Chicken breast vs chicken thigh: which is healthier?
Chicken breast is more nutrient-dense, scoring 52/100 against 38/100 for chicken thigh. 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 thigh
179 kcal per 100 g. 1 thigh, meat only: 52 g
Which to pick for your goal
- Fewer caloriesAbout even165 vs 179 kcal per 100 g
- More proteinChicken breast31 vs 25 g per 100 g
- More fiberAbout even0 vs 0 g per 100 g
- Less sugarAbout even0 vs 0 g per 100 g
- More potassiumAbout even256 vs 269 mg per 100 g
- Less saturated fatChicken breast1 vs 2.3 g per 100 g
Nutrition side by side
| Nutrient | Chicken breast, 100 g | Chicken thigh, 100 g | Chicken breast, 120 g | Chicken thigh, 52 g |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 165 kcal | 179 kcal | 198 kcal | 93 kcal |
| Protein | 31 g | 25 g | 37 g | 13 g |
| Carbohydrates | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g |
| Sugars | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g |
| Fiber | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g |
| Fat | 3.6 g | 8.2 g | 4.3 g | 4.2 g |
| Saturated fat | 1 g | 2.3 g | 1.2 g | 1.2 g |
| Vitamin C | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| Vitamin A | 6 µg | 8 µg | 7.2 µg | 4.2 µg |
| Potassium | 256 mg | 269 mg | 307 mg | 140 mg |
| Iron | 1 mg | 1.1 mg | 1.2 mg | 0.6 mg |
| Calcium | 15 mg | 9 mg | 18 mg | 4.7 mg |
| Magnesium | 29 mg | 24 mg | 35 mg | 12 mg |
| Sodium | 74 mg | 106 mg | 89 mg | 55 mg |
Last updated . Scores use the HowHealthyIs Score method.