Chicken is a popular option when it comes to lean protein, as it packs a considerable amount into a single serving without a lot of fat.
Plus, it’s easy to cook at home and available in most restaurants. Chicken dishes can be found on just about any menu, no matter what type of cuisine you’re eating.
But you may wonder exactly how many calories are in that chicken on your plate.
Chicken comes in many cuts, including breasts, thighs, wings and drumsticks. Each cut contains a different number of calories and a different proportion of protein to fat.
Here are the calorie counts for the most popular cuts of chicken.
Calories in ChickenShare on Pinterest

Chicken Breast: 284 Calories

Chicken breast is one of the most popular cuts of chicken. It’s high in protein and low in fat, making it an excellent choice for people trying to lose weight.
One skinless, boneless, cooked chicken breast (172 grams) has the following nutrition breakdown (1):
  • Calories: 284
  • Protein: 53.4 grams
  • Carbs: 0 grams
  • Fat: 6.2 grams
A 3.5-ounce (100-gram) serving of chicken breast provides 165 calories, 31 grams of protein and 3.6 grams of fat (1).
That means that approximately 80% of the calories in chicken breast come from protein, and 20% come from fat.
Keep in mind that these amounts refer to a plain chicken breast with no added ingredients. Once you start cooking it in oil or adding marinades or sauces, you increase the total calories, carbs and fat.
SUMMARYChicken breast is a low-fat source of protein that contains zero carbs. One chicken breast has 284 calories, or 165 calories per 3.5 ounces (100 grams). About 80% of the calories come from protein while 20% come from fat.

Chicken Thigh: 109 Calories

Chicken thigh is slightly more tender and flavorful than chicken breast due to its higher fat content.
One skinless, boneless, cooked chicken thigh (52 grams) contains (2):
  • Calories: 109
  • Protein: 13.5 grams
  • Carbs: 0 grams
  • Fat: 5.7 grams
A 3.5-ounce (100-gram) serving of chicken thigh provides 209 calories, 26 grams of protein and 10.9 grams of fat (2).
Thus, 53% of the calories come from protein, while 47% come from fat.
Chicken thighs are often cheaper than chicken breasts, making them a good choice for anyone on a budget.
SUMMARYOne chicken thigh contains 109 calories, or 209 calories per 3.5 ounces (100 grams). It’s 53% protein and 47% fat.

Chicken Wing: 43 Calories

When you think about healthy cuts of chicken, chicken wings probably don’t come to mind.
However, as long as they’re not covered in breading or sauce and deep-fried, they can easily fit into a healthy diet.
One skinless, boneless chicken wing (21 grams) contains (3):
  • Calories: 42.6
  • Protein: 6.4 grams
  • Carbs: 0 grams
  • Fat: 1.7 grams
Per 3.5 ounces (100 grams), chicken wings provide 203 calories, 30.5 grams of protein and 8.1 grams of fat (3).
This means that 64% of the calories come from protein and 36% from fat.
SUMMARYOne chicken wing has 43 calories, or 203 calories per 3.5 ounces (100 grams). It’s 64% protein and 36% fat.

Chicken Drumstick: 76 Calories

Chicken legs are made up of two parts — the thigh and the drumstick. The drumstick is the lower portion of the leg.
One skinless, boneless chicken drumstick (44 grams) contains (4):
  • Calories: 76
  • Protein: 12.4 grams
  • Carbs: 0 grams
  • Fat: 2.5 grams
Per 3.5 ounces (100 grams), chicken drumsticks have 172 calories, 28.3 grams of protein and 5.7 grams of fat (4).
When it comes to calorie count, about 70% come from protein while 30% come from fat.
SUMMARYOne chicken drumstick has 76 calories, or 172 calories per 3.5 ounces (100 grams). It’s 70% protein and 30% fat.

Other Cuts of Chicken

Though breast, thighs, wings and drumsticks are the most popular cuts of chicken, there are several others to choose from.
Here are the calories in some other cuts of chicken (5, 6, 7, 8):
  • Chicken tenders: 263 calories per 3.5 ounces (100 grams)
  • Back: 137 calories per 3.5 ounces (100 grams)
  • Dark meat: 125 calories per 3.5 ounces (100 grams)
  • Light meat: 114 calories per 3.5 ounces (100 grams)
SUMMARYThe number of calories in various cuts of chicken varies. Light meat has the lowest number of calories while chicken tenders have the highest.

Chicken Skin Adds Calories

While a skinless chicken breast is 284 calories with 80% protein and 20% fat, those numbers dramatically shift when you include the skin (1).
One boneless, cooked chicken breast with skin (196 grams) contains (9):
  • Calories: 386
  • Protein: 58.4 grams
  • Fat: 15.2 grams
In a chicken breast with skin, 50% of the calories come from protein, while 50% come from fat. Additionally, eating the skin adds nearly 100 calories (9).
Similarly, one chicken wing with skin (34 grams) has 99 calories, compared to 42 calories in a skinless wing (21 grams). Thus, 60% of the calories in chicken wings with skin come from fat, compared to 36% in a wing without skin (3, 10).
So if you’re watching your weight or your fat intake, eat your chicken without the skin to minimize calories and fat.
SUMMARYEating chicken with the skin adds a significant amount of calories and fat. Take the skin off before eating to reduce calories.

How You Cook Your Chicken Matters

Chicken meat alone is relatively low in calories and fat compared to other meats. But once you start adding oil, sauce, batter and breading, the calories can add up.
For example, a skinless, boneless, cooked chicken thigh (52 grams) contains 109 calories and 5.7 grams of fat (2).
But that same chicken thigh fried in batter packs 144 calories and 8.6 grams of fat. A chicken thigh fried in a flour coating contains even more — 162 calories and 9.3 grams of fat (11, 12).
Similarly, one boneless, skinless chicken wing (21 grams) has 43 calories and 1.7 grams of fat (3).
However, a chicken wing glazed in barbecue sauce provides 61 calories and 3.7 grams of fat. That’s comparable to a wing fried in a flour coating, which has 61 calories and 4.2 grams of fat (13, 14).
Therefore, cooking methods that add little fat, such as poaching, roasting, grilling and steaming, are your best bet for keeping the calorie count low.
SUMMARYCooking methods, such as frying in breading and coating the meat in sauce, can add more than a few calories to your healthy chicken. For a low-calorie option, stick with baked or grilled chicken.

The Bottom Line

Chicken is a popular meat, and most cuts are low in calories and fat while providing ample protein.
Here are the calorie counts of the most common cuts of boneless, skinless chicken per 3.5-ounce (100-gram) serving:
  • Chicken breast: 165 calories
  • Chicken thigh: 209 calories
  • Chicken wing: 203 calories
  • Chicken drumstick: 172 calories
Note that eating the skin or using unhealthy cooking methods adds calories.

chicken 2019,chicken recipes 2019,soup recipes 2019,chicken soup recipe 2019,rice recipes 2019,butter chicken recipe 2019,fried chicken recipe 2019,chinese recipes 2019,boneless chicken recipes 2019,chilli chicken 2019,roast chicken recipe 2019,pakistani recipes 2019,roast chicken 2019,fried chicken 2019,pork 2019,beef 2019,chicken korma 2019,protein in chicken 2019,protein 2019,high protein foods 2019,high protein diet 2019,lean protein 2019,good sources of protein 2019,meat protein 2019,protein in chicken breast 2019,100 gm chicken protein 2019,protein in 100g chicken 2019,100 grams of chicken 2019,100 gram chicken protein 2019,chicken protein meals 2019,chicken have protein 2019,roast chicken 2019,high protein chicken meals 2019,chicken and protein 2019,chicken lean meat 2019,protein in 4 oz chicken 2019,chicken nutrition content 2019,nutritional value of chicken breast 2019,protein quantity in chicken 2019,chicken cutlet protein 2019,chicken breast protein content 2019,does chicken have protein 2019,nutritional value of chicken meat 2019,protein in 3 oz chicken 2019,protein in cooked chicken breast 2019,1 kg chicken protein 2019,does steak or chicken have more protein 2019,easy chicken recipes 2019,chicken breast recipes 2019,chicken dishe 2019,chicken breast 2019,best chicken recipes 2019,chicken casserole 2019,chicken salad recipe 2019,chicken recipes for dinner 2019,chicken curry recipe 2019,baked chicken recipes 2019,chicken spaghetti 2019,baked chicken 2019,healthy chicken recipes 2019,quick chicken recipes 2019,chicken marsala 2019,simple chicken recipes 2019,lemon chicken 2019,chicken pasta recipes 2019,grilled chicken recipes 2019,chicken stew 2019,lemon chicken recipe 2019,chicken wings recipe 2019,chicken dinner 2019,chicken pie recipe 2019,chicken stew recipe 2019,quick and easy chicken recipes 2019,chicken cutlet recipes 2019,chicken spaghetti recipe 2019,curry recipe 2019,chicken fillet recipes 2019,chicken pasta 2019,chicken drumstick recipes 2019,orange chicken recipe 2019,chicken chili recipe 2019,bbq chicken recipe 2019,chinese chicken recipes 2019,stuffed chicken 2019,indian chicken recipes 2019,chicken fingers 2019,stuffed chicken recipes 2019,new chicken recipes 2019,creamy chicken recipes 2019,spicy chicken 2019,breaded chicken recipes 2019,chicken noodles 2019,how to cook chicken 2019,chicken hatchery 2019,chicken food 2019,chicken rice recipe 2019,chicken salad 2019,chicken lasagna recipe 2019,grilled chicken 2019,chicken parmesan 2019,chicken pictures 2019,chicken egg 2019,rotisserie chicken 2019,chicken pie 2019,chicken rice 2019,chicken breeds 2019,chicken drumsticks 2019,chicken cordon bleu 2019,chicken marinade 2019,garlic chicken 2019,chicken thighs 2019,chicken gravy 2019,orange chicken 2019,chicken wings 2019,chicken legs 2019,chicken chicken 2019,mcchicken meal 2019,crock pot recipes 2019,chicken enchiladas 2019,chicken enchilada recipe 2019,baked chicken breast 2019,chicken thigh recipes 2019,chicken casserole recipes 2019,good chicken recipes 2019,chicken meals 2019,casserole recipes 2019,chicken dinner ideas 2019,chicken parmesan recipe 2019,chicken and rice recipe 2019,chicken alfredo recipe 2019,easy chicken breast recipes 2019,tasty chicken recipes 2019,slow cooker chicken recipes 2019,crockpot chicken recipes 2019,leftover chicken recipes 2019,baked chicken breast recipes 2019,chicken marsala recipe 2019,easy chicken recipes for dinner 2019,boneless chicken breast recipes 2019,stir fry recipe 2019,teriyaki chicken recipe 2019,healthy chicken breast recipes 2019,chicken and pasta recipes 2019,chicken leg recipes 2019,rotisserie chicken recipes 2019,chicken recipe ideas 2019,delicious chicken recipes 2019,chicken dish recipes 2019,easy chicken dinners 2019,easy chicken dishes 2019,easy baked chicken recipes 2019,chicken tender recipes 2019,mexican chicken recipes 2019,poultry recipes 2019,chicken recipes for kids 2019,cooked chicken recipes 2019,italian chicken recipes 2019,yummy chicken recipes 2019,quick easy chicken recipes 2019,chicken cookbook 2019,chicken ideas 2019,low fat chicken recipes 2019,fast chicken recipes 2019,best chicken dishes 2019,easy healthy chicken recipes 2019,honey chicken recipe 2019,easy chicken thigh recipes 2019,chicken dishes for dinner 2019,top chicken recipes 2019,chicken breast dishes 2019,stuffed chicken breast 2019,barbecue chicken recipe 2019,amazing chicken recipes 2019,easy chicken 2019,chicken coups 2019,best chicken 2019,quick chicken dishes 2019,poultry dishes 2019,chicken menu 2019,simple chicken dishes 2019,good chicken dishes 2019,best chicken dinner recipes 2019,chicken and 2019,quick meals with chicken 2019,easy baked chicken 2019,easy to make chicken recipes 2019,chicken food recipes 2019,all chicken recipes 2019,chicken ingredients 2019,easy to cook chicken recipes 2019,chicken entrees 2019,recipes to make with chicken 2019,list of chicken dishes 2019,light chicken recipes 2019,best chicken dinners 2019,chicken meal ideas 2019,chicken based recipes 2019,yummy chicken dishes 2019,easy delicious chicken recipes 2019,chicken special dish 2019,dishes to make with chicken 2019,pet chicken 2019,delicious chicken dishes 2019,most popular chicken recipes 2019,easy chicken dish recipes 2019,buy chickens 2019,recipes made with chicken 2019,raising chickens 2019,easy to cook chicken dishes 2019,chicken and rice 2019,backyard chickens 2019,dishes made with chicken 2019,chicken entree recipes 2019,stuffed chicken breast recipes 2019,latest chicken recipe 2019,recipe chicken recipe 2019,chicken menu ideas 2019,bourbon chicken recipe 2019,chicken and dumplings 2019,whole chicken 2019,chicken based meals 2019,chicken cacciatore recipe 2019,chicken dishes to make 2019,all chicken dishes 2019,nice chicken 2019,chicken cacciatore 2019,oven baked chicken 2019,give me a recipe for chicken 2019,chicken platter recipe 2019,chicken dishes menu 2019,chicken marinade recipes 2019,chicken recipe chicken recipe 2019,home chicken recipes 2019,new easy chicken recipes 2019,chicken food dishes 2019,chicken cuisine recipes 2019,new chicken dish 2019,poultry coop 2019,chicken dishes for lunch 2019,best chicken recipe ever 2019,chicken recipes free 2019,homemade chicken recipes 2019,top chicken recipes for dinner 2019,most delicious chicken recipe 2019,nice chicken recipes 2019,various chicken dishes 2019,cooking with 2019,simple delicious chicken recipes 2019,poultry meal 2019,what dishes to make with chicken 2019,how to make chicken recipe 2019,chikn 2019,www chicken recipes 2019,chikan recipe 2019,chicken all dishes 2019,chicken chicken recipe 2019,chicken r 2019,how to make chicken dishes 2019,ch chicken 2019,google chicken recipes 2019,chicken recipes for supper 2019,how to cook chicken recipe 2019,in the chicken 2019,easy chicken recipe ideas 2019,chikan recipi 2019,chicken cooker 2019,allrecipes chicken 2019,different types of chicken recipes 2019,chicken with 2019,ingredients for cooking chicken 2019,where are chickens from 2019,recipi of chicken 2019,best chicken dish ever 2019,resepi chicken 2019,the recipe of chicken 2019,different chicken recipes 2019,special chicken recipe 2019,cooker chicken 2019,interesting chicken recipes 2019,how to make a chicken dinner 2019,what to make woth chicken 2019,chicken dishes for dinner recipe 2019,how to make chiken 2019,about chicken 2019,r chicken 2019,best quick and easy chicken recipes 2019,chickenz 2019,chicken and chicken 2019,chicken afritada 2019