Chicken breast is one of the most popular lean protein options. It’s versatile, easy to cook, and a great source of protein. But when watching your calories, it’s important to know exactly how many calories are in a chicken breast. In this article, we’ll take a detailed look at the calories and nutrition facts for a 6 ounce chicken breast.
Calorie Count for 6 Ounces of Chicken Breast
According to the USDA, a 6 ounce boneless, skinless chicken breast contains
- 276 calories
- 5.95g of fat
- 0g of carbs
- 51.68g of protein
So in a 6 ounce portion, over three-quarters of the calories come from protein. This makes chicken breast an excellent choice if you’re looking to boost your protein intake while minimizing calories.
Chicken breast has a relatively low calorie density, meaning there are fewer calories relative to the weight and volume of food. Foods with low calorie density, like chicken breast, vegetables, and fruits, are great options for managing your weight.
Calorie Differences Between Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
There can be slight differences in calories for chicken breast depending on whether the skin is removed and whether the breast contains bones.
Here’s a comparison of common chicken breast servings
- 1 ounce boneless, cooked, skinless: 46 calories
- 1 ounce boneless, cooked (skin removed): 43 calories
- 1 ounce boneless, raw, without skin (yield after cooking): 30 calories
- 1 ounce with bone, cooked (bone and skin removed): 34 calories
- 1 ounce with bone, cooked without skin (bone removed): 38 calories
As you can see, a boneless, skinless breast has the fewest calories. Leaving the skin on adds about 3 calories per ounce, while leaving the bone in adds 4-8 calories per ounce.
So if you’re aiming for maximum nutrition with minimum calories, go for boneless and skinless whenever possible.
Nutrition Facts for 6 Ounces of Chicken Breast
In addition to protein and calories, chicken breast contains a variety of vitamins and minerals:
- Fat: 5.95g total fat, 1.68g saturated fat
- Cholesterol: 141mg
- Sodium: 665mg
- Potassium: 427mg
- Calcium: 25mg (2% DV)
- Iron: 1.73mg (10% DV)
- Vitamin A: 10mcg (1% DV)
Chicken breast is an excellent source of lean protein and contains essential vitamins and minerals like niacin, selenium, vitamin B6 and phosphorus. It’s also a good source of choline, an important nutrient for liver and brain health.
Skinless chicken breast is relatively low in fat, especially saturated fat. Removing the skin helps reduce the total fat and calorie content.
Comparing Calories in Chicken Breast to Other Proteins
How does chicken breast compare to other high protein foods in terms of calories?
- 6 ounces salmon: 362 calories
- 6 ounces pork tenderloin: 210 calories
- 6 ounces 90% lean ground beef: 314 calories
- 6 ounces tilapia: 144 calories
- 6 ounces tuna: 184 calories
- 6 ounces shrimp: 102 calories
- 6 ounces tempeh: 222 calories
So chicken breast sits right in the middle calorie-wise. It has slightly more calories than the fish options but fewer calories than fattier cuts of meat.
Chicken and other lean proteins like seafood, eggs, and legumes are great for building muscle, staying full between meals, and maintaining energy levels.
Cooking Methods and Calorie Changes
The basic nutrition facts discussed so far are for a plain, roasted chicken breast. But different cooking methods can alter the calories:
- Grilled: Minimal effect on calories
- Baked: Minimal effect on calories
- Fried or breaded: Adds 70-120 calories per serving
- Roasted with oil: Adds about 50 calories per TBSP of oil
- Simmered in sauce or soup: Depends on ingredients; cream-based sauces add more
Grilling, baking, poaching, or roasting without oil are the best low-cal cooking methods. But even fried chicken or chicken dishes like chicken parmesan can fit into a healthy diet in moderation. Just be mindful of added oils, coatings, and high-calorie sauces.
Tips for Preparing Low-Calorie Chicken Breasts
Here are some simple tips for keeping chicken breast low in calories:
- Remove the skin before cooking to reduce fat and calories
- Use healthier cooking methods like grilling, baking or poaching
- Avoid frying or breading chicken to minimize added calories
- Limit high-calorie sauces and opt for lighter options like salsa or mustard
- Pair chicken with non-starchy veggies for added bulk and nutrients
- Spice it up with herbs, lemon, garlic, pepper instead of fatty sauces
- Measure portions since it’s easy to overeat lean protein
- Make big batch and refrigerate or freeze for easy weeknight meals
With a little creativity, chicken breast can be transformed into dozens of delicious low-calorie meals that will help you reach your health goals.
Common Questions about Chicken Breast Calories
Here are answers to some common questions about the calories in chicken breasts:
How many calories in baked chicken breast?
Plain baked chicken breast has about the same calories as roasted – around 46 calories per ounce. The calories can increase depending on any oil, breading or sauce added.
How many calories in 1 grilled chicken breast?
There are typically 140-170 calories in a small grilled boneless, skinless chicken breast (4-5 oz). A medium breast is around 210-230 calories.
How many calories in rotisserie chicken breast?
Rotisserie chicken tends to be slightly higher in fat so rotisserie chicken breast has about 50-70 calories per ounce. A 6 oz portion would have 300-400 calories.
What is the lowest calorie part of a chicken?
The chicken breast is the leanest part of the chicken, so breast meat without skin is your best bet for minimizing calories.
Can I eat chicken breast everyday and lose weight?
Yes, as long as it fits within your calorie goals for weight loss. Chicken breast is a versatile lean protein that promotes satiety, making it a smart choice for frequent meals.
The Bottom Line
How long to Bake Chicken
The key to getting that tender juicy chicken is all in the baking!
Chicken breast should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165˚F. Once it starts getting hotter, it will start getting more tough and chewy.
This is why I recommend cooking with thin chicken breasts. It allows the chicken to come to the temperature more quickly. When you have thicker (or even normal sized) chicken breasts the outside has to cook longer for the middle to be done.
The best way to get perfect chicken is to use a food thermometer. You can get them inexpensively at most super stores, grocery chains, and even amazon. If you don’t have (or want) one, you can still do it without, you just need to keep an eye on it to make sure you don’t over cook it.
Depending on the size of your oven, how it is powered, and the climate and altitude you live at, as well as the thickness of your chicken breast, the cooking time can change. I will share some best practices though to get you started.
I cook this dish on the middle rack of my oven at 350˚F uncovered. It generally takes about 35 minutes to be done.
This can range from 30-40 on average. The only way to know exactly when it is done, is with a food thermometer, but you can cut in the middle and check to see if it is done if you don’t have one.
I always encourage you to make the recipe as written first. However if you love this recipe and want to mix it up a bit, you can try these fun twists on this chicken bake.
- Skinny Million Dollar Chicken Bake- Substitute light cream cheese, light mayo and reduce the colby jack cheese mixed in by 1/2 cup. This will reduce the calorie and fat content in the dish.
- Ranch Chicken Bake- Mix 1 tbsp ranch mix into the cream cheese mixture for a fun new flavor combo!
- Spinach & Chicken Bake- Mix 12 oz frozen spinach that has been thawed with extra moisture squeezed out, into the cream cheese mixture.
- Million Dollar Baked Chicken and Potatoes- Use a larger baking dish and place baby red or gold potatoes that have been cut in half and tossed in olive oil, salt and garlic powder around the chicken. You must use small potatoes for them to cook at the same rate as the chicken.
If you are cooking for someone with special dietary needs, this dish meets some requirements and can be easily modified for others.
Remember the notes below serve as general guidelines, but you should verify any store bought ingredients for compliance with your dietary needs.
- Gluten Free- This recipe is naturally gluten free
- Nut Free- This recipe is naturally nut free
- Low Carb/Keto- This recipe is low carb with only 2g net carbs per serving and friendly for the Keto diet.
- Egg free- If you would like to make this dish egg free, you can use sour cream in place of the mayonnaise in the recipe, or use vegan mayo.
- Macro Friendly- If you would like to incorporate this recipe into your macros it has approx 2g carbs, 45g protein, and 35g fat per serving.
❄️ Freezer Meal Instructions
If you want to prepare the Million Dollar Chicken for another night, you can prep it as a freezer meal. It can be prepared and frozen for up to 3 months.
- Lay the chicken flat in a baking dish or freezer friendly container.
- Combine the cream cheese, mayo, bacon crumbles, 1/2 colby jack cheese, and green onions and mix to combine.
- Spread the mixture over the chicken breast and freeze. Extra cheese and bacon for topping can be frozen separately.
- Once ready to make, thaw for 24-48 hours in the refrigerator.
- Add remaining cheese to top and bake as directed.
If you have any of this delicious chicken bake leftover, then you are in luck! Package it up and place it in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to a month.
- Million Dollar Chicken Grilled Sandwiches– Slice the leftover chicken and place between to slices of good white bread. Spread the creamy topping on one side of the bread, add fresh spinach leaves and close the sandwich. Grill the sandwich in a buttered skillet over medium heat on each side until golden.
- Baked Chicken Stuffed Peppers– Chop the leftovers of the millionaire chicken. Mix equal parts chicken with prepared rice. Stuff the mixture into bell pepper halves with the seeds and ribs removed. Top with extra cheese. Bake in a large baking dish covered for 25-35 minutes or until the peppers are tender and the filling is heated through.
- Million Dollar Chicken Stuffed Baked Potatoes- Prepare baked potatoes. Split open and season with salt and pepper. Chop leftover million dollar chicken and stuff inside the potato. Top with cheese and extra bacon and bake for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese on top is melted and the filling is heated through. Top with sour cream and extra bacon and green onions.
- Million Dollar Chicken Rice (or Cauli Rice) Bowls– Prepare rice or cauliflower rice. Chop and reheat leftover chicken. Pile in on one side of the bowl. Place your choice of chopped spinach, diced sweet red bell pepper, black beans and additional chopped green onions, around the bowl. Drizzle with ranch dressing and enjoy!