How Many Calories in Chicken Breast? Official USDA Numbers
Cooked skinless chicken breast is 165 calories per 100g with 31g of protein, by USDA data, the benchmark protein food. Per-portion math, why the pan changes everything, and an FAQ.
Cooked skinless, boneless chicken breast is 165 calories per 100 grams with 31 grams of protein, by USDA FoodData Central data, which makes it the benchmark every other protein source gets measured against: three-quarters of its calories are protein. A typical cooked half-breast portion (86g in USDA's own portion system) is about 142 calories and 27g of protein. The numbers people actually eat vary for two reasons only: the piece's size, and what the pan or marinade added, and the second one is where most logs go wrong.
Official USDA numbers
| Portion (cooked, roasted, skinless) | Calories | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Per 100g | 165 | 31.0g | 3.6g | 0g |
| USDA half-breast portion (86g) | 142 | 26.7g | 3.1g | 0g |
| A larger 150g portion | 248 | 46.5g | 5.4g | 0g |
| A 200g portion | 330 | 62.0g | 7.1g | 0g |
Zero carbs, minimal fat, maximal protein: this is what "lean" means numerically. For scale against the protein targets in How to Track Macros: a 154g daily protein target is about 500g of cooked chicken breast if you insisted on getting it all from one food, roughly 820 calories, which is why chicken-and-rice diets work on paper and get boring in practice.
Chicken math in real meals
- The gym plate: USDA half-breast (142) + cup of white rice (205, rice numbers) = 347 calories, 31g protein
- A big grilled breast with vegetables: 200g portion (330) + fajita-style veggies = an honest ~400-calorie dinner at 60g protein
- Chicken salad: the chicken is 142 to 248; the dressing decides the meal. Two tablespoons of ranch can outweigh half the chicken.
- Breaded and fried: no longer this food. Breading plus frying oil routinely doubles the number, which is why the Chick-fil-A grilled-versus-fried gap exists on every menu.
Raw versus cooked, and the pan problem
Two logging traps cover most chicken errors. First, raw weight versus cooked: chicken loses roughly a quarter of its weight in water as it cooks, so 100g raw does not equal 100g cooked; log cooked amounts for cooked food, or log consistently one way. Second, the preparation: the USDA figure is roasted meat, no added fat. Oil in the pan, butter finishing, skin left on, or a sweet marinade all add real calories that no chicken lookup will show, the invisible-fat problem from Common Food Logging Mistakes.
Both traps dissolve when the log is a description instead of a lookup: "grilled chicken breast, big one, cooked in olive oil, with rice" tells the estimate everything the table cannot. That sentence is a complete log in Nouri, itemized so the oil is a visible line. Nouri is iPhone (iOS only), and you can try it free.
FAQ
How many calories in 100g of chicken breast?
165 cooked (roasted, skinless, boneless), with 31g of protein, per USDA.
How many calories in a whole chicken breast?
Depends on its size: USDA's half-breast portion is 86g cooked at 142 calories; large modern breasts commonly run 150 to 250g cooked, so 250 to 400 calories. Weigh once to learn your usual, then describe consistently.
How much protein is in chicken breast?
31g per 100g cooked, about 27g in USDA's half-breast portion. It is among the best protein-per-calorie whole foods there is.
How many calories in grilled versus fried chicken breast?
Grilled tracks the USDA number plus any oil used; breading and frying routinely double the total. The bird is the same; the coating and the fryer are the difference.
Are chicken thighs more calories than breast?
Yes, thigh meat carries more fat and runs meaningfully higher per gram; breast is the lean benchmark. If you eat thighs, log thighs, the difference is real.
How many calories in raw chicken breast?
USDA lists raw separately, but the practical rule matters more: cooked meat is denser than raw because water leaves in cooking. Log the state you ate.
Does removing the skin matter?
Substantially: the skin is where much of a bird's fat lives. The 165/100g figure is skinless; skin-on is a different, higher food.
How many calories in a chicken breast sandwich?
The chicken might be the smallest number in it: bread, mayo, and cheese stack on top. Compare the 550-calorie fast-food versions with the 165/100g meat and you can see where the rest lives.
Is chicken breast good for weight loss?
It is close to the ideal deficit food: maximal protein per calorie, zero carbs, highly satiating. Pair it with honest portion logging and it anchors the protein-first approach.
How do I estimate a portion without a scale?
Learn your usual once, then describe consistently: "small breast," "big breast," "two thin cutlets." Consistent words produce consistent estimates, which is what the trend needs.
How many calories in rotisserie chicken breast?
Comparable to roasted if you skip the skin; with skin and the seasoning rub it runs higher. "Rotisserie chicken breast, no skin" is the honest log.
Why does my chicken have more calories than the app says?
Almost always the preparation: oil, butter, marinade, or skin. The lookup number is plain roasted meat; your kitchen probably was not plain. Say the preparation in the log.
Describe the piece and the pan, then log the plate as one sentence in Nouri. Foundations in Calorie Counting 101.
Sources
- USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy: Chicken, broilers or fryers, breast, meat only, cooked, roasted (FDC 171477), including USDA's half-breast portion weight, fdc.nal.usda.gov (checked September 26, 2026)
- Larger-portion rows computed from the USDA per-100g figure; values rounded
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