How Many Calories Are in 120 Grams of Chicken Breast? A Detailed Look
Chicken breast is one of the most popular lean protein choices among health-conscious eaters and dieters. With its low fat content, high protein, and versatility, it’s easy to see why it’s a staple ingredient for many. But how many calories are actually in a 120 gram serving of chicken breast? In this article, we’ll take a detailed look at the calorie and nutrient content of 120 grams of this popular poultry cut.
Calories and Macronutrients
According to the USDA, 120 grams of raw, boneless, skinless chicken breast contains:
- 132 calories
- 27 g protein
- 1.5 g fat
- 0 g carbs
The breakdown of the macronutrients is as follows: 20% carbs, 11% fat, and 20% protein. Because of this, chicken breast is a great way to get lean protein while still being low in fat and calories.
The protein content is especially remarkable – 120 grams provides over half of the recommended daily intake. High protein foods help with building muscle, controlling appetite and weight management.
Also, chicken breast is easy to fit into low-carb, keto, paleo, and other diets that aim to lower these macronutrients because it has few carbs and fat.
Vitamins and Minerals
In addition to protein that 120 gram chicken breast serving also contains
- 13% DV calcium
- 5% DV iron
- 7% DV potassium
- 75% DV vitamin B6
- 50% DV selenium
So it has a lot of calcium, iron, potassium, and selenium, which are all minerals. Plus, there is a lot of vitamin B6. This vitamin is important for over 100 enzyme reactions in the body.
Overall, the vitamin and mineral content provides health benefits and makes chicken breast more nutritious than many other protein choices.
Comparing Raw and Cooked
The nutrition information above is for raw chicken breast. But how does cooking affect the calories and nutrients?
Cooked chicken breast contains slightly fewer calories and protein per 120 grams compared to raw. This is due to water loss during the cooking process.
For example, 120 grams of roasted, boneless, skinless chicken breast has about:
- 128 calories
- 26 g protein
Meanwhile, the mineral and vitamin content remains similar to raw.
There isn’t much of a difference between raw and cooked chicken breast in terms of protein and calories. And the excellent nutrition profile remains after cooking.
Skinless vs. Skin-On
Another factor that affects the nutrition is whether the skin is present or not.
Chicken skin contains more fat than the lean breast meat, so skin-on chicken is higher in both calories and fat:
- 120 grams of skin-on, roasted chicken breast contains 152 calories and 5.4 g fat
Compare this to the 128 calories and 1.7 g fat for skinless roasted chicken breast.
So for lowest calorie and fat content, skinless chicken breast is the better choice. But the skin can be enjoyed in moderation while still keeping calories in a healthy range.
In Recipes and Meals
While we looked at calories and nutrients in 120 grams chicken breast by itself, it’s also useful to consider how it fits into recipes and meals.
Chicken breast is very versatile – it can be baked, grilled, sautéed, roasted, stuffed, added to salads, soups, pasta dishes and more. This makes it easy to incorporate into balanced meals containing protein, carbs and healthy fats.
For example, a 6 ounce chicken breast contains about 190 calories. Pair it with 1/2 cup roasted broccoli and potatoes each (105 calories total) and 1 tsp olive oil (40 calories). This simple meal comes to 445 calories, 40 g protein, over 5 servings vegetables, and a good balance of protein, carbs and fat.
Chicken breast also works great in lighter meals like salads. A serving added to a bed of greens with low calorie dressing makes a nutritious lunch or dinner.
So chicken breast can be prepared in endless healthy and delicious ways, either as the main feature or as part of well-rounded meals.
To summarize key points in this article:
- 120 grams boneless, skinless chicken breast contains 132 calories, 27 g protein, 1.5 g fat, and no carbs
- It’s an excellent source of protein, B vitamins, selenium, and other nutrients
- Cooking causes a minor reduction in protein and calories
- Skin-on chicken has more fat and calories than skinless
- Chicken breast works great in all kinds of healthy recipes and meals
So while calorie and protein content is slightly affected by cooking method and skin, 120 grams of chicken breast is an optimal lean protein choice in a balanced diet. It provides ample nutrition for relatively few calories, keeping you full and fueled. Include it in your weekly meal planning for an easy way to meet your protein needs and support your health goals.
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Why is protein important?
- Meet your daily protein requirements to repair and grow cells. The building blocks of proteins are called amino acids. Your body uses amino acids to make new proteins, such as hormones, enzymes, muscle, and bone. There are 9 amino acids that your body can’t make on its own and needs to get from food in order to work right. [35] Protein is also important for kids, teens, and pregnant women to grow and develop. [36] If you don’t eat enough protein, you may be more likely to get hurt, gain weight, have dry nails or split ends, and feel hungry more often. [37] .
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StepsSection 1 of 4:
- 1 Add high-quality sources of protein to your meals. Lean meats like chicken or fish, eggs, quinoa, beans, nuts, and seeds are all great, healthy ways to get protein. 1. Try to eat these high-quality protein sources at every meal and snack: 3 oz of chicken breast (32 g of protein), 100 g of ground turkey (17 g), 100 g of ground pork (18 g), 100 g of fish (16 g), and 171 g of drained canned tuna (49 g of protein). 100 g of shrimp (25 g), 6 g of beef jerky, 6 g of whole eggs, 247 g of low-fat milk, 4 grams), Greek yogurt (16 grams for every 156 grams), and 220 grams of low-fat cottage cheese (24 grams). Plant-based proteins: 100 grams of nuts, such as cashews (17 grams) or almonds (21 grams), and 100 grams of chia seeds (16 grams). 5 g), 30 g of pumpkin seeds, 100 g of sunflower seeds, 8 g), 100 g of lentils (24. 100 grams of black beans (6 grams), 100 grams of canned chickpeas (7 grams), and 100 grams of tofu (18 grams). 8 grams), 24 grams of peanut butter, and 17 grams of oats. [3] .
- 2. Switch some low-protein foods for high-protein ones. You don’t have to change everything you eat just because you want to eat more protein. If you’d rather, it might be easier to switch out a few things for stronger foods. To get a few more grams of protein, you can easily switch from regular pasta (6 g of protein per 100 g) to bean and lentil-based pasta (14 g of protein per 100 g) and from regular yogurt (6 g of protein per 6 oz) to Greek yogurt (17 g of protein per 6 oz). White rice (3 g of protein per 100 g) to brown rice 5 g of protein per 250 g) for quinoa (8. Bone broth has 9 grams of protein per 230 grams of chicken broth (1 gram of protein per 250 grams).
- 3 Consider supplementing your protein intake with powders and bars. Getting all of your daily nutrients from whole foods is usually best, and most people can get enough protein from their food alone. Protein bars and powders shouldn’t be eaten as meals. Instead, they should be used as snacks to get those last few grams of protein. You can make a shake by mixing protein powder with water or low-fat milk. You can also put it in pancakes, oatmeal, fruit smoothies, or plain yogurt. Getting a lot of different kinds of protein, vegetables, fruits, and grains in your diet can help you stay healthy. [6] Try to find bars and powders that have no more than 200 calories, no more than 2 grams of saturated fat, no more than 5 grams of sugar, and at least 12 grams of protein per serving. [7] Some studies say that protein supplements should only be used to help professional athletes perform better and recover faster, or when eating regular foods isn’t enough to get all the protein you need. [8] .
- 4. Eat at least five meals to reach your protein goal. Most meals that are called “high-protein” have between 20 and 25 grams of protein. That means that if you want to reach your goal of 120 grams of protein, you’d probably need to eat at least 5 meals during the day. For instance, if you want to eat 120 grams of protein every day, you could divide it up into 4 meals that are 24 grams each and 2 snacks that are 12 grams each. To make sure that each meal has about 20 to 25 grams of protein, divide the amount of protein you want to eat each day by the number of meals and snacks you will have. If you eat more than 40 grams of protein in a short amount of time, your body may store the extra protein as fat or throw it away. [10] .
- 5. Make plans ahead of time for meals you’ll cook and eat at home Write down every meal you want to make for the week and then go buy protein-rich foods to add 20 to 25 grams of protein to each one. You can make healthy meals and meet your weekly protein goal of 120 grams if you plan your meals ahead of time. [11] You could eat by feeling. For example, if you eat a certain amount of protein and feel good, keep doing it. If it doesn’t, consider lowering or increasing your protein intake. [12] If you want to lose weight, plan your meals around your caloric goal. For example, 120 grams of protein may add 480 calories to your daily diet.
- 6. Use an app to keep track of how much protein and other macronutrients you eat. Keeping track of your macros can help you choose smart, healthy foods. [13] To keep track of how much protein, carbs, and fat you eat, try writing down your meals on an app like MyFitnessPal or Nutritionix. In order to help you reach both of your weight loss and protein intake goals, you might want to keep track of both.
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FAQ
How many calories are in 120 grams of cooked skinless chicken breast?
1 medium fillet (120 g) of Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast contains 138 calories (kcal), 3. 7 g fat, 0. 0 g carbs and 26. 5 g protein.
How many calories are in 120g grilled chicken?
1 medium fillet (120 g) of Grilled Chicken contains 138 calories (kcal), 3. 5 g fat, 0. 0 g carbs and 25. 4 g protein. prot.
How many calories are in 120g of roasted chicken?
1 medium fillet (120 g) of Roasted Chicken Breast contains 168 calories (kcal), 3. 6 g fat, 2. 4 g carbs and 31. 2 g protein. prot.
How many calories are in 120g of raw chicken breast?
120 grams of chicken breast (Broilers or fryers, meat only, raw) contains 144 Calories The macronutrient breakdown is 0% carbs, 21% fat, and 79% protein. This is a good source of protein (48% of your Daily Value), potassium (9% of your Daily Value), and vitamin b6 (75% of your Daily Value).
How many calories are in a 120 g chicken breast?
One 120g serving of boneless, skinless chicken breast contains 193 calories, 36 grams of protein, 4 grams of fat, and zero carbs, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). How many grams of chicken is 120 calories? 120 grams of skinless chicken breast have 132 calories.
How many calories are in a chicken breast?
One 120g serving of boneless, skinless chicken breast contains 193 calories, 36 grams of protein, 4 grams of fat, and zero carbs, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Jun 7, 2022. How many grams of chicken is 100 calories?.
How many calories are in 180 grams of chicken breast?
There are 351 calories in 180 grams of Chicken Breast. Calorie breakdown: 37% fat, 0% carbs, 63% protein. There are 351 calories in 180 grams of Chicken Breast. Get full nutrition facts and other common serving sizes of Chicken Breast including 1 oz of raw and 1 oz of boneless.
How many calories are in 200 grams of chicken breast?
There are 390 calories in 200 grams of Chicken Breast. Calorie breakdown: 37% fat, 0% carbs, 63% protein. There are 390 calories in 200 grams of Chicken Breast. Get full nutrition facts and other common serving sizes of Chicken Breast including 1 oz of raw and 1 oz of boneless.
How many calories are in 120 grams of skinless chicken breast?
120 grams of skinless chicken breast have 132 calories. The Daily Value (DV) tells you how much of a nutrient a serving of food provides for your daily diet. Skinless Chicken Breast. Last updated11 May 20 10:46 PMSourceFatSecret Platform API.
How many calories are in 70g cooked chicken breast?
70 grams of skin-free chicken breast contain 115 calories. The Daily Value (DV) tells you how much of a nutrient a serving of food provides for your daily diet. Other common serving sizes. How much protein is in 100g cooked Chicken Breast?.