How Many Calories are in Breaded Chicken Breast?

Breaded chicken breast is a popular dish that combines the lean protein of chicken breast with a crispy, flavorful breading. But when chicken is breaded and fried, the calorie and fat content increases compared to plain grilled or baked chicken breast. So how many calories are actually in a breaded chicken breast? Let’s take a closer look.

Calorie Count of Plain Chicken Breast

Before you can figure out how many calories are in breaded chicken breast, you should know how many calories are in plain chicken breast that hasn’t been breaded.

About 110 to 120 calories are in a 3-ounce serving of boneless, skinless chicken breast. One of the leanest ways to get protein is to eat chicken breast. It contains minimal fat and no carbs.

Chicken breast with the skin on contains about 140-150 calories in a 3-ounce portion Leaving the skin adds some additional fat and calories compared to skinless chicken breast,

So a plain chicken breast, with or without skin, has about 110 to 150 calories per 3 ounces.

How Breading Adds Calories

Breading significantly increases the calorie content of chicken breast.

Breadcrumbs or batter coatings add carbs and fat that plain grilled chicken does not have. Frying the breaded chicken also adds more fat absorbed into the breading during cooking.

No matter what kind of coating is used or how much of it is used, breading adds calories. Panko is a light breading that adds fewer calories than heavy breading or fried batters.

Here are some estimates for calories added by different types of breading on a 3-ounce chicken breast:

• Light panko breadcrumbs – 50 calories
• Moderate breadcrumbs – 100-150 calories
• Heavy batter frying – 200+ calories

The more heavily breaded the chicken is, the higher the calorie count becomes.

Total Calories in Breaded Chicken Breast

Adding up the calories in a plain chicken breast and the extra calories from breading gives an estimate of the total calories in a breaded chicken breast.

A 3-ounce breaded chicken breast can range from:

• 160-170 calories (light panko breading)
• 210-270 calories (moderate breadcrumbs)
• 320+ calories (heavy batter frying)

For comparison, a large 8-9 ounce breaded chicken breast would contain roughly:

• 400-425 calories (light breading)
• 525-675 calories (moderate breading)
• 800+ calories (heavy batter)

As you can see, the calories add up quickly once chicken is breaded and fried. But lighter breading minimizes the calorie impact compared to heavy frying.

Calories in Specific Breaded Chicken Breast Recipes

Looking at some specific breaded chicken recipes also gives an idea of how many calories are in a typical serving:

• 1 breaded chicken breast patty (2.5 oz) = 210 calories
• 1 Publix fried chicken tenderloin (2 oz) = 130 calories
• 4 Wendy’s chicken nuggets (2.5 oz) = 230 calories
• 1 KFC Extra Crispy chicken breast (4.5 oz) = 370 calories
• 1 Popeye’s breaded chicken breast (5.25 oz) = 420 calories

As these examples show, a single breaded chicken breast can range from 200-400+ calories depending on the size and preparation method. Fast food chicken tends to be quite high in calories due to heavy batter frying.

Tips to Reduce Calories in Breaded Chicken

If you want to enjoy breaded chicken but limit the calories, here are some tips:

• Choose lighter panko breading rather than heavy batter frying
• Remove skin before breading to reduce fat and calories
• Bake breaded chicken instead of frying to avoid absorbing extra oil
• Opt for chicken tenders or nuggets which are smaller portions
• Stick to a 3-4 ounce portion to control calories
• Enjoy breaded chicken only occasionally as a treat

With smart choices, breaded chicken can still fit into a healthy diet – just be mindful of portions and preparation methods. Aim for lighter breading, watch your portions, and balance it out with veggies and grains to keep calories in check.

The Bottom Line

A 3-4 ounce breaded chicken breast contains 160-400+ calories depending on cooking method and amount of breading. Lighter panko breading adds only 50-150 calories, while heavy fried batters can add 200+ calories. To keep calories down, stick to a reasonable portion, choose lighter breading, and avoid frequent fried chicken. Breaded chicken can be enjoyed as part of a balanced diet when eaten mindfully and in moderation.

2 Breaded Chicken Breast Fillets