How Many Calories Are in a Stuffed Chicken Breast? A Complete Breakdown

Stuffed chicken breast is a delicious and satisfying meal, but it’s easy to overindulge without realizing just how many calories you’re consuming. As a nutritious protein source that’s lower in calories than red meat, chicken breast is an excellent base for a healthy dinner. However, when stuffed with cheese, breadcrumbs, bacon and other high-calorie mix-ins, the calorie count can shoot up drastically.

So how many calories are actually in a stuffed chicken breast? The total depends on the size of the chicken breast and what it’s stuffed with. In this comprehensive guide, I’ll break down the calorie counts in stuffed chicken breasts to help you make informed choices.

The Basics: Chicken Breast Nutrition

Let’s start with the base – a plain chicken breast with no stuffing.

A 6-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breast contains around:

• 284 calories
• 80 grams protein
• 3 grams fat
• 0 grams carbs

Chicken is nearly 100% protein by calorie count It provides all 9 essential amino acids and is an excellent source of nutrients like niacin, vitamin B6, selenium and phosphorus.

When preparing a stuffed chicken breast, it’s useful to know the calorie baseline before factoring in the stuffing ingredients.

Calories in Uncooked vs Cooked Chicken

Cooking causes some changes in chicken’s nutritional profile. As chicken cooks, it loses moisture which concentrates the protein and minerals.

The number of calories stays about the same, but the protein content goes up from about 80% of calories to 2089% of calories in cooked chicken breast.

Here are the nutrition facts for a 6 oz cooked chicken breast

• 284 calories
• 62 grams protein
• 3 grams fat
• 0 grams carbs

Given that chicken shrinks when it’s cooked, a 6 oz cooked chicken breast is about the same as a 7 oz raw chicken breast.

Calories in Common Stuffing Ingredients

When chicken is stuffed, all the filling ingredients impact the total calorie count. Some common stuffing mix-ins and their calorie contributions are:

• Cheese – Cheddar, mozzarella or cream cheese add roughly 110 calories per 1/4 cup shredded or cubed.
• Breadcrumbs – Plain dry breadcrumbs add 45 calories per 1/4 cup. Egg and milk-soaked breadcrumbs add about 80 calories per 1/4 cup.
• Rice – Cooked white rice contributes about 100 calories per 1/4 cup.
• Pasta – In dishes like chicken cordon bleu, cooked pasta adds around 120 calories per 1/4 cup.
• Vegetables – Onions, peppers, broccoli and mushrooms add negligible calories.
• Meat – Bacon, sausage, ham and other meats range from 70-120 calories per 1/4 cup.
• Sauces – Creamy sauces like cheese or gravy can add 200+ calories per 1/4 cup.

As you can see, foods like cheese, grains, and meats have a lot of calories. You can cut down on calories by using leaner ingredients like vegetables and rice instead of heavy ones like bacon, breadcrumbs, and cheese.

Calories in Common Stuffed Chicken Breast Recipes

Now let’s look at the total calories in some typical stuffed chicken breast recipes:

• This chicken dish has 326 calories and 1/4 cup of cheese. It also has 1/2 cup of broccoli.

• Chicken Cordon Bleu – With 2 oz ham, 2 oz Swiss cheese and 2 Tbsp pasta – 423 calories

• Italian Chicken – With 1/4 cup ricotta, 1/4 cup breadcrumbs, 2 Tbsp parmesan – 350 calories

• Chicken Kiev – With 1/4 cup butter – 549 calories

• BBQ Chicken – With 1/4 cup BBQ sauce soaked breadcrumbs – 329 calories

• Buffalo Chicken – With 2 oz blue cheese, 1/4 cup hot sauce – 402 calories

• Fajita Chicken – With 1/4 cup onions, peppers, cheese and salsa – 274 calories

The recipes range from 270 to 550 calories per stuffed chicken breast depending on the preparation. Lighter veggie fillings are your best bet for keeping calories down.

Tips for Lightening Up Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Here are some easy ways to reduce calories in stuffed chicken recipes:

• Use cooking spray instead of oil to avoid adding unnecessary fats.

• Opt for low-fat cheese varieties or reduced-fat cream cheese.

• Skip high-calorie meats like bacon or sausage.

• Use whole grain bread crumbs instead of regular to add more fiber.

• Stuff with lots of vegetables like spinach, mushrooms and peppers.

• Choose plain Greek yogurt instead of heavy cream or sour cream for a sauce.

• Avoid drizzling with butter, oil or creamy sauces after cooking.

With some simple substitutions and veggie-focused stuffing, you can keep the calorie count of stuffed chicken reasonable and still have a filling, delicious meal. Aim for around 300-400 calories per stuffed chicken breast.