How Many Calories Are in 3 Ounces of Chicken? A Detailed Look

Chicken is one of the most popular proteins worldwide. It’s versatile easy to cook and a lean source of protein.

Many people want to know how many calories are in a standard 3 ounce serving of chicken. This guide will provide a detailed breakdown

An Overview of Chicken Calories

The number of calories in chicken depends on a few factors:

• Cut of chicken (breast, thigh, drumstick, wing, etc.)
• Whether it’s boneless and skinless or contains skin and bones
• Cooking method (baked, grilled, fried, etc.)

Chicken breast tends to be the lowest in fat and calories, while chicken thighs and drumsticks are higher due to their fat content both in the skin and meat.

Below are some general calorie counts for different cuts (1):

• 3 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast: 140 calories
• 3 oz chicken thigh with skin: 185 calories
• 3 oz chicken drumstick with skin: 180 calories
• 3 oz chicken wing with skin: 175 calories

As you can see, the boneless, skinless chicken breast contains the fewest calories.

Now let’s take a closer look specifically at chicken breast.

Calories in 3 Ounces of Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast

Chicken breast is one of the most popular cuts of chicken. It’s mild in flavor, lean in fat and contains a high amount of protein.

A 3 ounce serving of boneless, skinless chicken breast contains about:

• 140 calories
• 3 grams fat
• 0 grams carbs
• 26 grams protein (2)

This is for a cooked, boneless and skinless breast. Raw chicken contains a few more calories due to water loss during cooking.

There are 105 calories in 3 ounces of boneless, skinless, cooked chicken breast (3).

So in a nutshell:

There are 105-140 calories in a 3 ounce serving of cooked, boneless, skinless chicken breast.

This calorie count is for breast meat without bones, skin or breading. Let’s look at how other factors raise the calorie count.

Chicken Breast with Bones and Skin

Chicken bones and skin can significantly increase the calorie content:

• Chicken breast with skin: adds around 50 calories (4)
• Chicken breast with bone: adds around 20 calories (4)

So a 3 ounce serving of chicken breast with the skin and bones would contain about 170-190 calories.

Chicken wings are higher in calories than plain breast meat. A typical wing is around 2 ounces and contains 150-170 calories with the skin (5).

For the leanest option, remove the skin and bones before cooking. However, the skin contains most of the fat soluble vitamins and minerals.

Cooking Method Dramatically Impacts Calories

The cooking method you use can greatly change the calorie content of chicken breast.

Baked or grilled chicken breast has the lowest calories, while fried and breaded chicken is much higher.

Here’s an overview of calories in a 3 ounce cooked chicken breast by preparation method (5, 6, 7):

• Grilled: 140 calories
• Baked: 140 calories
• Pan fried: 170 calories
• Fried chicken breast with batter: 250 calories
• Fried chicken breast nuggets: 220 calories

Frying, breading and battering chicken adds a significant amount of calories from the oil, butter or flour used in preparation.

Grilling, baking or poaching chicken keeps the calorie content lowest.

How to Reduce Calories in Chicken Breast

Here are some tips to keep the calories low when preparing chicken breast:

• Remove the skin and bones before cooking
• Opt for breast meat over thighs and wings
• Grill, bake or poach instead of frying
• Avoid breading or battering the chicken
• Use healthier oils like olive or avocado oil instead of butter

Season chicken with herbs, spices, garlic, lemon and other low calorie flavorings instead of high calorie sauces.

Health Benefits of Chicken Breast

Chicken breast is one of the most popular lean proteins for good reason.

Some benefits of chicken breast include:

• High in protein: A 3 ounce serving contains 26 grams protein for muscle maintenance, wound healing and metabolism (2).
• Low in fat and low in calories compared to red meat.
• Provides B vitamins like niacin, vitamin B6 and pantothenic acid.
• Source of the mineral selenium which acts as an antioxidant.
• Contains phosphorus for bone health.
• Easy to add to salads, sandwiches, wraps, soups and curries.

Include baked or grilled chicken breast as part of a healthy diet for a lean protein source that’s lower in saturated fat than red meat. Monitor portion sizes and preparation methods to keep calories in check.

The Bottom Line

A 3 ounce serving of cooked, boneless, skinless chicken breast contains about 105-140 calories depending on cooking method.

Leaving the skin on adds 50 calories. Frying chicken breast rather than grilling can double the calories.

For the leanest option, stick with grilled or baked chicken breast without skin or bones. But even chicken thighs and wings can be enjoyed in moderation as the skin provides fat soluble vitamins.

At only 100-150 calories for a good source of protein, chicken breast is a versatile and lean choice as part of a balanced diet.

A 3-ounce serving of skinless, boneless, grilled chicken breast contains approximately 126 calories.

Meat, poultry and fish