How Many Calories are in a Seasoned Chicken Breast? A Detailed Look

One of the best places to get lean protein is from chicken breast. It’s low in fat and calories and has a lot of protein. Seasoning chicken breast is a great way to make it taste better without adding a lot of calories. But how many calories is a chicken breast that has been seasoned? Let’s find out.

Why Chicken Breast is a Healthy Choice

There are a few key reasons why chicken breast is considered a healthy choice:

• High in protein – A 3. About 31 grams of protein are in 5 ounces of cooked chicken breast. Protein makes you feel full and helps your muscles grow and stay strong.

• Low in fat – The same 3.5 oz portion only contains about 3-6 grams of fat, depending on whether the skin is eaten. Choosing skinless chicken breast keeps the fat content low.

• Low in calories – With only around 140-170 calories in a 3.5 oz cooked chicken breast, it fits well into a calorie controlled diet.

• Provides nutrients – Chicken breast contains vitamins like B6, niacin, and selenium. It also provides some iron, zinc, phosphorus and magnesium.

So chicken breast on its own makes for a nutrition-packed, protein-rich and low calorie food choice.

Calories in Plain Chicken Breast

First, let’s look at how many calories are in a chicken breast that hasn’t been seasoned or marinated in any way.

• A 3.5 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast contains about 142 calories
• With the skin on, that jumps to about 175 calories
• A higher 5 oz portion of breast is approximately 200 calories

As you can see, plain chicken breast is low in calories considering its generous protein content. Skinless is ideal to keep calories down.

Adding Seasoning and Marinade

Here’s where the calories start to change. How many calories are added depends on what kind of seasoning or marinade is used. Some examples:

• Dry spices – Spices like garlic powder, pepper, paprika, curry powder have negligible calories. A spice-rubbed chicken breast won’t have many more calories than a plain breast.

• Fresh herbs – Herbs like parsley, basil, oregano, thyme also add minimal calories.

• Lemon/lime juice – These add few calories and give chicken a bright flavor.

• Vinegar – Popular types like balsamic, red wine, rice wine and apple cider vinegar contain very few calories per tablespoon.

• Oil-based marinades – Marinades with oil, like a lemon-garlic marinade made with olive oil, will add 45-80 calories per tablespoon of oil.

• Sweet marinades – Honey mustard marinades or sweet BBQ sauces add about 20-50 calories per tablespoon.

• Full-sodium soy sauce – Can add about 10 calories per tablespoon. Reduced sodium has less.

• Teriyaki sauce – Often adds around 40-70 calories per tablespoon.

So you can see there is a wide range of how many calories seasoning and marinades can add. As a general rule of thumb:

• Dry spices and fresh herbs won’t affect calorie content
• Acidic ingredients like vinegar and lemon/lime juice add minimal calories
• Oil-based marinades and sauces will increase calories due to oil
• Sweet marinades and sugary sauces add calories from sugar
• Salty sauces like soy sauce and teriyaki add some calories

Calories in Common Seasoned Chicken Breasts

To give more specific examples, here are the calories counts for some commonly seasoned chicken breasts:

• Lemon-herb chicken breast – Assuming a 3.5 oz breast with lemon juice, herbs and garlic, approximately 145 calories

• Balsamic chicken – Chicken marinated in 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar would be around 150 calories for a 3.5 oz portion

• Chicken fajitas – With seasoning like cumin, chili powder and cayenne would come to about 155 calories for 3.5 oz

• Jerk chicken – With traditional jamaican jerk seasoning, a 3.5 oz breast would have roughly 160 calories

• Teriyaki chicken – Made with 2 tbsp teriyaki sauce would contain approximately 190 calories

• Honey mustard chicken – Chicken glazed with 2 tbsp honey mustard dressing would have around 200 calories

• BBQ chicken – With 2-3 tbsp of thick, sweet BBQ sauce would tally 220-240 calories

As you go from simple herbs and spices to oil, sugar and salt-based sauces, the calories increase. But even with sauces, the chicken breast remains relatively low in calories for the amount of protein it delivers.

Tips for Keeping Calories Low

If you’re looking to keep the calories as low as possible when seasoning chicken breast, here are some useful tips:

• Use dried herbs, spices, vinegar, lemon/lime juice as the basis for flavor rather than oils, sugars or salty sauces

• Measure oil-based marinades carefully and brush lightly rather than dousing for maximum flavor without overdoing calories

• Opt for reduced sodium soy sauce or low-sugar BBQ sauces to cut down on salt and sugar

• Skip battering or breading chicken, which can add a significant amount of calories from carbs and oil

• Be mindful of portion sizes. Aim for a 3-4 oz seasoned breast for a meal, rather than oversized portions

• Remove chicken skin after cooking to avoid the extra fat and calories

• Broil, grill or bake seasoned chicken instead of frying to minimize added fat and calories

Chicken Breast is a Healthy Choice

The bottom line is that seasoned chicken breast remains a fantastic source of lean protein, even when marinated or sauced. While seasoning does add some calories, chicken breast still averages just 150-250 calories for a standard portion.

So don’t be afraid to add flavors through fresh herbs, spices, citrus and other low calorie ingredients. Just be mindful of portions of oil, sugar and salt. Follow the tips above to keep your seasoned chicken breast healthy, flavorful and low in calories.

Nutrition Information