How much protein in 4 oz of chicken breast

If you’re aiming to get more protein in your diet, chicken is one of the healthiest ways to do so. Chicken is generally low in saturated fat, especially in comparison to fatty cuts of red meat, and provides a large amount of your daily protein needs. Because protein is so vital for muscle and tissue repair, as well as brain function and energy, you may want to pair your serving of chicken with other protein-filled foods to further boost your protein intake.

The Protein in Chicken

No matter which type of chicken you enjoy, rest assured, you’ll be getting plenty of protein. A 4-ounce roasted chicken breast gives you just over 25 grams of protein. If you’re more of a thigh meat fan, 4 ounces of boneless, skinless thigh offers 28 grams of protein. Even the drumsticks add lots of protein to your recipe. Four ounces of drumstick meat contain 22 grams of protein.

As a Percent of the RDA

If you’re following a 2,000-calorie daily diet, a 3-ounce portion of chicken provides 17 to 70 percent of your protein needs for the entire day, depending on which cut you select. Most adults should aim for 5 to 6 ounces of protein-rich foods such as poultry per day, recommends the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Because protein gives you 4 calories per gram, this recommendation amounts to 50 to 175 grams of protein for a 2,000-calorie diet. Your exact requirements could be more or less, depending on your activity level and how many calories you need daily to maintain your current weight.

Upping Your Protein Intake

Chicken is a versatile protein source in just about any dish, from breakfast to dinner entrees. Use last night’s leftovers for your omelet ingredients in the morning. Make an egg white omelet with three egg whites and toss in diced chicken pieces. Three egg whites alone give you almost 11 grams of protein. Beans pair perfectly with chicken to up your protein intake. Prepare a hot side of beans for a dinner or toss chilled beans in with your chopped chicken salad at lunch. One-half cup of navy, pinto, black or kidney beans offers between 7 and 8 grams of protein. Of course, you can always make steamed brown rice for a quick protein-rich side as well. One cup of cooked long-grain brown rice contains 5 grams of protein.

Selecting Healthy Cuts

Even though any cut of chicken provides a large amount of the protein you need, not all varieties are low in saturated fat. Since too much saturated fat is detrimental to your heart health, you’ll need to keep your intake of this harmful fat to less than 10 percent of your total calories. Based on a 2,000-calorie diet, this amounts to a maximum of 22 grams of saturated fat, which has 9 calories per gram. Chicken thighs and drumsticks are the worst offender, offering 2.5 grams of saturated fat in a cooked 4-ounce serving. Chicken breast is the leanest variety and only gives you 1 gram of saturated fat per 4-ounce grilled piece.

Chicken consumption has been steadily increasing in the United States over the past 50 years, surpassing beef in the early 1990s. This versatile protein is low in saturated fat and a better source of of high-quality protein than many other meats. While there are number of ways you can prepare your chicken, grilling is one of the healthiest.

Protein in 4 Ounces of Grilled Chicken

A 4-ounce serving of grilled chicken breast, which is a little bigger than the palm of your hand, has 35 grams of protein. In general, adults need 46 to 56 grams of protein a day, which means a serving of chicken may meet two-thirds to three-quarters of your daily protein needs. Of course, protein needs vary and you may need more if you’re working out to build muscle or recovering from an illness or surgery. The protein in chicken breast contains all the essential amino acids, making it a high-quality source of protein.

Grilled Chicken: More Than Just Protein

In addition to being an excellent source of high-quality protein, grilled chicken breast is also low in calories and fat and 185 calories, 4 grams of total fat, 1 gram of saturated fat and meets more than 10 percent of the daily value for niacin, vitamin B6, and selenium. It’s also carb free. Saturated fat is linked to high blood cholesterol levels and keeping your intake low is good for your heart.

Comparing the Protein

Beef has long been touted as the meat to eat when you’re trying to get more protein in your diet, so you might be surprised to learn that chicken breast is a slightly better source of protein than beef. A 4-ounce grilled hamburger or steak has only 28 grams of protein, 7 grams less than the grilled chicken. The same is true for pork tenderloin, with 29 grams per 4-ounce serving, and fish, which has only 24 grams per 4-ounce serving. So if you’re trying to pack more protein in every bite, grilled chicken is the way to go.

Grilled Chicken and Weight Control

Whether it’s for better health or weight loss, you can’t go wrong with grilled chicken breast. Grilling allows you to cook the meat without the need for added fat or sauce, which helps keep calories, fat and sodium to a minimum. For flavor and health, brush your chicken with olive oil before cooking and season with herbs, spices or lemon juice. And, as a high-protein food, the grilled chicken also keeps hunger pangs away when you’re trying to lose weight.

According to a 2015 review article on the benefits of protein for weight loss published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, consuming about 30 grams of protein at each meal, roughly the amount in 4 ounces of grilled chicken, helps control appetite and assists in weight management.

How much protein does 4 oz of cooked chicken breast have?

A 4-ounce serving of grilled chicken breast, which is a little bigger than the palm of your hand, has 35 grams of protein. In general, adults need 46 to 56 grams of protein a day, which means a serving of chicken may meet two-thirds to three-quarters of your daily protein needs.

How much protein and calories are in 4 oz of chicken breast?

According to various listings in a nutrition database, a 4 oz raw skinless chicken breast has 26 grams of protein. With no carbs and just 1.5 grams of fat, that comes to about 120 calories.

How many grams of protein is in 4 oz of chicken?

There are about 7 g of protein in 1 ounce of cooked meat. So, for example, 4 ounces of raw boneless skinless chicken breast yields about 3 ounces of cooked chicken, or 21 g of protein.

How many grams of protein are in 5 oz of lean chicken breast?

Protein in Chicken Chicken breast is truly a lean, dense protein source. You'll pack lots of protein into any meal, for only a minimal amount of fat and calories. Five ounces of roasted chicken breast have 44 grams of protein.