Calories in Chicken Breast and Protein: Raw vs Cooked
How many calories and grams of protein are in chicken breast – per 100 g, per 4 oz and per breast, raw vs cooked, with skin, fried or breaded.
Chicken breast is the classic food for anyone who wants more protein and fewer calories. It’s cheap, easy to cook and goes with almost anything. But the numbers can be confusing: raw or cooked, with or without skin, grilled or fried?
The short answer: 100 g of cooked skinless chicken breast has about 165 calories and 31 g of protein. Raw, the same 100 g has 120 calories and 22.5 g of protein – it’s the same meat, just with more water. A 4 oz cooked portion has about 187 calories and 35 g of protein. Chicken breast is very low in fat; the calories rise with skin, oil, breading and sauces.
Calories and protein in chicken breast by portion
Values for skinless, boneless chicken breast, from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA FoodData Central):
| Portion | Calories | Protein |
|---|---|---|
| 100 g, raw | 120 kcal | 22.5 g |
| 4 oz (113 g), raw | 136 kcal | 25 g |
| 100 g, cooked | 165 kcal | 31 g |
| 3 oz (85 g), cooked | 140 kcal | 26 g |
| 4 oz (113 g), cooked | 187 kcal | 35 g |
| ½ breast, cooked (86 g) | 142 kcal | 27 g |
| 1 cup diced, cooked (140 g) | 231 kcal | 43 g |
| 1 whole breast, raw (8 oz, 225 g) | 270 kcal | 51 g |
Raw vs cooked chicken breast
This is the most common mistake in tracking chicken. When you cook chicken, it loses about 25% of its weight as water – but no calories. So:
- 100 g raw (120 kcal) becomes about 75 g cooked (still about 120 kcal).
- 100 g cooked (165 kcal) started as about 135 g raw.
Tip: weigh chicken raw if you can, and log it as raw. If you only weigh it after cooking, make sure you pick the cooked value – otherwise you’ll undercount by about a third.
Calories by cooking method
| Chicken breast (100 g cooked) | Calories | Fat |
|---|---|---|
| Roasted, grilled or poached, no skin | 165 kcal | 3.6 g |
| Pan-fried in a little oil, no skin | 187 kcal | 4.7 g |
| Roasted, with skin | about 197 kcal | about 7.8 g |
| Breaded or battered and fried, with skin | 260 kcal | 13.2 g |
| Chicken nuggets (fast food) | about 280–300 kcal | about 17–19 g |
| Rotisserie chicken breast, skin eaten | about 190–200 kcal | about 7–8 g |
Skin adds about 20% more calories, mostly fat. Breading and deep-frying add more than 50%, plus carbs. A plain grilled breast with a sauce on the side is the leanest choice.
Chicken breast nutrition facts
| Nutrient | Per 100 g cooked | Per 4 oz cooked (113 g) |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 165 kcal | 187 kcal |
| Protein | 31 g | 35 g |
| Fat | 3.6 g | 4.0 g |
| – saturated | 1.0 g | 1.1 g |
| Carbohydrates | 0 g | 0 g |
| Niacin (vitamin B3) | 13.7 mg | 15.5 mg |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.6 mg | 0.7 mg |
| Selenium | 28 µg | 31 µg |
| Sodium | 74 mg | 84 mg |
About 75–80% of the calories in skinless chicken breast come from protein. It’s also rich in niacin, vitamin B6 and selenium. Watch out for chicken breast “enhanced” with salt water (often labeled as containing a solution of broth or saline) – it can have several times more sodium. Compare it with other options in our list of high protein foods.
Is chicken breast good for weight loss?
Yes – it’s one of the best foods for it. Protein is the most filling nutrient and helps you keep muscle while you eat less. With 31 g of protein for 165 calories, chicken breast gives you a lot of protein for few calories.
What can ruin it:
- Breading, deep-frying and skin
- Creamy sauces, cheese and lots of oil
- Huge portions – some store breasts weigh over 12 oz (340 g) raw, about 400 calories
A good portion is 4–6 oz cooked (about 190–280 calories) with vegetables and a small serving of carbs. Find out how much protein you need with our protein calculator, and read more about the calorie deficit.
How to cook chicken breast for weight loss
- Grill, bake, poach or air-fry it instead of deep-frying.
- Use spices, herbs, lemon and garlic for flavor instead of creamy sauces.
- Measure the oil – 1 tablespoon adds about 120 calories.
- Don’t overcook it – take it off the heat at 165 °F (74 °C) so it stays juicy.
- Cook a batch for the week – it’s perfect for salads, wraps and bowls.
Count the calories in your chicken breast without guesswork. With NutriSmart, you snap a photo of what you eat, and the app counts your calories, protein, carbs and fat and shows how much you have left for the day. In the food library, you can also see the glycemic index of each food.Get the app free
You can also compare it with chicken thigh and rotisserie chicken. For recipes, see our high protein dinner ideas and our high protein meal plan.
The bottom line
100 g of cooked skinless chicken breast has about 165 calories and 31 g of protein; 100 g raw has 120 calories and 22.5 g of protein. Always log the version you weighed. Chicken breast is one of the leanest protein sources there is – keep it that way by grilling or baking it and going easy on skin, breading and sauces.
FAQ
How many calories are in a chicken breast?
A typical boneless, skinless chicken breast weighs about 6–10 oz (170–280 g) raw and has about 205–335 calories. Cooked, the same breast weighs about a quarter less but has the same calories. Half a cooked breast (86 g) has about 142 calories.
How many calories are in 100 g of chicken breast?
Raw skinless chicken breast has about 120 calories per 100 g with 22.5 g of protein. Cooked (roasted or grilled), it has about 165 calories per 100 g with 31 g of protein, because it has lost water.
How much protein is in a chicken breast?
About 31 g of protein per 100 g of cooked breast, or 22.5 g per 100 g raw. A 4 oz cooked portion (113 g) has about 35 g of protein, and a whole medium breast about 45–55 g.
Should I weigh chicken raw or cooked?
Raw is more accurate, because cooked chicken can lose more or less water. If you weigh it cooked, use the cooked value. As a rule of thumb, 100 g of raw chicken breast becomes about 75 g cooked.
How many calories does the skin add?
Roasted chicken breast with the skin has about 197 calories per 100 g, compared with 165 without – about 20% more, mostly from fat. Breaded and fried breast with skin has about 260 calories per 100 g.
Is chicken breast good for weight loss?
Yes. It's one of the leanest protein sources: over 75% of its calories come from protein, which keeps you full and protects your muscles while you lose weight. Keep it lean by grilling, baking or poaching it and watching sauces and breading.
