How Many Calories Are in 120 Grams of Chicken Breast? A Detailed Look
Chicken breast is one of the most popular lean protein choices among health-conscious eaters and dieters. With its low fat content, high protein, and versatility, it’s easy to see why it’s a staple ingredient for many. But how many calories are actually in a 120 gram serving of chicken breast? In this article, we’ll take a detailed look at the calorie and nutrient content of 120 grams of this popular poultry cut.
Calories and Macronutrients
According to the USDA, 120 grams of raw, boneless, skinless chicken breast contains:
- 132 calories
- 27 g protein
- 1.5 g fat
- 0 g carbs
So the macronutrient breakdown is 0% carbs, 11% fat, and 89% protein. This makes chicken breast an excellent source of lean protein while still being low in calories and fat.
The protein content is especially remarkable – 120 grams provides over half of the recommended daily intake. High protein foods help with building muscle, controlling appetite and weight management.
Meanwhile the minimal carbs and fat mean chicken breast can easily fit into low carb, keto, paleo and other diets focused on reducing these macronutrients.
Vitamins and Minerals
In addition to protein that 120 gram chicken breast serving also contains
- 13% DV calcium
- 5% DV iron
- 7% DV potassium
- 75% DV vitamin B6
- 50% DV selenium
So it provides excellent amounts of the minerals calcium, iron, potassium and selenium. Vitamin B6 is also present in good quantity – it plays a role in over 100 enzyme reactions in the body.
Overall, the vitamin and mineral content provides health benefits and makes chicken breast more nutritious than many other protein choices.
Comparing Raw and Cooked
The nutrition information above is for raw chicken breast. But how does cooking affect the calories and nutrients?
Cooked chicken breast contains slightly fewer calories and protein per 120 grams compared to raw. This is due to water loss during the cooking process.
For example, 120 grams of roasted, boneless, skinless chicken breast has about:
- 128 calories
- 26 g protein
Meanwhile, the mineral and vitamin content remains similar to raw.
So while cooked chicken breast is slightly lower in protein and calories than raw, the difference is small. And the excellent nutrition profile remains after cooking.
Skinless vs. Skin-On
Another factor that affects the nutrition is whether the skin is present or not.
Chicken skin contains more fat than the lean breast meat, so skin-on chicken is higher in both calories and fat:
- 120 grams of skin-on, roasted chicken breast contains 152 calories and 5.4 g fat
Compare this to the 128 calories and 1.7 g fat for skinless roasted chicken breast.
So for lowest calorie and fat content, skinless chicken breast is the better choice. But the skin can be enjoyed in moderation while still keeping calories in a healthy range.
In Recipes and Meals
While we looked at calories and nutrients in 120 grams chicken breast by itself, it’s also useful to consider how it fits into recipes and meals.
Chicken breast is very versatile – it can be baked, grilled, sautéed, roasted, stuffed, added to salads, soups, pasta dishes and more. This makes it easy to incorporate into balanced meals containing protein, carbs and healthy fats.
For example, a 6 ounce chicken breast contains about 190 calories. Pair it with 1/2 cup roasted broccoli and potatoes each (105 calories total) and 1 tsp olive oil (40 calories). This simple meal comes to 445 calories, 40 g protein, over 5 servings vegetables, and a good balance of protein, carbs and fat.
Chicken breast also works great in lighter meals like salads. A serving added to a bed of greens with low calorie dressing makes a nutritious lunch or dinner.
So chicken breast can be prepared in endless healthy and delicious ways, either as the main feature or as part of well-rounded meals.
To summarize key points in this article:
- 120 grams boneless, skinless chicken breast contains 132 calories, 27 g protein, 1.5 g fat, and no carbs
- It’s an excellent source of protein, B vitamins, selenium, and other nutrients
- Cooking causes a minor reduction in protein and calories
- Skin-on chicken has more fat and calories than skinless
- Chicken breast works great in all kinds of healthy recipes and meals
So while calorie and protein content is slightly affected by cooking method and skin, 120 grams of chicken breast is an optimal lean protein choice in a balanced diet. It provides ample nutrition for relatively few calories, keeping you full and fueled. Include it in your weekly meal planning for an easy way to meet your protein needs and support your health goals.
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Why is protein important?
- Meet your daily protein requirements to repair and grow cells. Proteins are made up of building blocks called amino acids that your body uses to make new proteins like muscle, bone, enzymes, and hormones. There are 9 amino acids that your body can’t make alone that need to be included in your diet so your body can function properly.[35]
- Protein is also important for the growth and development of children, teenagers, and people who are pregnant.[36]
- If you’re not eating enough protein, you could be at more risk for injury, weight gain, dry nails, or split ends, and you may feel hungry more frequently.[37]
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StepsSection 1 of 4:
- 1 Add high-quality sources of protein to your meals. Some great, nourishing sources of protein can include lean meats like chicken or fish, eggs, quinoa, beans, and nuts and seeds.[1] Try to include these high-quality protein sources into every meal and snack:
- Animal-derived proteins: 3 oz chicken breast (32 g of protein), 100 g ground turkey (17 g), 100 g ground pork (18 g), 100 g of fish (16 g), 171 g of drained canned tuna (49.8 g), 100 g shrimp (25 g), beef jerky (6 g each), whole eggs (6 g each), 247 g of low-fat milk (8.4 g), Greek yogurt (16 g per 156 g container), and 220 g of low-fat cottage cheese (24 g).[2]
- Plant-based proteins: 100 g of nuts like almonds (21 g of protein) or cashews (17 g), 100 g of chia seeds (16.5 g), 100 g of pumpkin seeds (30 g), 100 g of sunflower seeds (20.8 g), 100 g of lentils (24.6 g), 100 g of black beans (6 g), 100 g canned chickpeas (7 g), 100 g of tofu (18.8 g), 100 g of peanut butter (24 g), and 100 g of oats (17 g).[3]
- 2 Swap out a few lower protein foods for higher protein foods. Eating more protein doesn’t mean you have to change your entire diet. Instead, it may be easier to swap out a few ingredients for foods with a little extra protein. Here are a few easy swaps you can make to include a few extra grams of protein into your diet:[4]
- Regular pasta (6 g of protein per 100 g) for bean and lentil-based pasta (14 g of protein per 100 g)
- Regular yogurt (6 g of protein per 6 oz) for Greek yogurt (17 g of protein per 6 oz)
- White rice (3.5 g of protein per 250 g) for quinoa (8.1 g of protein per 250 g)
- Chicken broth (1 g of protein per 230 g) for bone broth (9 g of protein per 230 g)
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- 3 Consider supplementing your protein intake with powders and bars. Consuming whole foods is generally better for meeting all of your daily nutritional needs, and most people can get enough protein from their diet alone.[5] Instead of using protein supplements like bars or powders as meals, try to use them to get in those last few grams of protein during snack time.
- Mix protein powders into water or low-fat milk as a shake or add them to pancakes, oatmeal, fruit smoothies, or plain yogurt.
- Filling your diet with a variety of protein sources, vegetables, fruits, and grains can help you avoid nutrient deficiencies.[6]
- Try to look for powders and bars with at least 12 g of protein per serving, 200 or fewer calories, 2 grams or less of saturated fat, 5 grams or less of sugar, and no trans fat (partially hydrogenated oils).[7]
- Some studies recommend that protein supplements should only be used to improve professional athletic performance and recovery when you can’t get all the benefits of protein by just eating regular foods.[8]
- 4 Split your protein intake goal into at least 5 meals. Most meals that are considered to be “high-protein” have around 20 to 25 grams on average, which means you’d likely have to split a goal of 120 g of protein into at least 5 meals throughout the day.[9] For example, to eat a total of 120 g of protein a day you may split your protein intake into 4 larger meals with 24 g of protein each and 2 snacks with 12 g of protein each.
- Divide how much protein you’d like to consume each day by the number of meals, including snacks, to ensure that each meal has about 20-25 g of protein.
- If your body takes in more than 40 g of protein in a short period of time, the excess protein may go into fat storage or become waste instead.[10]
- 5 Plan meals in advance to prepare and eat at home. At the beginning of each week, write down each meal you want to make and buy protein-rich ingredients to pack in 20-25 g per meal. Meal planning can help you make healthy nutritious meals and meet your 120 g protein goal consistently each week.[11]
- Consider eating intuitively—try eating an amount of protein, and if it feels good, keep at it. If it doesn’t, consider lowering or increasing your protein intake.[12]
- Keep your caloric goal in mind when planning meals if your goal is to lose weight—each gram of protein is about 4 calories, which means eating 120 g of protein may add 480 calories a day to your diet.
- 6 Use an app to track your protein and other macronutrient intake. Counting your macros can help you make smart, healthy food choices.[13] Try logging the meals you eat on an app like MyFitnessPal or Nutritionix to keep track of your protein, carbohydrate, and fat consumption.
- If your goal is to lose weight, consider tracking your overall calorie intake alongside your protein intake to help you meet both goals.
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FAQ
How many calories are in 120 grams of cooked skinless chicken breast?
1 medium fillet (120 g) of Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast contains 138 calories (kcal), 3.7 g fat, 0.0 g carbs and 26.5 g protein.
How many calories are in 120g grilled chicken?
1 medium fillet (120 g) of Grilled Chicken contains 138 calories (kcal), 3.5 g fat, 0.0 g carbs and 25.4 g protein. prot.
How many calories are in 120g of roasted chicken?
1 medium fillet (120 g) of Roasted Chicken Breast contains 168 calories (kcal), 3.6 g fat, 2.4 g carbs and 31.2 g protein. prot.
How many calories are in 120g of raw chicken breast?
120 grams of chicken breast (Broilers or fryers, meat only, raw) contains 144 Calories The macronutrient breakdown is 0% carbs, 21% fat, and 79% protein. This is a good source of protein (48% of your Daily Value), potassium (9% of your Daily Value), and vitamin b6 (75% of your Daily Value).
How many calories are in a 120 g chicken breast?
One 120g serving of boneless, skinless chicken breast contains 193 calories, 36 grams of protein, 4 grams of fat, and zero carbs, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). How many grams of chicken is 120 calories? 120 grams of skinless chicken breast have 132 calories.
How many calories are in a chicken breast?
One 120g serving of boneless, skinless chicken breast contains 193 calories, 36 grams of protein, 4 grams of fat, and zero carbs, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Jun 7, 2022. How many grams of chicken is 100 calories?
How many calories are in 180 grams of chicken breast?
There are 351 calories in 180 grams of Chicken Breast. Calorie breakdown: 37% fat, 0% carbs, 63% protein. There are 351 calories in 180 grams of Chicken Breast. Get full nutrition facts and other common serving sizes of Chicken Breast including 1 oz of raw and 1 oz of boneless.
How many calories are in 200 grams of chicken breast?
There are 390 calories in 200 grams of Chicken Breast. Calorie breakdown: 37% fat, 0% carbs, 63% protein. There are 390 calories in 200 grams of Chicken Breast. Get full nutrition facts and other common serving sizes of Chicken Breast including 1 oz of raw and 1 oz of boneless.
How many calories are in 120 grams of skinless chicken breast?
120 grams of skinless chicken breast have 132 calories. * The% Daily Value (DV) indicates how much a nutrient contributes to a daily diet in a serving of food. Skinless Chicken Breast. Last updated11 May 20 10:46 PMSourceFatSecret Platform API.
How many calories are in 70g cooked chicken breast?
70 grams of skin-free chicken breast contain 115 calories. * The% Daily Value (DV) indicates how much a nutrient contributes to a daily diet in a serving of food. Other common serving sizes. How much protein is in 100g cooked Chicken Breast?