weight loss
4 minute read
How much protein is in an egg?
The bigger the egg, the more protein it has. Most of that protein sits in the white. The yolk holds the fat, and with it the bulk of the calories.
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weight loss
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How much protein is in a chicken breast?
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A chicken breast has more protein per 100g once it's cooked, because cooking drives out water. So the figure you need depends on whether you weigh it raw or cooked.
A grilled chicken breast with no skin has 32g of protein per 100g. Raw, it has 24g per 100g.1 These figures, and every other one on this page, come from the UK government's food composition data.
How much protein is in one chicken breast?
It depends on the size. A 150g grilled breast has 48g of protein.1
To work out yours, weigh it and:
Multiply by 0.32 if it's grilled with no skin.
Multiply by 0.24 if it's raw.
Use the column that matches how you weighed it.
Why does cooked chicken have more protein?
Cooking drives out water. Raw breast is about 74% water and grilled breast about 67%.1 With less water in every 100g, there's more room for protein.
So if you're using a pack label, check whether its figures are for raw or cooked weight.
Do skin and cooking method matter?
Grilled with no skin has the most protein and the least fat. Eaten with the skin, it has 29g of protein and nearly three times the fat. Stir-fried and casseroled breast have 28g to 30g of protein.1
In the UK data, the raw figure is for light (white) meat, which is what a breast is.1
Is breast the highest-protein part of the chicken?
Of the chicken cuts in the UK data, breast has the most protein per 100g.1 Dark meat, from the thighs and drumsticks, has less protein and more fat. Roasted dark meat has 24g of protein per 100g, against 30g for white meat, and about three times the fat.1
Is chicken breast a source of protein?
Yes. Protein contributes to a growth in muscle mass.2 Eat chicken as part of a varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.
Chicken breast protein FAQs
How much protein is in 100g of chicken breast?
Grilled with no skin, 32g. Raw, 24g.1
Does raw or cooked chicken have more protein?
Cooked, per 100g, because cooking drives out water. Grilled skinless breast has 32g against 24g raw.1
How much chicken breast is 100g of protein?
About 313g of grilled skinless breast, or about 417g raw.1
Is chicken breast or thigh higher in protein?
Breast. Casseroled breast meat has 28g of protein per 100g and casseroled thigh meat has 26g.1
The numan take
Weigh your chicken the same way you log it, raw or cooked. Then use the matching figure: 24g per 100g raw, or 32g grilled with no skin. For the most protein and the least fat, take the skin off before you grill.
For ways to build chicken into everyday meals, see our guide to making your meals healthier.
References
1. Public Health England. McCance and Widdowson's The Composition of Foods Integrated Dataset 2021. Public Health England, 19 March 2021. Food codes 18-290, 18-323, 18-325, 18-326, 18-307, 18-329, 18-330, and 18-319. Chicken values from UK laboratory analysis, 1994 to 1995. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/composition-of-foods-integrated-dataset-cofid (opened 27 Oct 2026)
2. Department of Health and Social Care. Great Britain nutrition and health claims (NHC) register, health claims, row "Protein contributes to a growth in muscle mass". Spreadsheet of 19 May 2026. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/great-britain-nutrition-and-health-claims-nhc-register (opened 27 Oct 2026)
