How Many Calories Are in a Cooked Chicken Breast?

Chicken breast is low in calories.

Chicken breast is low in fat and high in protein. A 100-gram chicken breast contains 165 calories, compared to 206 calories in a 100-gram chicken thigh. Chicken breast calories can vary depending on how the chicken is cooked and whether oils and other seasonings or flavorings are added.

Because chicken breast is widely available, easy to prepare, and a great source of lean protein, it is an excellent choice of meat if you are trying to lose weight or build muscle. In addition to the high amount of lean protein in chicken breast, it is a good source of many other beneficial micronutrients.

Chicken breast contains several essential nutrients such as vitamins and minerals good for overall health, so chicken breast calories are a healthy addition to your diet.

Chicken breast nutrition value:

• Protein: Needed for growth and repair and maintains muscles in the body.
• Fats: Minimal saturated fat and cholesterol content in chicken breast compared to other meats and even other cuts of chicken.
• Minerals and vitamins:
  • Niacin: Good for skin and hair
  • Selenium: Needed for good immunity and thyroid function
  • Phosphorus: Helps keep bones and teeth healthy
  • B vitamins: Vitamins B6 and B12, thiamine, and riboflavin play a role in intracellular biochemical processes and nerve health
  • Zinc: Plays a role in immunity and wound healing
  • Potassium and copper: Needed for cellular functions

Although overall calorie content and nutrition value are similar across different chicken cuts, there are minor variations. Chicken breast is the lowest in calories, while the calories of chicken thigh are the highest among chicken cuts.

The following table contains the proteins, fats, and calories found in different parts of cooked chicken per 100 g:

The following are calories per 100 grams of different cuts of raw chicken:

• Tenders: 263 calories
• Back meat: 137 calories
• Dark meat: 125 calories
• Light meat: 114 calories

How many calories in a chicken breast you obtain depends on how healthy your cooking method is. If you fry chicken, you are going to add a lot of fat and calories to your meal. If you opt for chicken without skin, you can reduce the content of cholesterol and saturated fat.

Preparing chicken in the following ways can help keep calorie levels low:

• Grilled chicken: Grilling chicken with vegetables provides a good amount of nutrients and fiber. Not much oil is required to grill chicken, keeping fat content low. Other equally good options are roasting or broiling the chicken.
• Baked chicken: Baking chicken requires very little oil, making it a good method of preparation for weight loss.
• Stir-fried chicken: Sautéing chicken with vegetables is also a good way to get both taste and nutrition.
• Poached chicken: Gently simmering the chicken in water or broth with vegetables and herbs is a wholesome way that retain the meat's juiciness and keep the calories low.

How many calories are in a grilled chicken breast?

Boneless, skinless, grilled chicken breast has approximately 165 calories in a 100 g serving.

What is the calorie count of a baked chicken breast?

The calorie count of a baked chicken breast would also be about 165 calories per 100 g because baking requires very little oil, similar to grilling or roasting.

How do calories in chicken breast compare to other cuts of chicken?

Chicken breast has the lowest calories among the different cuts of chicken. One hundred grams of skinless, boneless, cooked chicken breast has 165 calories, while a similarly prepared chicken drumstick has 172 calories, a wing has 203 calories, and a thigh cut has 209 calories.

Does skinless chicken breast have fewer calories?

Skinless chicken breast has fewer calories than chicken breast with skin. Chicken skin contains quite a lot of fat and adds more than 30 calories to 100 g of chicken breast. The calories in roasted or similarly cooked skinless chicken breast are 165 calories, while the same with skin would have 197 calories.

How many calories are in a 4 oz chicken breast?

A 4 oz. boneless, skinless, raw chicken breast has approximately 126 calories. The same chicken breast, when cooked, will provide 186 calories per 4 oz. of chicken.

What is the calorie count of a fried chicken breast?

The calorie count of 100 g of batter fried chicken is 246. KFC fried chicken with skin and breading has 384 calories per 100 g serving.

Are there fewer calories in boiled chicken breast?

Skinless-boiled chicken breast contains about the same number of calories as a roasted or grilled chicken breast: 165 calories. Boiled chicken, however, has far fewer calories than fried chicken.

How many calories are in a roasted chicken breast with skin?

Roasted chicken breast with skin will have approximately 197 calories per 100 g serving.

What is the difference between raw and cooked chicken breast?

Cooking increases the calorie count in chicken breast because raw chicken loses water when cooked, so 100 g of cooked chicken breast will have more calories than 100 g of raw chicken. Boneless, skinless, raw chicken breast has 112 calories per 100 g, while 100 g of roasted, boiled, grilled, or steamed chicken breast has about 165 calories. Frying or adding sauces and other ingredients will further increase the calorie count in cooked chicken breast.

Besides the color and texture changes, which make cooked chicken edible, cooking also kills any bacterial contamination in raw meat making it safe to eat. There is not a significant loss in the macronutrients, protein, and fats, particularly if cooked in medium heat. Some vitamin loss may occur in cooked chicken, especially if it is fried or cooked in high heat.

How do you calculate the calories in a chicken breast?

If you buy packaged raw chicken breast, the label would have the weight and calorie content. If you buy a whole chicken, one way to calculate the calories in the chicken breast is to weigh it raw, and if you do not add much oil or sauces, you know that not many calories are added to the cooked chicken. The cooked chicken breast would weigh less than the raw chicken breast, of course. You could otherwise weigh the cooked chicken breast and calculate the calories based on how you have cooked it. Calorie and complete nutrition information are available on the FoodData Central website of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.