How Many Chicken Thighs Equal a Breast? A Guide to Converting Chicken Cuts

Chicken is a healthy meat that can be used in a lot of different ways. But chicken cuts like breasts, thighs, and drumsticks can be very different sizes and thicknesses. This brings up the common question of how many chicken thighs are in one chicken breast?

If you’re a home cook, knowing how to use different cuts of chicken will make sure your recipes turn out perfectly no matter what the store has in stock. There is an easy way to tell the difference between chicken thighs, drumsticks, and breasts in this article. Thanks for reading!

An Overview of Common Chicken Cuts

Before we dive into the conversions, let’s briefly overview the most common chicken cuts:

• Chicken breasts – This is the leanest part of the chicken with the mildest flavor. Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are extremely versatile

• Chicken thighs – Chicken thighs have more fat, collagen, and flavor. They are juicier than chicken breasts when cooked. Chicken thighs may be sold bone-in or boneless.

• Chicken drumsticks – The drumstick is the lower part of the chicken leg. It contains a single bone and more fat and collagen than chicken breasts.

• Ground chicken – Ground chicken can come from either dark or white meat. It is a lean, versatile option great for dishes like chili, pasta sauce, burgers, etc.

Now let’s look at how to estimate portion sizes and substitute between these different cuts.

How Many Ounces in Chicken Breasts, Thighs, and Drumsticks?

The first step to comparing portion sizes between chicken cuts is knowing their average cooked weights. Here are some general guidelines:

• A whole chicken breast halves is 5-8 ounces. For boneless, skinless breasts – plan on 4 ounces uncooked.

• An average chicken thigh is around 4 ounces cooked weight.

• A chicken drumstick averages around 2-3 ounces cooked.

• Ground chicken is sold by the pound. A half pound yields approximately 8 ounces cooked.

Keep in mind the size can vary based on the chicken itself. Large, organic, free-range chicken will be on the heavier side compared to conventional chickens.

How Many Chicken Thighs Equal a Chicken Breast?

Now we can look at direct substitutions.

Assuming that a chicken breast weighs 6 ounces when cooked and a chicken thigh weighs 4 ounces, then 3 chicken thighs would be needed to swap out one chicken breast.

• 1 chicken breast = 3 chicken thighs

• 1 chicken thigh = Approximately 2/3 of a chicken breast

For example, if a recipe calls for 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, you would need 6 chicken thighs to substitute.

Of course, the exact weight will depend on the size of the thighs and breasts. Whenever possible, weigh the chicken cuts directly on a kitchen scale.

Converting Chicken Drumsticks and Ground Chicken

Chicken drumsticks and ground chicken follow similar conversion rules:

• 2 chicken drumsticks = Approximately 1 chicken thigh = 2/3 breast

• 1/2 lb ground chicken = Approximately 1 chicken breast

So, if you needed to switch out 1 lb of boneless, skinless breasts, use about 1 lb of ground chicken instead.

Tips for Cooking with Different Chicken Cuts

When substituting chicken cuts in a recipe, keep these tips in mind:

• Chicken thighs and drumsticks take longer to cook than breasts and may need up to 5 extra minutes. Cook to an internal temperature of 165°F.

• Ground chicken cooks faster than boneless cuts. Be careful not to overcook or the texture will be dry.

• Thighs and drumsticks have more fat and collagen. They work well in stews, braises, casseroles, and soups.

• Adjust seasoning to account for the darker thigh and leg meat having more flavor. Use less salt and spices when substituting.

• For stir fries and sautés, slice boneless thighs into 1-inch chunks before cooking. Cook over high heat for the best texture.

• Add some olive oil when pan frying or baking bone-in chicken pieces to prevent them from drying out. Bone-in cuts stay juicier.

Converting Based on Weight Instead of Pieces

For simplicity, our conversions focused on substituting an average 6 ounce boneless, skinless chicken breast. But you can also calculate thigh and drumstick amounts based on the total weight of chicken needed.

Here are the general guidelines:

• 1 pound chicken breasts = approximately 750 grams = 5-6 breasts

• 1 pound chicken thighs = approximately 450 grams = 8-10 thighs

• 1 pound drumsticks = approximately 375 grams = 8-12 drumsticks

If a recipe calls for 2 pounds of boneless, skinless breasts, use approximately 1.5 pounds of chicken thighs or 1.25 pounds of drumsticks to substitute.

Weighing the chicken gives you more precision but the piece estimates provide a good starting point in most cases.

In Summary

Converting between chicken cuts is easy once you know a few general rules:

• An average boneless, skinless chicken breast is around 6 ounces cooked weight.

• Substitute approximately 3 average sized chicken thighs per breast.

• 2 chicken drumsticks can also replace a single breast in most recipes.

• Use 1/2 pound of ground chicken in place of a chicken breast.

• For bone-in chicken pieces, extend the cook time by 5 minutes and add olive oil to prevent drying out.

Equipped with this knowledge, you can now easily substitute chicken thighs, drumsticks, or ground chicken when you don’t have access to breasts. This will ensure your recipes turn out perfectly regardless of the ingredients on hand. Let us know if you have any other chicken conversion questions!

For a lower calorie and fat option, chicken breasts are generally considered healthier than chicken thighs.