & butternut squash side (6P) with rainbow slaw (4P) makes a delicious, fibre-packed DIY salad for 12P.

Or, how about going for a mixed leaf salad with chicken (2P), a side of long stem broccoli (1P) and a corn on the cob without butter (0P) for a total of 3 Points.

What’s a salad without a dressing? The Peri Peri drizzle is 3 Points per 20ml.

Nando’s sides

If you fancy something on the side, how about the spiced grains & butternut squash side packed full of wholesome grains for 6P? It also contains green beans and dried fruit which boost the protein and fibre content, helping you feel fuller for longer.

6 foods that will fill you up (and help you lose weight)

Not in the mood for grains? The regular spicy rice is 7P per serving. A regular corn on the cob without butter is 0P and a regular rainbow slaw is 4P. You can even add to your budget at Nando’s by tracking a handful of non-starchy vegetables; with a side of long stem broccoli (1P) or a mixed leaf salad (0P).

nandos pitta smartpoints weight watchers

Nando’s desserts

Dessert was NEVER out of the question, and here are our top picks. We love the frozen yogurt which comes in four flavours. The mango, vanilla and strawberry is 5P per serving, while the chocolate is 6P per serving. Special occasion? If your Budget allows, go bottomless and grab a free refill.

The grilled pineapple in the ‘Extras’ section of the menu is 0P. It makes a great fruity finish to any meal and is full of fibre and antioxidants. Or, if dessert is the main event, treat yourself to a Naughty Nata custard tart for 8 Points - who can resist a freshly baked Portuguese tart?

The grand finale: Nando’s in 9 Points!

Cast your eyes below for a super Points-friendly meal at Nando's.

  • Starter: Spicy mixed olives, shared between 2 people (2P)
  • Mains: Mixed leaf salad with a grilled chicken breast (2P) and a corn on the cob (0PP)
  • Dessert: Frozen yogurt. Choose from vanilla, strawberry and mango (5P per serving)
  • Drink: Iced water (0PP)

TOTAL: 9-13 Points

There you have it: proof you can enjoy a 3-course meal at Nando’s for as little as 9 Points! Feeling peckish? Find your nearest Nando’s.

Your Points guide to the Nando’s menu

StartersPoints
Halloumi sticks & dip19P
Houmous with PERi-PERi Drizzle & Pitta Bread26P
Sweet potato wedges with garlic PERinaise18P
PERi-PERi Nuts23P
Spicy mixed olives4P
PERi-PERi chicken
Chicken butterfly6P
¼ chicken7P
3 chicken wings6P
5 chicken wings9P
4 boneless chicken thighs17P
Burgers, pitta and wraps
Fino pitta26P
Sunset Burger21P
Double chicken burger10P
Double chicken pitta12P
Double chicken wrap15P
Grilled chicken pitta12P
Grilled chicken wrap15P
Grilled chicken burger10P
Salads
Rainbow Bowl12P
Rainbow Bowl with PERi Plant Strips17P
Rainbow Bowl with Chicken12P
Veggie
Spiced chickpea burger17P
Beanie wrap21P
Beanie pitta18P
Beanie burger16P
The Great Imitator wrap or pitta17P
The Great Imitator burger15P
Portobello mushroom & halloumi pitta24P
Side dishes
Regular plain or PERi Salted Chips 14P
Regular spicy rice7P
Regular Spiced Grains & Butternut Squash6P
Regular macho peas3P
Regular garlic bread13P
Regular corn on the cob (without butter)0P
Regular creamy mash12P
Regular rainbow slaw4P
Regular coleslaw9P
Regular long stem broccoli1P
Mixed leaf salad0P
Extras
Grilled halloumi cheese8P
Beanie patty6P
Portuguese roll or toasted pitta with butter9P
Tortilla wrap8P
Portobello mushroom3P
PERi-plant strips5P
Pineapple0P
Desserts
Frozen yogurt (vanilla, strawberry, mango)5P
Frozen yogurt (chocolate)6P
Naughty nata custard tart8P
Choc-A-Lot cake29P
Gooey caramel cheesecake22P
Salted caramel brownie21P
Chocolate gelado8P
Mango gelado6P
Vanilla or Coconut gelado10P

Disclaimer: The Points listed in these guides are correct at the time of publishing (March 2022). Unless otherwise stated, the Points values listed are for the item as served in the restaurant - so if you ordered the chicken steamed gyoza at Wagamama, the Points value of 7P includes all five gyoza that come as part of the dish. You might notice discrepancies between the Points you calculate using the nutritional details provided by the restaurant and the Points listed for meals in these guides. That's because the Points have taken into account any ZeroPoint™ ingredients in the meal and been adjusted accordingly, whereas the restaurant information includes nutritional values for all ingredients. For tracking purposes, use the Points values listed in these guides.