Is Chicken Breast Healthier Than Chicken Thigh?
Short answer: These are roasted, skinless breast and thigh meat. Breast has less fat and more protein per calorie in these records; this does not compare skin-on or fried chicken.
Selected foods: Chicken breast, meat only, roasted and Chicken thigh, meat only, roasted. These specific preparations are compared below.
Nutri-Score: Chicken Breast A, Chicken Thigh A — the same grade overall.
Which to pick for your goal
| If you want | Better pick | The numbers |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer calories | Chicken Breast | 165 kcal vs 179 kcal per 100 g |
| More protein | Chicken Breast | 31 g vs 25 g per 100 g |
| Most protein per calorie | Chicken Breast | 19 g vs 14 g protein per 100 kcal |
| Less saturated fat | Chicken Breast | 1 g vs 2.3 g per 100 g |
| Overall (Nutri-Score) | About the same | both A |
Small differences count as a tie: a few calories or a few tenths of a gram won't change your day.
Nutrition side by side, per 100 g
| Per 100 g | Chicken Breast | Chicken Thigh |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 165 kcal | 179 kcal |
| Protein | 31 g | 25 g |
| Fat | 3.6 g | 8.2 g |
| incl. saturated | 1 g | 2.3 g |
| Total carbohydrates | 0 g | 0 g |
| incl. sugars | 0 g | 0 g |
| incl. fiber | 0 g | 0 g |
| Salt | 0.2 g | 0.3 g |
| Omega-3 | 30 mg EPA+DHA | 10 mg EPA+DHA |
| Nutri-Score | A | A |
Rounded values from exact USDA records (see * Data and sources below). Different brands, cuts and recipes can have different values. Diary food cards and the alternative versions below retain their own typical recipes.
For the same amount: 50 g
| Equal amount | Chicken Breast | Chicken Thigh |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 83 kcal | 90 kcal |
| Protein | 16 g | 12 g |
| incl. saturated | 0.5 g | 1.2 g |
| incl. sugars | 0 g | 0 g |
| incl. fiber | 0 g | 0 g |
In a typical serving
| One serving | Chicken Breast | Chicken Thigh |
|---|---|---|
| Serving | serving, 150 g (5.3 oz) | one, 120 g (4.2 oz) |
| Calories | 248 kcal | 215 kcal |
| Protein | 47 g | 30 g |
| Saturated fat | 1.5 g | 2.8 g |
| Easy walking to burn it* | 81 min | 70 min |
* For a 70 kg (154 lb) person; the app works it out for your weight and your activities.
Portion size usually moves the numbers more than the choice between two similar foods: a heaping serving of the “healthier” one can easily outweigh a modest serving of the other.
Other versions: typical diary estimates
The first two rows repeat the selected USDA records; other rows are typical diary estimates, without an exact source-record match. The cut, fat level or recipe can change the result. Per 100 g:
| Per 100 g | Calories | Protein | Sat. fat | Sugars | Fiber | Nutri-Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken Breast | 165 | 31 g | 1 g | 0 g | 0 g | A |
| Chicken Thigh | 179 | 25 g | 2.3 g | 0 g | 0 g | A |
| Chicken drumstick, roasted | 208 | 26 g | 3.2 g | 0 g | 0 g | A |
| Chicken wings, roasted | 285 | 27 g | 5.5 g | 0 g | 0 g | D |
| Roast turkey | 155 | 29 g | 1.2 g | 0 g | 0 g | A |
*Data and sources
- Chicken, broilers or fryers, breast, meat only, cooked, roasted — USDA FDC 171477 (SR Legacy; published 4/1/2019).
- Chicken, broilers or fryers, thigh, meat only, cooked, roasted — USDA FDC 172388 (SR Legacy; published 4/1/2019).
Retrieved 2 October 2026. USDA composition is per 100 g; drink values per 100 ml use the record’s measured household weight, with the USDA customary cup of 236.6 ml. Displayed cup servings remain 240 ml. Carbohydrate includes fiber on this US site; salt is sodium × 2.5. The food records are historical reference values, not current brand guarantees.
WHO guideline on free sugars: honey, syrups and fruit-juice sugars count as free sugars. WHO guideline on saturated and trans fats: consider replacing saturated fat with unsaturated fat.
FAQ
Which has fewer calories, chicken breast or chicken thigh?
Chicken breast: 165 kcal vs 179 kcal per 100 g. In a typical serving that's 248 kcal for chicken breast (serving, 150 g) and 215 kcal for chicken thigh (one, 120 g).
Is chicken breast or chicken thigh better for weight loss?
No single food makes you gain or lose weight — the day's total does. Gram for gram, chicken breast is the lighter pick (165 kcal vs 179 kcal per 100 g) and has more protein, which help you stay full. The portion usually matters more: a typical serving of chicken breast (serving, 150 g) is 248 kcal, of chicken thigh (one, 120 g) 215 kcal.
Which has more protein, chicken breast or chicken thigh?
Chicken breast: 31 g vs 25 g per 100 g. Per typical serving: 47 g for chicken breast (serving, 150 g) and 30 g for chicken thigh (one, 120 g). Per calorie, chicken breast gives more protein: 19 g vs 14 g protein per 100 kcal.
Which is better for your heart, chicken breast or chicken thigh?
On saturated fat, the nutrient heart-health guidelines ask us to limit, chicken breast comes out ahead: 1 g vs 2.3 g per 100 g.
Does this comparison apply to every brand or recipe?
No. The main table uses the two specific USDA foods named and linked on this page. Fat level, ingredients, trimming, cooking and water content can change the result. Use the same amount for a fair comparison and check the label for the product you actually eat.
Log it and see your day
In Calories Not Count every food gets a Nutri-Score grade, a sugar–salt–fat–fiber traffic light, fair same-calorie swaps and the minutes of movement it costs for your weight and your activities — no scale needed. Goals like lower sugar, more protein or more omega-3 can be set in the diary, and swaps there are ranked for that goal.
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