Steamed or stir-fried chicken and mushroom is the healthiest Chinese takeaway main in the UK at around 300–350 kcal per portion. Battered sweet and sour chicken is the highest calorie option at 700–900 kcal.
The calorie gap between the healthiest and least healthy Chinese dishes exceeds 600 kcal. Rice choice adds a further 255 kcal difference — boiled rice contains 370 kcal versus 625 kcal for egg fried rice.
This guide covers calories, Slimming World syns, and WW SmartPoints for the most popular Chinese takeaway dishes in the UK, plus the lowest calorie starters and sides.
Steamed chicken and mushroom in light sauce is the healthiest Chinese takeaway main at 300–350 kcal per portion. King prawn dishes in light sauces follow at 300–400 kcal.
Black bean sauce and oyster sauce dishes are lower in calories than sweet and sour or curry sauce options. Stir-fried dishes without batter contain significantly fewer calories than battered versions.
Avoid battered dishes and sweet and sour sauce for the lowest calorie Chinese takeaway order.
The table below shows approximate calories, Slimming World syns, and WW SmartPoints per standard takeaway portion.
| Dish | Calories (approx) | SW Syns | WW Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken & mushroom (stir-fry) | 300–350 kcal | 15–17 | 8–10 |
| King prawns in oyster sauce | 300–400 kcal | 15–18 | 8–10 |
| Beef in black bean sauce | 350–450 kcal | 16–20 | 9–11 |
| Chicken chop suey | 350–450 kcal | 16–20 | 9–11 |
| Chicken chow mein | 400–550 kcal | 18–25 | 11–14 |
| Sweet & sour chicken (no batter) | 500–650 kcal | 23–27 | 13–16 |
| Egg fried rice | 625 kcal | 11 | 14 |
| Sweet & sour chicken (battered) | 700–900 kcal | 27–30 | 18–22 |
Calories are approximate and vary by takeaway. Portion sizes at UK Chinese restaurants typically range from 300g to 550g. Syn values use the Slimming World approximate guide of 20 kcal per syn.
Hot and sour soup contains 65–80 kcal per cup. Wonton soup contains 65–90 kcal per cup. Both are the lowest calorie Chinese starters available.
Steamed dumplings contain around 40 kcal each. A portion of 4 steamed dumplings equals approximately 160 kcal — versus 130–200 kcal per fried spring roll or slice of prawn toast.
Avoid prawn toast, crispy wontons, and fried spring rolls. All three are deep-fried and significantly higher in calories than steamed equivalents.
Chicken and mushroom in light sauce is the lowest calorie Chinese takeaway main at 300–350 kcal. The dish uses lean chicken breast stir-fried with mushrooms in a light, non-battered sauce.
King prawns contain 75 kcal per 100g and 18g of protein per 100g. King prawns in oyster sauce or black bean sauce provide a high-protein option at 300–400 kcal per portion.
Avoid chow mein. A large takeaway portion reaches up to 1,100 kcal including noodles, oil, and sauce. Even smaller servings average 400–550 kcal — higher than equivalent chicken or prawn dishes.
Boiled rice contains 370 kcal per portion. Egg fried rice contains 625 kcal — 255 kcal more per serving.
The difference comes from oil and egg added during frying. A portion of egg fried rice adds the calorie equivalent of a small meal on top of the main dish.
Choose plain boiled rice. The 255 kcal saving equals 13 Slimming World syns per meal.
Chicken and mushroom in sauce is the lowest syn Chinese main at 15–17 syns per portion. Paired with boiled rice (syn free), a full Chinese meal fits within 15–18 syns.
The highest syn Chinese dishes are battered sweet and sour chicken (27–30 syns) and battered starters. Slimming Survival notes battered dishes and sweet and sour sauce are the options most likely to exceed the daily syn allowance.
Egg fried rice costs 11 syns alone. Adding egg fried rice to an already synned main quickly exhausts the daily allowance.
Battered sweet and sour chicken contains 700–900 kcal per portion — the highest calorie main on a standard Chinese menu. Crispy duck with pancakes contains 700–850 kcal for a half duck portion.
Prawn crackers contain approximately 70 kcal per small bag but are easy to over-consume. A shared bowl adds 200–400 kcal before the main course arrives.
Avoid combining battered mains, egg fried rice, and fried starters in the same order. The total easily exceeds 1,500–2,000 kcal.
Choose steamed or stir-fried dishes without batter. Request boiled rice instead of egg fried rice. Order a soup starter (65–90 kcal) rather than spring rolls or prawn toast.
The lowest calorie full Chinese order: hot and sour soup (75 kcal) + chicken and mushroom main (325 kcal) + boiled rice (370 kcal) = approximately 770 kcal total.
The same meal with battered sweet and sour chicken and egg fried rice reaches 1,550–1,900 kcal — more than double the healthier equivalent.
For a full cross-takeaway comparison, see the lowest calorie takeaway UK guide covering Indian, Chinese, pizza, and chippy side by side.
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