How Much Protein Is in Chicken? Breast, Thigh, Wings, Drumsticks & More

Chicken is one of the most widely logged protein foods in nutrition journals worldwide. Protein content varies significantly between cuts — breast, thigh, wings, and drumsticks each deliver different amounts per serving because of fat, skin, and bone.

Cooking method also changes what you see on a label. Grilling, baking, frying, and smoking affect calories and fat — but they do not destroy protein. Water loss during cooking simply concentrates nutrients per 100g.

This guide is for informational and nutrition-logging purposes only. All values are sourced from USDA FoodData Central and rounded for readability. Use our Chicken Protein Calculator for custom portion estimates.

Skinless, boneless chicken breast is the most logged chicken cut. Per USDA FDC #171077 (raw) and #171477 (cooked, roasted):

Breast is popular for meal prep and macro tracking because it delivers the highest protein-to-calorie ratio. It cooks quickly on the grill, in the oven, or in an air fryer. Because breast is lean, it can dry out if overcooked — pull at 160°F and rest to reach 165°F internal temperature.

For a deeper breakdown, see our Chicken Breast Calories & Protein guide or use the Chicken Breast Calculator.

Skinless, boneless thigh (USDA FDC #171114) provides:

Thighs have slightly less protein per 100g than breast but more intramuscular fat, which adds flavor and makes them harder to overcook. They also contain more iron and zinc per 100g than breast. Thighs are a budget-friendly option for batch cooking, stews, and grilling.

Compare cuts side-by-side in our Chicken Breast vs Thigh comparison.

Chicken wings (skin-on, USDA FDC #171119) per 100g raw:

Wings have a high skin-to-meat ratio, so fat content is higher than breast or thigh. Protein per wing depends heavily on preparation:

Ten baked wings provide roughly 60–70g protein but also significantly more fat than an equivalent weight of breast. See our Chicken Wings Nutrition Guide for method-by-method numbers.

Drumsticks (skin-on, bone-in, USDA FDC #171116) per 100g raw:

A single medium drumstick (edible cooked portion ~50g) provides approximately 14g protein and 108 calories. Drumsticks are economical, kid-friendly, and work well for meal prep when cooked in batches. When logging, weigh edible meat only — bone weight inflates raw measurements.

Use the Chicken Unit Converter to estimate cups, grams, and portion counts from bone-in weights.

Tenderloins are the small strip of meat beneath the breast. USDA data shows nearly identical nutrition to skinless breast:

Tenderloins are naturally tender and cook faster than full breasts — typically 3–4 minutes per side on a grill. They cost more per pound but require no trimming. For nutrition logging, treat tenderloin the same as breast unless your packaging label states otherwise.

Chicken liver (USDA organ meat entry) per 100g raw:

Liver has the lowest protein density among common chicken cuts but is nutrient-dense for iron and B vitamins. Because vitamin A content is high, many people rotate liver into their meal plan occasionally rather than daily. This is general nutrition awareness — not dietary guidance.

Liver has a strong flavor. Soaking in milk for 30 minutes before cooking can mellow it. Cook quickly over high heat to avoid toughness.

Store-bought rotisserie chicken (USDA cooked entry) per 100g:

Rotisserie is a convenient pre-cooked option. Protein content is solid, but sodium is significantly higher than home-cooked chicken (45–74mg per 100g for plain grilled breast). Brining and seasoning before commercial roasting account for most of the difference.

A quarter rotisserie chicken (~375g edible meat) provides roughly 102g protein. See our Rotisserie Chicken Nutrition article for sodium details by retailer.

Ground chicken (USDA FDC #171110) — raw per 100g: 172 calories, 20.4g protein, 9.4g fat. A mix of white and dark meat. Leaner blends (93/7) approach breast values; standard grind is higher in fat.

Whole chicken (USDA FDC #171062) — raw per 100g average: 190 calories, 25.9g protein, 8.8g fat. A whole bird combines breast, thigh, drumstick, and wing — actual protein per serving depends on which parts you eat. Whole chicken is the most economical per-pound purchase and yields meat for multiple meals plus bones for stock.

*Whole chicken average includes skin and all parts — not a lean cut comparison. For skinless lean cuts, breast and tenderloin rank highest at 22.5g raw / 31g cooked.

Protein per calorie is a separate ranking. Breast and tenderloin lead because of low fat. Wings rank lowest on this measure because skin fat adds calories without adding protein.

A large thigh and a small breast may deliver similar total grams on your plate even though breast wins per 100g among lean cuts. Always log the actual weight you eat.

Lower-calorie logging: Skinless breast or tenderloin — 165 cal and 31g protein per 100g cooked. Highest protein per calorie for portion control.

Higher-protein meal plans: Breast, tenderloin, or a mix of breast + thigh. A 170g cooked breast alone logs ~53g protein.

Meal prep: Thighs (forgive overcooking) or batch-baked breast. Thighs cost less per pound.

Lower-carb, higher-fat logging: Thighs, drumsticks, wings with skin. Dark meat and skin add fat grams without breading.

High protein, low fat: Skinless breast — 2.6g fat per 100g raw vs 13.6g for wings.

Budget-friendly: Drumsticks, thighs, whole chicken. Drumsticks deliver ~14g protein per piece at low cost.

These are meal-planning observations for food journaling — not dietary recommendations.

Chicken earns a PDCAAS score of 1.0 — the highest rating in the WHO/FAO protein quality scale. This means it supplies all essential amino acids in proportions that meet human needs and is highly digestible.

Breast is particularly rich in leucine (~1.9g per 100g raw), an amino acid commonly tracked in sports nutrition logs. This is a nutrient composition fact for journaling awareness.