High-protein foods can help you reach your health and fitness goals, such as building muscle, maintaining muscle and losing fat (1, 2).
However, chicken comes in a variety of cuts, including breasts, thighs, wings and drumsticks. Each cut contains a different amount of protein, fat and calories, so each works best for different purposes.
This article explores how much protein is in different cuts of chicken, including breasts, thighs, wings and drumsticks.
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Amount Per 1 cup, chopped or diced (140 g)
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| Calories 335 |
Chicken Thigh: 15 Grams of Protein
Chicken thigh is another popular cut of meat that is slightly cheaper than chicken breast.
One skinless, boneless, cooked chicken thigh (52 grams) contains 13.5 grams of protein. This is equal to 26 grams of protein per 100 grams (4).
Chicken thighs also have 109 calories per thigh, or 209 calories per 100 grams. 53% of the calories comes from protein, while 47% comes from fat (4).
Interestingly, chicken thighs have a slightly darker color than chicken breast. This is because the chicken’s legs are more active and contain more myoglobin. This molecule helps provide active muscles with oxygen and also makes them redder (5).
Some people find that the darkness of chicken thighs gives them a more succulent taste.
Chicken Drumstick: 14 Grams of Protein
The chicken leg has two parts — the thigh and the drumstick. The drumstick is the lower part of the chicken leg, also known as the calf.
One chicken drumstick without the skin or bones (44 grams) contains 12.4 grams of protein. This is equal to 28.3 grams of protein per 100 grams.
Chicken drumsticks also have 76 calories per drumstick, or 172 calories per 100 grams. 70% of the calories comes from protein, while 30% comes from fat (6).
Most people eat a drumstick with the skin on. A chicken drumstick with the skin on has 112 calories, with 53% of the calories coming from protein and 47% coming from fat (7).
Chicken Breast: 54 Grams of Protein
Chicken breast is one of the most popular cuts of chicken.
A skinless, cooked chicken breast (172 grams) contains 54 grams of protein. This is equal to 31 grams of protein per 100 grams (3).
A chicken breast also has 284 calories, or 165 calories per 100 grams. 80% of the calories comes from protein, while 20% comes from fat (3).
Chicken breast is especially popular among bodybuilders and those who want to lose weight. Its high protein and low calorie contents mean you can eat more chicken without worrying about consuming too many calories.
FAQ
How many calories are in 250 grams of cooked chicken breast?
How many calories are in 250g of Skinless Chicken Breast?
How many calories is 200g chicken breast?
Is 250g of chicken too much?
200g of chicken provides your recommended daily allowance (RDA) of protein: 0.8g per kilo of body weight. “If you’re even slightly deficient in protein you can’t build muscle tissue,” says sports nutritionist Matt Lovell (fourweekfatloss.com).
