Chicken breast vs chicken nuggets: which is healthier?
Chicken breast is more nutrient-dense, scoring 61/100 against 20/100 for chicken nuggets. Both can be part of a healthy diet; the table below shows where each one is stronger. Source: USDA FoodData Central.
Chicken breast
165 kcal per 100 g. 1 portion: 120 g
Higher scoreChicken nuggets
268 kcal per 100 g. 6 nuggets: 108 g
Which to pick for your goal
- Fewer caloriesChicken breast165 vs 268 kcal per 100 g
- More proteinChicken breast31 vs 12 g per 100 g
- More fiberChicken nuggets0 vs 1.6 g per 100 g
- Less sugarChicken breast0 vs 0.7 g per 100 g
- More potassiumChicken breast256 vs 206 mg per 100 g
- Less saturated fatChicken breast1 vs 3.6 g per 100 g
Nutrition side by side
| Nutrient | Chicken breast, 100 g | Chicken nuggets, 100 g | Chicken breast, 120 g | Chicken nuggets, 108 g |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 165 kcal | 268 kcal | 198 kcal | 289 kcal |
| Protein | 31 g | 12 g | 37 g | 13 g |
| Carbohydrates | 0 g | 16 g | 0 g | 17 g |
| Sugars | 0 g | 0.7 g | 0 g | 0.8 g |
| Fiber | 0 g | 1.6 g | 0 g | 1.7 g |
| Fat | 3.6 g | 17 g | 4.3 g | 19 g |
| Saturated fat | 1 g | 3.6 g | 1.2 g | 3.9 g |
| Vitamin C | 0 mg | 0.4 mg | 0 mg | 0.4 mg |
| Vitamin A | 6 µg | 16 µg | 7.2 µg | 17 µg |
| Potassium | 256 mg | 206 mg | 307 mg | 222 mg |
| Iron | 1 mg | 0.9 mg | 1.2 mg | 1 mg |
| Calcium | 15 mg | 47 mg | 18 mg | 51 mg |
| Magnesium | 29 mg | 25 mg | 35 mg | 27 mg |
| Sodium | 74 mg | 540 mg | 89 mg | 583 mg |
Last updated . Scores use the HowHealthyIs Score method.