Melania Trump’s favorite meal is shockingly high in saturated fat, calories and sodium, experts have warned. 

A recently resurfaced interview with the first lady revealed her favorite dish from French chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten is parmesan-crusted chicken, which features chicken breast and thigh coated in flour, partially encased in parmesan cheese, and dressed with lemon butter sauce and artichokes.

Specifically, Inside Edition reported that she indulges in the dish from his restaurant inside the Trump International Hotel in New York City. In 2019, they wrote that the dish cost $68 – but it’s currently on the menu for $46.

While Melania and health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr have both reportedly been trying to improve President Donald Trump’s eating habits, the first lady’s diet could also be far from perfect.

It’s unclear how often Melania orders parmesan-crusted chicken – or if she ever makes it herself – but certain at-home recipes for the dish could put you over the safe limits for saturated fat and sodium.

Baking chicken with excess oil or with butter can cause it to take on unnecessary grams of saturated fat, which causes cholesterol to build up in and block arteries, increasing the risk of heart disease.

Even homemade parmesan-crusted chicken, depending on the recipe you use, can total over 1,300 milligrams of sodium, more than half the recommended daily limit. This raises blood pressure and puts strain on the cardiovascular system. 

Melania Trump (pictured here with husband, President Donald Trump) has claimed parmesan-crusted chicken from Jean-Georges is her favorite meal

Pictured above is the parmesan crusted chicken from Jean-Georges that Inside Edition reported is Melania’s favorite meal

The calories also vary wildly, ranging anywhere from 500 to 1,000, half a day’s worth, depending on the size of the chicken, how it’s prepared and if it’s served with pasta on the side.

‘If you eat this meal daily, high sodium and high saturated fat intake can increase your risk of hypertension and heart disease,’ Erin Palinski-Wade, a registered dietitian in New Jersey, told the Daily Mail.

She also noted that due to the high calories, ‘eating it too often may lead to weight gain, which can increase insulin resistance and the risk of type 2 diabetes.’

People also pair chicken dishes like this with pasta and garlic bread, she said, ‘increasing the refined carbohydrate, calorie, sodium and fat content of the meal.’

While the fat and sodium in parmesan-crusted chicken can be off-putting, skipping the butter sauce, foregoing breading and being mindful of your sides can make the dish healthier.

Cooking chicken with butter adds in extra calories.

Each tablespoon contains about 100 calories. While this is roughly the same as olive oil, it has more cholesterol and lacks essential nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids. 

Add in butter, additional cheese and potentially pasta on the side and it can easily reach over 1,000 calories, half the recommended daily amount for the average American. 

Parmesan-crusted chicken may also be high in sodium because the cheese is naturally salted.

It’s unclear how often Melania (pictured here) eats parmesan-crusted chicken, but experts have warned it can be high in saturated fat, sodium and calories

Sodium attracts and retains water, which increases blood volume throughout the body and puts more pressure on the walls of blood vessels. Over time, this leads to high blood pressure, which forces the heart to work harder to pump blood. 

Too much strain on the heart increases the risk of heart attack, stroke and heart disease. 

Saturated fat is also a concern, as it has been shown to raise LDL (bad) cholesterol in the blood.

Because the body can’t filter this excess out, it builds up as plaque in the arteries, which restricts blood flow and puts increased strain on the heart. 

The American Heart Association recommends no more than 6 percent of your total calories in a day be from saturated fat. 

This means in a typical 2,000-calorie diet, no more than 120 should be from saturated fat. This adds up to 13 grams or less. 

However, a healthier parmesan-crusted chicken is possible. Palinski-Wade recommends selecting a cheese with less sodium and fat.

Baking the chicken instead of frying it, as some recipes recommend, also eliminates hundreds of calories of oil, while skipping any suggested breading entirely reduces calories, fat and sodium levels.

‘This significantly reduces the fat and calorie content of the meal,’ Palinski-Wade said.

She also suggested using olive oil as an alternative for butter and pairing chicken with salad or baked vegetables.