How Many Calories in Chicken? Breast, Thigh, Wing, and More

The calorie content of chicken depends on the specific cut and how it’s prepared. Still, most common varieties range from about 155 to 203 calories per 3.5-ounce (100-gram) portion.

Chicken is a go-to source of lean protein, delivering a substantial amount of protein per serving with relatively little fat.

It’s simple to prepare at home and is widely available in restaurants. You’ll find chicken dishes across virtually every cuisine.

But you might be curious about exactly how many calories are in the chicken on your plate.

Chicken comes in several cuts — breasts, thighs, wings, and drumsticks — and each cut has a distinct calorie count and a different protein-to-fat ratio.

Below are the calorie figures for the most commonly eaten cuts of chicken.

Chicken breast: 284 calories

Chicken breast is among the most favored cuts. It’s high in protein and low in fat, making it a solid pick for those watching their weight.

One cooked, skinless, boneless chicken breast (172 g) has the following nutrient profile:

• Calories: 284
• Protein: 53.4 g
• Carbs: 0 g
• Fat: 6.2 g

A 3.5-oz. (100-g) portion of chicken breast supplies about 165 calories, 31 g of protein, and 3.6 g of fat. That works out to roughly 80% of calories from protein and 20% from fat.

Keep in mind these values are for plain chicken breast without added ingredients. Cooking with oil or applying marinades and sauces will raise the total calories, carbs, and fat.

Chicken thigh: 208 calories

Chicken thigh tends to be juicier and more flavorful than breast because it contains more fat.

One cooked, skinless, boneless chicken thigh (116 g) provides:

• Calories: 208
• Protein: 28.8 g
• Carbs: 0 g
• Fat: 9.5 g

Per 3.5 oz. (100 g), chicken thigh contains about 179 calories, 24.8 g of protein, and 8.2 g of fat. About 55% of its calories are from protein and 45% from fat.

Chicken wing: 43 calories

Chicken wings might not immediately seem like a light choice, but when they’re not battered, sauced, or deep-fried, they can fit into a healthy eating plan.

One skinless, boneless chicken wing (21 g) contains:

• Calories: 43
• Protein: 6.4 g
• Carbs: 0 g
• Fat: 1.7 g

On a 3.5-oz. (100 g) basis, wings deliver 203 calories, 30.5 g of protein, and 8.1 g of fat. That equates to about 64% of calories from protein and 36% from fat.

Chicken drumstick: 149 calories

The chicken leg is composed of two parts: the thigh and the drumstick. The drumstick is the lower segment of the leg.

One cooked, skinless, boneless chicken drumstick (96 g) contains:

• Calories: 149
• Protein: 23.2 g
• Carbs: 0 g
• Fat: 5.5 g

Per 3.5 oz. (100 g), drumsticks have around 155 calories, 24.2 g of protein, and 5.7 g of fat. Roughly 65% of the calories are from protein and 35% from fat.

Other cuts of chicken

While breasts, thighs, wings, and drumsticks are the most frequently consumed, several other chicken parts are available.

Here are calorie counts for a few other chicken cuts:

• Chicken tenderloins: 89 calories per 3.5 oz. (100 g)
• Back: 239 calories per 3.5 oz. (100 g)
• Dark meat: 178 calories per 3.5 oz. (100 g)
• Light meat: 153 calories per 3.5 oz. (100 g)

Chicken skin increases calories

A skinless chicken breast is 284 calories with about 80% from protein and 20% from fat, but those proportions change significantly if you leave the skin on.

One boneless, cooked chicken breast with skin (196 g) contains:

• Calories: 386
• Protein: 58.4 g
• Fat: 15.2 g

With the skin, about 61% of the calories are from protein and 39% from fat. Eating the skin adds nearly 102 extra calories.

Likewise, one chicken wing with skin (34 g) has 86 calories, compared to 43 calories in a skinless wing (21 g). Thus, wings with skin derive roughly 60% of calories from fat versus 36% for skinless wings.

If your goal is weight loss or lowering fat intake, choosing skinless chicken will help reduce calories and fat.

Cooking method affects calorie totals

Plain chicken is fairly low in calories and fat compared to many other meats. But adding oil, sauces, batters, or breading significantly increases the calorie load.

For example, a skinless, boneless cooked chicken thigh (116 g) has 208 calories and 9.5 g of fat.

By contrast, a battered, fried chicken thigh contains more — 238 calories and 14.2 g of fat.

Similarly, one boneless, skinless chicken wing (21 g) has 43 calories and 1.7 g of fat.

However, a wing coated in barbecue sauce provides 61 calories and 3.7 g of fat, while a flour-breaded, fried wing has about 103 calories and 7.1 g of fat.

So, cooking techniques that add minimal fat — such as poaching, roasting, grilling, or steaming — are best for keeping calories down. For related comparisons, you might also check pork chop calories when planning meals.

The bottom line

Chicken is a widely enjoyed meat, and most cuts are relatively low in calories and fat while supplying plenty of protein.

Here are the calorie amounts for the most common boneless, skinless cuts per 3.5 oz. (100 g) serving:

• Chicken breast: 165 calories
• Chicken thigh: 179 calories
• Chicken wing: 203 calories
• Chicken drumstick: 155 calories

Keep in mind that leaving the skin on or using high-fat cooking methods will increase the calorie count.