What Does 5 Ounces of Chicken Look Like? A Complete Visual Guide

Chicken is a lean protein that can be cooked in a huge number of tasty ways. A lot of dietary guidelines say that a healthy diet should include 3 to 5 ounces of cooked chicken every day. What does a 5-ounce serving look like on your plate, though?

This is a question that a lot of my clients ask me as a nutrition coach. In this full guide, I’ll show you what 5 ounces of chicken looks like depending on the cut and cooking method. I’ll also give you tips on how to accurately portion chicken without a food scale.

How Big is a 5 Ounce Serving of Chicken? A Visual Guide

Seeing a deck of cards is the easiest way to understand this picture. A 5-ounce piece of skinless, boneless chicken breast is about the size of a deck of cards laid out flat. Of course, the thickness will change based on how the chicken breast is cut or pounded and

When you count the bones, the part of chicken that you can eat, like wings or drumsticks, will be smaller than a deck of cards. How much meat can you get from a bone-in chicken? About as much as a deck of cards.

Here’s a more detailed visual guide based on the specific cut:

• Chicken breast – Size of a deck of cards or the palm of an average hand
• Chicken thigh – About 2 small boneless thighs or 1 large boneless thigh
• Wings – Around 3-4 wings depending on size
• Drumsticks – 2-3 drumsticks depending on size
• Ground or shredded chicken – Heaping 1/2 cup

As you can see, the visual varies slightly for different cuts, thicknesses, and whether there are bones present. Your best bet is to use a digital kitchen scale to weigh out portions precisely. But these visual cues can be handy guides.

Accounting for Raw vs Cooked Weight

Here’s an important point regarding portion sizes – cooked chicken weighs significantly less than the raw amount.

During the cooking process, chicken can lose up to 25% of its original raw weight mainly through loss of water and fat. That means 5 ounces of cooked chicken requires about 6-7 ounces of raw chicken to start.

This ratio will vary slightly depending on the cooking method. Grilled or baked chicken tends to lose a bit more moisture, while braised or slow cooked chicken retains more weight from the cooking liquid.

I recommend buying a kitchen scale and experimenting to find the ideal raw weight for your preferred cooking methods. For example, I find that 6 ounces of raw chicken breast yields 5 ounces after baking. This allows me to conveniently prep and portion my chicken accurately.

Portioning Chicken Without a Food Scale

While a food scale takes the guesswork out, there are some tricks for portioning chicken without one:

• Use the deck of cards visual – Keep this handy point of reference in mind when portioning chicken breasts or other cuts.
• Compare to your palm – The palm, minus the fingers, can act as a portion guide for boneless cuts.
• Count pieces – For things like wings, thighs, or drumsticks, count out portions.
• Measure shredded chicken – Use measuring cups for ground or shredded chicken. About 1/2 cup equals 5 ounces.
• Check labels – Pay close attention to nutrition labels on packaged chicken items like nuggets or patties.

These methods won’t be as precise as weighing chicken, but can work in a pinch. The most important thing is controlling portions and not overestimating the amount of chicken on your plate.

Cooking Tips for Perfectly Moist, Flavorful Chicken

Now that you know what 5 ounces of chicken looks like, let’s discuss how to cook it to juicy, flavorful perfection:

• Pound chicken to an even thickness – This promotes even cooking so no parts are overdone.
• Marinate it – Marinades inject flavor and moisture into the chicken.
• Cook at proper temperature – Avoid overcooking by monitoring the internal temperature, not just time. Chicken is safe and moist when reaching 165°F.
• Allow resting time – Letting it rest 5-10 minutes after cooking allows juices to redistribute evenly.
• Skip the slow cooker – Slow cookers tend to dry chicken out – opt for stove, oven, or grill instead.
• Enhance flavor with herbs, spices, citrus – One of my favorite ways to add big flavor without lots of added calories!

Sample 5 Ounce Chicken Recipes and Meals

Here are some delicious recipe ideas that incorporate approximately 5 ounces of chicken per serving:

• BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad – Grilled chicken breast, romaine, corn, tomatoes, black beans, cilantro, BBQ ranch dressing
• Sheet Pan Fajitas – Chicken breast, peppers, onions, Mexican seasoning and spices, cooked on a sheet pan
• Chicken Banh Mi Bowl – Shredded chicken breast, rice noodles, pickled carrots, cucumber, cilantro, Sriracha mayo
• Greek Chicken Wraps – Chicken breast, tzatziki sauce, lettuce, tomato, onion, feta cheese, wrapped in whole wheat flatbread
• Chicken & Vegetable Stir Fry – Chicken breast, broccoli, carrots, bell pepper, teriyaki or ginger sauce over brown rice

As you can see, 5 ounces of chicken can be incorporated into all sorts of healthy, delicious meals. Use the visual guide and portioning tips in this article to take the guesswork out of getting the perfect 5 ounce chicken serving. Your recipes will turn out perfectly balanced and delicious. Enjoy!