By Manish KumarUpdated August 24, 2026Data verified: 2026-08-24

Protein in Cooked Chicken

How much protein is in cooked chicken? It depends on the cut. Roasted skinless breast lists 31g protein per 100g — 4 oz cooked ≈ 35g protein. Thigh, drumstick, and wing differ. Cooked weight is lower than raw because water was lost — log cooked weight with cooked references only.

Also known as: Roasted Chicken, Grilled Chicken, Baked Chicken, Prepared Chicken

Quick Answer — 4 oz cooked skinless breast (113g)

Chicken breast, skinless, roasted — USDA FDC #171534

35grams protein

23.3g–31g per 100g across cooked cut references on this pageSkinless breast ~31.0g; skinless thigh ~24.8g; skin-on wing ~23.8g (USDA roasted/cooked entries).

186kcalCalories

4gFat

0gCarbs

Sodium:84 mg per 4 oz cooked skinless breast (113g)

Need full nutrition data?

This page focuses on protein portions for food logging. For complete macros, variants, and micronutrients, use our full calculator.

Open chicken nutrition calculator →

Cooked Cut & Trim

"Cooked chicken" is not one food — breast, thigh, drumstick, and wing each have different USDA cooked references. Default is skinless roasted breast. Weigh chicken AFTER cooking and select the cut and skin status that matches your portion.

USDA reference for boneless skinless chicken breast, roasted (FDC #171534)

Protein in Common Cooked Portions

Amount	Protein	Calories	Fat	Carbs	Sodium
3 oz cooked (85g)	26.3g	140	3.0g	0g	63mg
4 oz cooked (113g)	35.0g	186	4.0g	0g	84mg
6 oz cooked (170g)	52.7g	281	6.1g	0g	126mg
8 oz cooked (227g)	70.4g	375	8.1g	0g	168mg
1 cup chopped cooked (~140g)	43.4g	231	5.0g	0g	104mg

Cooked Chicken Protein by Weight

Amount	Protein	Calories	Fat	Carbs	Sodium
25 grams	7.8g	41	0.9g	0g	19mg
50 grams	15.5g	83	1.8g	0g	37mg
100 grams	31g	165	3.6g	0g	74mg
150 grams	46.5g	248	5.4g	0g	111mg
200 grams	62g	330	7.1g	0g	148mg
1 oz (~28g)	8.8g	47	1.0g	0g	21mg
1 lb cooked (~454g)	140.7g	749	16.2g	0g	336mg

How Much Cooked Chicken Provides Your Protein Target?

Enter a protein goal to see approximately how much cooked chicken you would need. Slice estimates are approximate where physical serving size varies.

Protein target (g)

Food amount

97g

≈ 3.4 oz

Calories

160 kcal

Also provides

3.5g fat · 0g carbs

Cooked Chicken Amount Needed for Common Protein Targets

Based on the selected food state above. Weigh your portion for the most accurate food log entry.

Protein Target	Approx. Cooked Chicken	Also (oz)	Calories
10g protein	32g	1.1 oz	53 kcal
15g protein	48g	1.7 oz	80 kcal
20g protein	65g	2.3 oz	106 kcal
25g protein	81g	2.8 oz	133 kcal
30g protein	97g	3.4 oz	160 kcal
40g protein	129g	4.6 oz	213 kcal
50g protein	161g	5.7 oz	266 kcal

Cooked Chicken Protein Calculator

Select a serving size or enter a custom weight — results update instantly for food logging. Using: Breast, skinless, roasted.

Serving Size

Number of Servings

Nutrition Results — 85g Cooked Chicken

Protein

26.3g

Calories

140 kcal

Fat

3.0g

Carbohydrates

Cooked Chicken Protein Density

Protein density metrics help compare how efficiently different foods deliver protein relative to weight and calories. These are analytical measures — not health judgments.

Protein per 100g

31g

Standard reference amount for comparing foods

Protein per ounce

8.8g

Useful for US portion logging (1 oz ≈ 28g)

Protein per 100 calories

18.8g

Protein efficiency relative to calorie cost

Calories per gram of protein

5.3 kcal

Lower values mean more protein per calorie consumed

Data & Methodology

Reference amount: Per 100g, unless a specific serving size is noted.

Active product type: Breast, skinless, roasted — USDA reference for boneless skinless chicken breast, roasted

Food state: breast, skinless, roasted

Data source: USDA FoodData Central (FDC #171534 — verify at USDA)

Nutrition linkage: Values are synchronized with our verified chicken nutrition calculator (breast-skinless-roasted variant).

Product variation: This food has 5 reference product types. Use the product selector above to match your label or USDA entry when logging portions.

Calculations: All nutrient values scale linearly from the per-100g reference: value = (per100g × grams) / 100. Protein target calculations invert this formula.

Serving conversions: Slice and piece weights are representative estimates. Actual slice weight varies by brand and thickness — use package label weights or a kitchen scale when precision matters.

Product variation: Generic USDA reference data may differ from branded product labels. For packaged foods, the Nutrition Facts panel on your specific product is the most accurate source.

Last verified: 2026-08-24

What Counts as Cooked Chicken?

Cooked chicken in nutrition databases means chicken that has reached a safe internal temperature through roasting, baking, grilling, boiling, or similar heat — as opposed to raw poultry entries used when you weigh meat before cooking.

There is no single "cooked chicken" USDA record covering all cuts. Breast, thigh, drumstick, and wing each have separate cooked references with different protein, fat, and calorie values.

FoodNutrify default: skinless roasted breast (FDC #171534) — change the cut selector if you ate thigh, drumstick, or skin-on portions.

Why Cooked Chicken Lists More Protein per 100 g Than Raw

Roasted skinless breast: 31.0g protein per 100g cooked vs 22.5g per 100g raw (FDC #171534 vs #171077). Cooking does not create protein — water evaporates, concentrating nutrients into less weight.

A 200g raw breast may yield ~145g cooked with similar total protein (~45g) but higher protein per gram in the cooked state.

Always weigh cooked and log cooked — or weigh raw and log raw. See [Raw Chicken](/protein/raw-chicken) for pre-cook tracking.

Cooked Chicken Protein by Cut

Skinless breast, roasted: 31.0g P · 165 kcal · 3.6g fat per 100g.

Skinless thigh, roasted: 24.8g P · 179 kcal · 8.2g fat per 100g.

Skin-on thigh, roasted: 23.3g P · 232 kcal · 14.7g fat per 100g.

Skin-on drumstick, roasted: 23.4g P · 191 kcal · 10.2g fat per 100g.

Skin-on wing, roasted: 23.8g P · 254 kcal · 16.9g fat per 100g.

Cooking Method and Added Ingredients

USDA roasted references approximate plain baked, grilled, or dry-heat cooking without heavy breading or sauce.

Oil, butter, breading, and marinades add calories beyond plain cooked chicken references — log add-ons separately when significant.

Fried or breaded chicken uses different USDA entries — not the roasted references on this page.

How to Track Cooked Chicken Correctly

Step 1: Weigh your portion after cooking (unless your workflow uses raw weights).

Step 2: Select the cut (breast, thigh, etc.) and skin-on or skinless.

Step 3: Enter grams or oz in the calculator.

Meal prep: weigh total batch cooked, divide by number of servings.

Shredded chicken: 1 cup chopped (~140g) ≈ 43g protein at breast roasted values.

Cooked Chicken vs Rotisserie Chicken

Plain cooked chicken uses generic roasted USDA entries (e.g. breast #171534).

Rotisserie chicken is a seasoned store product with higher sodium and cut-specific rotisserie entries — see [Rotisserie Chicken](/protein/rotisserie-chicken).

Do not log deli rotisserie using plain home-roasted breast values if sodium or brining matters to your tracking.

Cooked Chicken by Cut (per 100g)

Cut (cooked)	Protein (g)	Calories (kcal)	Fat (g)
Breast, skinless, roasted	31.0	165	3.6
Thigh, skinless, roasted	24.8	179	8.2
Thigh, skin-on, roasted	23.3	232	14.7
Drumstick, skin-on, roasted	23.4	191	10.2
Wing, skin-on, roasted	23.8	254	16.9

Raw vs Cooked Breast (skinless, per 100g)

Nutrient	Raw	Cooked (roasted)
Protein (g)	22.5	31.0
Calories (kcal)	120	165
Total Fat (g)	2.6	3.6
Water loss effect	Higher weight	Lower weight, same total protein

Practical Tips for Cooked Chicken

1
Cooked chicken ≠ one universal food — pick the cut you ate.
2
Weigh after cooking when using cooked references.
3
31g/100g is breast only — thigh and wing are lower per 100g.
4
Do not use raw data with cooked weight — common tracking error.
5
Rotisserie and fried are separate products — use their own pages or references.

Frequently Asked Questions — Cooked Chicken

How much protein is in cooked chicken?

Depends on cut. Skinless roasted breast lists 31.0g protein per 100g (default). Skinless thigh lists 24.8g. Four oz cooked breast (~113g) provides about 35g protein. Select the cut that matches what you ate.

Why does cooked chicken have different protein per 100g than raw?

Cooking removes water, concentrating protein per gram. Roasted breast lists 31.0g/100g cooked vs 22.5g/100g raw. Total protein in the same piece stays similar; the cooked piece weighs less.

Should cooked chicken be weighed after cooking?

Yes — if you use cooked USDA references, weigh the cooked portion. Alternatively, weigh raw before cooking and use raw references from the Raw Chicken page. Do not mix states.

Is cooked chicken the same as rotisserie chicken?

No. Plain cooked chicken uses generic roasted USDA entries. Rotisserie is a seasoned store product with higher sodium and separate rotisserie USDA cut entries.

How much protein is in 4 oz of cooked chicken breast?

At skinless roasted breast values (FDC #171534), 4 oz (~113g) provides about 35.0g protein and 186 kcal.

Important Notice

Values from USDA cooked chicken references via chicken-nutrition-calculator (breast #171534, thigh #172388/#173625, drumstick, wing #173630). Roasted approximates plain dry-heat cooking. Protein targets are mathematical only. Informational use — not medical advice.

About the Author

Manish KumarNASM Certified Personal Trainer (CPT)

Certified fitness professional and nutrition researcher with over 10 years of experience in the fitness and wellness industry. Founder of Food Nutrify, dedicated to making accurate, science-backed nutrition data accessible to everyone through free, easy-to-use calculators.

NASM Certified Personal TrainerSports Nutrition Specialist

References & Sources

[1] USDA FoodData Central (2024). Cooked chicken cuts: breast roasted #171534; thigh #172388; wing #173630. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service.