Cooked broiler breast meat has about 31 g protein per 100 g, while thighs, drumsticks, wings, and whole birds usually sit in the low- to mid-20 g range per 100 g.
Broiler chicken shows up on meal plans for bodybuilders, busy families, and anyone who wants plenty of protein without a long ingredient list. Knowing the actual protein content of broiler meat by cut and portion helps you plan meals with more confidence instead of guessing from the packet label.
Most broiler cuts deliver complete protein, meaning all the amino acids your body needs for tissue repair, enzymes, and hormones. Data sets that draw on the USDA FoodData Central database show that broiler meat usually sits around one quarter protein by weight once cooked, with small shifts depending on cut, fat, and moisture levels.
This article walks through broiler protein numbers by cut, cooking state, and serving size, then shows how those numbers line up with typical daily protein targets. The goal is simple: clear, practical figures you can use right away in your own kitchen or food-tracking app.
Protein Basics In Broiler Meat
Protein from broiler meat contributes to muscle maintenance, bone structure, immune function, and a long list of enzymes and hormones. Health agencies that set nutrient reference values often place baseline adult protein needs near 0.8 g per kilogram of body weight per day, with slightly higher ranges for older adults and active people.
For a 70 kg adult, that baseline lands around 56 g of protein per day. A single solid portion of broiler chicken can already cover a large slice of that target, which is why chicken turns up so often in practical meal plans. The details sit in the cuts and the cooking, so that is where the numbers start.
Broiler Chicken Protein Content By Cut And Cooking Method
Chicken Breast: Lean Protein Workhorse
Cooked broiler breast without skin is one of the most protein-dense cuts you can buy. Nutrient tables based on USDA entries show that 100 g of cooked, roasted, boneless, skinless breast delivers about 31 g of protein and roughly 165 calories. You can see this clearly in the nutrition facts for cooked chicken breast, which pull from the same federal data.
Portion size matters in real life. A typical cooked breast portion of 120 g gives about 37 g of protein. A larger 150 g portion rises to about 46 g. That means a single plate with a modest pile of rice or potatoes and some vegetables already lands near half, or even more, of many adults’ daily protein target.
Chicken Thigh: Higher Fat, Still Protein Dense
Broiler thighs bring more fat and darker meat, yet still carry strong protein numbers. USDA-based data compiled by detailed nutrition tools place cooked, skinless thigh meat around 25–28 g of protein per 100 g, with calories near the low 200s for that same amount.
A 100 g cooked thigh portion might give roughly 26 g of protein. Two medium thighs can easily bring you into the 35–40 g range. That makes thighs a handy choice when you want a bit more flavor and juiciness than breast, while still landing plenty of protein on the plate.
Drumsticks And Wings: Protein With More Fat
Broiler drumsticks sit in the middle ground between breast and thigh. Summaries based on USDA data and common portion sizes often list cooked drumstick meat in the low- to high-20 g range of protein per 100 g, with slightly different figures depending on whether the skin stays on and how much visible fat is trimmed.
Wings trade some protein density for extra fat and, in many recipes, added sauce. Datasets that pull from USDA entries often show raw or cooked wings in the high-teens to mid-20 g of protein per 100 g, while calories climb thanks to skin and fat. If you love wings, it still counts toward daily protein, but the ratio of protein to calories shifts compared with plain breast or thigh.
Whole Broiler Birds And Mixed Meat
Many households roast whole broilers and carve off a mix of white and dark meat. When you look at nutrient breakdowns for whole roasted chicken with skin, the combined meat usually comes out near 27 g of protein per 100 g. That sits just a little under lean breast, and slightly above some ground chicken blends.
Because a carved plate from a whole bird might include both lean slices and fatty bits, tracking protein by weight can help. If you weigh out 120 g of mixed meat from a roasted broiler, you can expect somewhere near 32 g of protein along with more fat than a pure breast portion of the same size.
Ground Broiler Meat
Ground chicken often blends light and dark meat, and sometimes skin, so the protein content shifts down slightly while calories move around with the fat percentage. USDA-based listings for cooked lean ground chicken show around 23 g of protein per 100 g and roughly 189 calories.
For meals like burgers, meatballs, or patties, a 120 g cooked portion of lean ground chicken brings close to 28 g of protein. If the grind includes more skin or higher fat, you still see similar protein per 100 g, but more calories stacked on top from fat.
Broad View: Protein Across Broiler Cuts
All of these cuts share one thing: broiler meat reliably delivers a solid dose of protein per 100 g. The table below brings the main numbers together so you can scan them at a glance.
| Broiler Cut (Cooked, Edible Portion) | Typical Protein (g) Per 100 g | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Breast, skinless, roasted | ~31 g | Very lean; based on USDA-sourced data for boneless breast. |
| Thigh, skinless, baked or grilled | ~26–28 g | Darker meat with more fat than breast, still strong protein per 100 g. |
| Drumstick, roasted | ~24–27 g | Figures vary with skin on or off and exact trimming. |
| Wing, roasted or fried | ~19–24 g | More fat and skin; sauce can add extra calories. |
| Whole chicken, meat and skin, roasted | ~27 g | Average across white and dark meat from a whole bird. |
| Ground chicken, lean, cooked | ~23 g | Blend of light and dark meat; protein per 100 g drops slightly. |
| Gizzard, simmered | ~28–29 g | Organ meat with dense protein and a chewy texture. |
These are rounded figures from datasets that either draw directly on USDA FoodData Central entries or summarize them through nutrition tools. Cooking method, marinade, and trimming can nudge the values up or down a little, yet the overall pattern stays the same: broiler meat brings a lot of protein for the weight you put on the scale.
Raw Versus Cooked Broiler Protein Numbers
Raw broiler meat carries plenty of water, so the protein percentage looks lower on a per-100 g basis before cooking. Once you apply heat, water leaves the meat, the piece shrinks, and the protein number per cooked 100 g rises even though the total protein in the original piece stays similar.
Chicken Breast Raw Versus Cooked
Raw boneless, skinless chicken breast often sits near 22–24 g of protein per 100 g, according to nutrient tables that pull from USDA FoodData Central. The same meat, cooked and roasted without breading, climbs to around 31 g per 100 g in data summarized by MyFoodData and similar tools.
What this means in practice: if you place 150 g of raw breast on the pan and end up with, say, 110–120 g cooked, the total protein in that piece stays in a band near 33–37 g. The label on a raw pack and the cooked weight on your plate tell the same story once you adjust for water loss.
Other Cuts And General Meat Composition
Thighs, drumsticks, and wings follow the same pattern. Raw values sit lower per 100 g because water is still locked in the tissue, then cooked values move higher per 100 g as moisture leaves. Even in older meat-science tables, skeletal muscle from animals is often listed around 16–22 percent protein by weight in its fresh state.
For home cooks, the key idea is simple: if you track food by cooked weight, use cooked entries in your nutrition app. If you track by raw weight, use raw entries. Mixing the two for the same meal can distort your protein totals even when your portion sizes are consistent.
How Broiler Protein Fits Into Daily Intake
Broiler protein numbers matter most when you measure them against daily needs. Several public health bodies, including European and North American groups, place a general adult protein range around 0.8 g per kilogram of body weight per day, with some reviews pointing to higher intakes for active or older adults. You can read a concise summary in the EFSA protein intake recommendations.
Taking a simple baseline of 56 g of protein per day for a 70 kg adult, it becomes clear how a single chicken meal contributes. The table below uses rounded figures from earlier sections to show how common broiler servings stack up against that 56 g reference point.
| Serving Example | Protein (g) | Share Of 56 g Baseline |
|---|---|---|
| 120 g cooked skinless breast | ~37 g | About two thirds of the daily baseline |
| 150 g cooked skinless breast | ~46 g | Roughly four fifths of the baseline |
| 120 g cooked thigh, skinless | ~31 g | Just over half of the baseline |
| Two medium drumsticks, cooked | ~30–34 g | Just over half of the baseline |
| Six whole wings, cooked | ~25–30 g | Roughly half of the baseline |
| 120 g cooked lean ground chicken | ~28 g | Right around half of the baseline |
| Mixed plate: 80 g breast + 80 g thigh | ~45 g | Close to four fifths of the baseline |
These examples show how even moderate broiler servings go a long way toward common daily targets. For people who prefer to spread protein across breakfast, lunch, and dinner, a plate of chicken at mid-day plus smaller protein servings at other meals usually covers the baseline without much effort.
Reading Labels And Data Tables For Broiler Chicken
Packaged broiler products often list nutrition facts per 100 g raw, per serving, or both. That can feel confusing when you compare it with cooked weights from a food scale or nutrition app. A quick way to stay on track is to match like with like: if your pack lists protein per 100 g raw, yet you weigh cooked meat, use a cooked entry from a trusted database instead.
Government and academic sources are especially helpful here. The FSIS Chicken and Turkey Nutrition Facts guideline pulls together standard nutrient values for common poultry products, based on the same core data used for labels. Combined with tools that reference USDA FoodData Central, you can cross-check protein numbers for the exact cut, weight, and cooking style you use at home.
Practical Tips For Getting Protein From Broiler Chicken
Once you know how much protein sits in each cut, a few simple habits make it easier to turn those numbers into meals that match your goals and taste.
Simple Habits That Keep Protein On Track
- Weigh cooked portions occasionally. You do not need to weigh every meal forever, but checking a few plates with a kitchen scale helps you learn what 100–150 g of cooked meat looks like on your usual dishes.
- Match cut to purpose. Use lean breast when you want lots of protein with fewer calories, and thighs or drumsticks when you want richer flavor and do not mind extra fat.
- Use boneless, skinless cuts for precise tracking. Bones and skin add weight without changing protein in the same way, so trimming them away gives clearer numbers per 100 g of meat.
- Build the meal around the protein portion. Once you know your plate has, say, 35–40 g of protein from chicken, you can add grains, vegetables, and fats in amounts that fit your energy needs and preferences.
- Balance broiler meat with other protein sources. Eggs, dairy, pulses, fish, and other meats all add variety and micronutrients that round out a protein-aware eating pattern.
Broiler chicken will probably stay near the center of many people’s protein intake, simply because it is widely available and easy to cook in large batches. With clear numbers by cut and serving size, you can use it in a way that fits your protein target, your calorie budget, and the style of meals you enjoy most.
References & Sources
- USDA Agricultural Research Service.“USDA FoodData Central.”Primary federal database for nutrient values, including broiler chicken cuts used for protein figures in this article.
- MyFoodData.“Nutrition Facts for Chicken Breast (Cooked).”USDA-based breakdown showing ~31 g protein per 100 g of cooked, roasted, skinless broiler breast.
- USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).“Chicken and Turkey Nutrition Facts.”Guideline summarizing nutrient values for common poultry products, used here to cross-check protein ranges for whole broilers and parts.
- European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).“Dietary Recommendations for Protein Intake for Adults and Older Adults.”Outlines adult protein reference values around 0.8 g per kg body weight per day, used as the daily baseline in this article.