Chicken Breast vs Chicken Thigh: Calories, Protein & Which Is Better?
Skinless chicken breast has about 165 kcal and 31g protein per 100g; skinless thigh has about 209 kcal and 26g protein. Breast wins on protein per calorie, thigh wins on flavour, price and juiciness — and both are excellent protein sources by any reasonable standard.
🍗 Chicken Breast (skinless, cooked)
Calories per 100g: ~165 kcal
Per 1 small breast (~120g): ~198 kcal
Protein: 31g · Carbs: 0g · Fat: 3.6g (per 100g)
Micros: B6 0.9mg · Niacin 14mg · Selenium 27µg
Best for: cutting, high-protein low-calorie meals
🍗 Chicken Thigh (skinless, cooked)
Calories per 100g: ~209 kcal
Per 1 thigh (~109g): ~228 kcal
Protein: 26g · Carbs: 0g · Fat: 11g (per 100g)
Micros: Zinc 2.4mg · Iron 1.3mg · Selenium 22µg
Best for: bulking, curries & karahi, budget protein
Chicken breast vs thigh: side-by-side comparison
| Factor | Chicken Breast | Chicken Thigh | Better choice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories (per 100g, skinless) | ~165 kcal | ~209 kcal | Breast |
| Calories (per piece) | ~198 kcal (120g small breast) | ~228 kcal (109g thigh) | Breast |
| Protein (per 100g) | 31g | 26g | Breast |
| Protein per 100 kcal | ~19g | ~12g | Breast |
| Fat (per 100g) | 3.6g | 11g | Breast (for cutting) |
| Iron & zinc | Lower | Iron 1.3mg, Zinc 2.4mg per 100g | Thigh |
| B vitamins | B6 0.9mg, Niacin 14mg per 100g | B6 0.4mg per 100g | Breast |
| Typical serving size | 1 small breast (~120g) | 1–2 thighs (~109g each) | — |
| Weight loss suitability | Excellent | Good with portion awareness | Breast |
| Muscle gain suitability | Excellent | Excellent — extra calories help | Tie |
| Flavour & juiciness | Mild, dries out easily | Richer, forgiving to cook | Thigh |
| Price per protein | Higher | Usually cheaper | Thigh |
| Best use case | Grilled meals, meal prep, cutting | Karahi, biryani, BBQ, bulking | Depends on goal |
Values are for skinless cooked cuts from the CalorieMetrica database — the same numbers used across the Chicken Breast Calories guide and the Food Compare tool. Skin-on cuts run meaningfully higher in fat and calories.
Calories: chicken breast vs chicken thigh
The gap is about 44 kcal per 100g — 165 versus 209 — and it comes almost entirely from fat: thigh carries 11g per 100g against the breast's 3.6g. Working muscles hold more fat and myoglobin, which is why thigh meat is darker, juicier and richer. Per piece, one small breast (~120g) is ~198 kcal while a single thigh (~109g) is ~228 kcal; the practical difference grows when meals use two or three thighs, as karahi and BBQ portions usually do.
Skin changes the arithmetic more than the cut does. Crispy skin is mostly fat, adding roughly 25–50 kcal per 100g depending on the cut and cooking method — a skin-on fried thigh belongs in a different calorie category from the skinless grilled version. Whatever cut you choose, the skin decision and the cooking oil decide the final number.
Nutrition comparison
Both cuts are zero-carb, complete-protein foods — among the best whole-food protein sources available in Pakistan, the Gulf or anywhere else. Breast concentrates protein: 31g per 100g, with standout B-vitamin numbers (14mg niacin, 0.9mg B6 per 100g) and 27µg selenium. Thigh answers with minerals the breast lacks: 1.3mg iron and 2.4mg zinc per 100g — relevant for anyone watching iron intake, including many women; see the Iron Intake Calculator.
The protein-per-calorie framing shows why cutting diets idolise breast: roughly 19g protein per 100 kcal versus about 12g for thigh. On a tight calorie budget, that efficiency buys either more food volume or more protein. On a generous budget, it stops mattering — 200g of thigh still delivers a massive 52g of protein.
Which is better for weight loss?
Breast, on paper — maximum protein and satiety for minimum calories, which is precisely what a deficit needs. But the paper answer fails people who find plain breast dry and joyless, eat it for two weeks, then quit.
Skinless thigh at ~209 kcal per 100g is still a lean food by any normal standard, and if its flavour keeps your diet alive for six months, it beats the breast you abandoned. A sensible pattern: breast in meal-prep lunches where sauce and marinade carry it, thigh in family dinners where taste rules. Get your calorie ceiling from the TDEE Calculator, then let the Meal Planner hold both cuts honestly.
Which is better for muscle gain?
This is closer to a tie than gym folklore admits. Total daily protein — roughly 1.6–2.2g per kg of body weight — matters far more than which cut supplies it, and both cuts are complete proteins with identical leucine quality per gram.
Breast suits lean bulks and cutting phases where every calorie is rationed. Thigh quietly suits classic bulks: hard gainers benefit from the extra 44 kcal per 100g, the juicier meat is easier to eat in quantity, and its iron and zinc support training recovery. The 500-kcal post-workout classic works with either: 150g chicken + 200g rice. Set your exact number with the Protein Calculator and split macros with the Macro Calculator.
Which is healthier overall?
Both are healthy foods; neither deserves the halo-versus-villain framing. Breast is the pragmatic pick for calorie-restricted or clinical-style diets. Thigh brings more iron and zinc and — crucially — more culinary staying power.
Cooking method outweighs cut: a skinless thigh grilled or simmered in a light salan beats a breaded, deep-fried breast without contest. Frequency and context finish the picture: eating either cut daily inside balanced meals is excellent nutrition; the trouble arrives with the fryer, the skin and the broast bucket, not the bird.
Global and desi kitchen context
Global gym culture standardised on breast — meal-prep boxes, grilled fillets, protein-first menus in the US, UK and Australia. Desi and Gulf cooking runs the other way: karahi, biryani, korma, mandi and BBQ tikka traditionally use bone-in thigh and leg because they survive long cooking and open flame. Both traditions are nutritionally sound. If you train hard and eat desi at home, the practical split solves itself: breast at lunch from the meal-prep box, thigh at dinner from the family pot. Browse Chicken Karahi and Chicken Tikka for how the cuts land in real dishes.
Practical meal examples
Cutting plate (~450 kcal): 150g grilled chicken breast (~250 kcal) + large salad with lemon (~80 kcal) + 1 small roti (~120 kcal) — about 48g protein.
Bulking plate (~750 kcal): 2 skinless thighs (~456 kcal) + 1 cup white rice (~242 kcal) + raita (~50 kcal) — about 55g protein.
Balanced family dinner (~550 kcal): chicken karahi made with thigh, measured oil (~350 kcal) + 1.5 rotis (~180 kcal) + kachumber.
Build them in the Meal Planner.
FAQs: chicken breast vs chicken thigh
Which has more protein, chicken breast or thigh?
Breast: about 31g protein per 100g cooked versus about 26g for thigh. Per calorie the gap is bigger — breast delivers roughly 19g protein per 100 kcal, thigh about 12g — which is why breast dominates cutting diets.
How many calories are in chicken breast vs thigh?
Skinless cooked chicken breast has about 165 kcal per 100g; skinless thigh has about 209 kcal. One small breast (about 120g) is roughly 198 kcal; one thigh (about 109g) is roughly 228 kcal. Skin adds significantly more fat to either cut.
Is chicken thigh bad for weight loss?
No — it is simply less calorie-efficient. If thigh keeps your meals satisfying and your daily calories on target, it absolutely works. Many people sustain a diet better with juicier thigh meat than with dry breast they secretly hate.
Which is better for muscle gain?
Both work. Breast maximises protein per calorie for lean bulking or cutting; thigh's extra ~45 kcal per 100g is actually convenient when you struggle to eat enough. Hitting your daily protein target matters far more than the cut.
Why is chicken thigh cheaper than breast?
Demand. Fitness culture prizes breast for its protein density, so thighs often sell at a discount in Pakistan, the Gulf and Western markets alike — making thigh one of the best price-per-protein deals available.
Does removing chicken skin make a big difference?
Yes. Skin is mostly fat and can add roughly 25–50 kcal per 100g depending on the cut and cooking method. Skinless thigh is closer to breast than skin-on thigh is to skinless thigh.
Related pages
Keep going
Compare any two foods in the Food Compare tool, hit your protein number with the Protein Calculator, plan the training week in the Meal Planner, or find your calorie budget with the TDEE Calculator.
📊 Values are practical estimates for skinless cooked cuts from the CalorieMetrica database. Skin, oil and cooking method change final numbers. See Data Sources.