Chicken is a popular lean protein source because it packs a lot of protein into a single serving while containing little fat.
Furthermore, it is simple to prepare at home and available at most places. Chicken meals can be found on almost any menu, regardless of what cuisine you are eating.
But you may be wondering how many calories are in the chicken on your plate.
Chicken comes in a variety of cuts, including breasts, thighs, wings, and drumsticks. Each cut has a distinct calorie count and protein-to-fat ratio.
Here are the calorie values for the most popular chicken pieces.
Chicken breast contains 284 calories.
Chicken breast is a popular cut of chicken. It's strong in protein and low in fat, so it's a fantastic choice for anyone looking to reduce weight.
The nutritional breakdown for one skinless, boneless, cooked chicken breast (172 g) is as follows:
Calories: 284.
Protein: 53.4 grams.
Carbs: 0 grams.
Fat: 6.2 g
A 3.5-ounce (100-gram) serving of chicken breast contains 165 calories, 31 g of protein, and 3.6 g of fat. This means that chicken breast has around 80% protein and 20% fat.
Remember that these numbers are for a simple chicken breast with no extra additives. Cooking it in oil or adding marinades or sauces increases the total number of calories, carbohydrates, and fat.
Chicken thigh contains 208 calories.
Chicken thighs are somewhat more soft and tasty than chicken breasts due to their higher fat content.
A skinless, boneless, cooked chicken thigh (116 g) contains:
Calories: 208
Protein: 28.8 grams.
Carbs: 0 grams.
Fat: 9.5 g
A 3.5-ounce (100-gram) serving of chicken thigh contains 179 calories, 24.8 g of protein, and 8.2 g of fat. Thus, 55% of the calories are from protein and 45% from fat.
Chicken wing contains 43 calories.
Chicken wings are probably not the first thing that comes to mind when you think about nutritious chicken parts. However, if they are not slathered in breading or sauce and deep-fried, they can easily be incorporated into a balanced diet.
A skinless and boneless chicken wing (21 g) contains:
Calories: 43.
Protein: 6.4 grams.
Carbs: 0 grams.
Fat: 1.7 g
Chicken wings have 203 calories, 30.5 grams of protein, and 8.1 grams of fat per 3.5 ounces (100 grams). This suggests that 64% of the calories are derived from protein and 36% from fat.
Chicken drumstick contains 149 calories.
Chicken legs consist of two parts: the thigh and the drumstick. The drumstick is the lower part of the leg.
Each skinless and boneless chicken drumstick (96 g) contains:
Calories: 149
Protein: 23.2 grams.
Carbs: 0 grams.
Fat: 5.5 g
Chicken drumsticks (3.5 oz.) have 155 calories, 24.2 g of protein, and 5.7 g of fat.
In terms of calories, protein accounts for approximately 65% of the total, while fat makes up 35%.
Other cuts of chicken
Though the most common cuts of chicken are the breast, thighs, wings, and drumsticks, there are various other options available.
Here are the calories for some other cuts of chicken:
Chicken tenderloins contain 89 calories per 3.5 oz. (100 g).
Back: 239 calories per 3.5 oz. (100 g)
Dark meat contains 178 calories per 3.5 oz. (100 g).
Light beef contains 153 calories per 3.5 oz. (100 g).
Chicken skin adds calories.
A skinless chicken breast contains 284 calories, 80% protein, and 20% fat, but those ratios change substantially when the skin is included.
Each boneless, cooked chicken breast with skin (196 g) contains:
Calories: 386
Protein: 58.4 grams.
Fat: 15.2 g
In a chicken breast with skin, 61% of the calories are from protein and 39% from fat. Furthermore, consuming the skin contains almost 102 calories.
Similarly, one chicken wing with skin (34 g) contains 86 calories, vs 43 calories in a skinless wing (21 g). Thus, fat accounts for 60% of the calories in chicken wings with skin, versus 36% in wings without skin.
So, if you're attempting to lose weight or cut back on fat, chicken without the skin may be the greatest option for reducing calories and fat.
How you prepare your chicken matters.
When compared to other meats, chicken meat contains comparatively few calories and fats. However, if you start adding oil, sauce, batter, and breading, the calories quickly mount up.
For example, a skinless, boneless cooked chicken thigh (116 g) has 208 calories and 9.5 g of fat.
However, a chicken thigh cooked in batter includes 238 calories and 14.2 g of fat.
Similarly, one boneless, skinless chicken wing (21 g) contains 43 calories and 1.7 grams of fat.
A barbecue sauce-glazed chicken wing, on the other hand, contains 61 calories and 3.7 grams of fat.
This is comparable to a wing cooked with a flour coating, which contains 103 calories and 7.1 grams of fat.
Cooking methods with less fat, such as poaching, roasting, grilling, and steaming, are your best choice for keeping calories down.
Takeaway
Chicken is a popular meat, and most cuts have little calories and fat while delivering plenty of protein.
The following are the calorie counts for the most common cuts of boneless, skinless chicken per 3.5 oz. (100-g) serving:
Chicken breast contains 165 calories.
Chicken thigh contains 179 calories.
Chicken wing contains 203 calories.
Chicken drumstick contains 155 calories.
It should be noted that eating the skin or using high-fat cooking methods increases the number of calories.
If you need assistance determining how to incorporate chicken into your diet based on your health objectives, consult with a healthcare expert, such as a registered dietitian or primary care physician.