How Many Calories Are in a 6 Ounce Chicken Breast? A Detailed Breakdown

A lot of people like to get lean protein from chicken breast. A lot of dieters and bodybuilders use it to get their daily protein needs met without eating a lot of calories. If you’ve ever thought, “How many calories are in 6 oz of chicken breast?” you’re not the only one. The calories can be very different depending on the cut and how it is prepared.

This article goes into great detail about how many calories and nutrients are in 6 ounces of chicken breast based on whether it’s

• Raw vs cooked
• Boneless vs bone-in
• Skinless vs skin-on

We’ll also look at how the calories in 6 ounces of chicken breast compare to other high protein foods like salmon steak, and tofu.

By the end, you’ll know exactly how many calories are in every type of 6 oz chicken breast. Let’s get started!

How Many Calories in 6 Ounces of Raw Chicken Breast?

First, let’s look at a standard 6 ounce raw chicken breast with no bones or skin.

According to the USDA, 6 ounces of raw, boneless, skinless chicken breast contains:

• 185 calories
• 39 grams protein
• 2 grams fat
• 0 grams carbs

A plain chicken breast has very little fat and carbs, as you can see. At 39 grams per 6 oz serving, the amount of protein is pretty high. That amounts to about 13 grams of protein per ounce.

So in terms of calories per gram of protein, boneless skinless chicken breast is tough to beat!

How Many Calories in Cooked Chicken Breast?

Here’s where things get a little tricky.

When you cook chicken breast, it loses about 25% of its original weight due to water loss. So 6 ounces of raw chicken shrinks down to around 4.5 ounces after cooking.

• But the protein and calories remain roughly the same.
• So per ounce, cooked chicken breast contains more calories and protein compared to raw.

Specifically, a 6 ounce portion of cooked, boneless, skinless chicken breast has:

• 240 calories
• 53 grams protein
• 3 grams fat

So the cooked chicken breast has about 30% more calories and 35% more protein compared to 6 ounces raw.

To find out more about the calories and protein in an ounce of chicken breast, weigh it after cooking.

Calories in Chicken Breast with Skin and Bones

Here’s where the calories in chicken breast can really start to add up.

Chicken skin contains mostly fat with little protein. Bones also take up weight without providing nutrition.

So chicken breast with the skin and bones left on contains far more calories than an equivalent portion of boneless, skinless meat.

Let’s see how the calories compare:

• 6 oz raw, boneless, skinless breast: 185 calories
• 6 oz raw, bone-in, skin-on breast: 285 calories

As you can see, the bone-in chicken breast with skin has about 50% more calories as the boneless, skinless equivalent.

And a 6 ounce portion cooked bone-in, skin-on contains around 380 calories.

So if you’re keeping track of calories or macros, be sure to remove the skin and bones from chicken breasts before cooking.

Calorie Comparison of 6 Ounce Chicken Breast Types

For easy reference, here is a table summarizing the calories in different types of 6 ounce chicken breast portions:

As you can see, the boneless, skinless breast is lowest in calories while retaining the most protein. So opt for this type whenever possible if you’re counting macros or calories.

Chicken Breast Calorie Equivalents in Other Protein Foods

While chicken is a fantastic lean protein source, you may get bored of eating it daily. In that case, it helps to know calorie equivalents in other high protein foods.

Here’s how many calories are in alternate protein sources equal to 6 ounces of cooked, skinless chicken breast:

• 7 ounces salmon: 315 calories
• 7 ounces 90% lean ground turkey: 300 calories
• 7 ounces sirloin steak: 370 calories
• 17 ounces firm tofu: 400 calories

As you can see, it’s difficult to match the calorie-to-protein ratio of boneless, skinless chicken breast. Fish like salmon comes closest, but still has slightly more calories per gram of protein.

So if you’re cutting calories on a diet, chicken breast is tough to beat!

How Big is a 6 Ounce Chicken Breast?

Wondering what a 6 ounce chicken breast looks like visually?

A 6 ounce portion is on the smaller side for a chicken breast. The typical raw chicken breast weighs between 6 and 10 ounces.

A serving size of chicken is often cited as 4 ounces. So a 6 ounce breast is 50% larger than a standard serving.

To give you a visual reference, an average 8 ounce chicken breast is about the size of a man’s hand. So a 6 ounce portion would be around 3/4 the size of a hand.

While 6 ounces of chicken may sound small, it’s actually a significant portion of meat!

How to Measure 6 Ounces of Chicken Breast

If you don’t have a food scale handy, here are a couple tips for eyeballing a 6 ounce raw chicken breast:

• Buy chicken breasts in even pound increments like 1 pound (16 oz) or 1.5 pounds (24 oz). This makes it easier to divide into 6 oz portions.
• Look for a breast that’s roughly 3/4 the size of your hand. This will be in the 6 ounce range.
• Divide larger chicken breasts into portions visually. For example, cut an 8 ounce breast in half for two roughly 4 ounce portions.

However, for complete accuracy your best bet is using a food scale. Cook the chicken breasts whole, then weigh out 6 ounce cooked portions after.

This ensures you know the exact calorie and protein count in each portion.

How Many Calories You Need Per Day

So now you know there are around 240 calories in 6 ounces of cooked, boneless, skinless chicken breast. But how does this fit into your total daily calorie needs?

The number of calories you should eat per day depends on factors like:

• Gender – Men generally need more calories than women
• Age – Calorie needs decrease as you get older
• Activity Level – Active individuals need more calories than sedentary people
• Goals – Weight loss requires a calorie deficit, weight gain requires a calorie surplus

Use this rough guide based on activity level to estimate your calorie needs:

• Sedentary – 2000 calories/day for women, 2500 for men
• Moderately Active – 2200-2400 calories/day for women, 2700-3000 for men
• Very Active – 2500-2800 calories/day for women, 3000-3500 for men

To lose weight aim for a 500 calorie per day deficit. For weight gain, aim for a 300-500 calorie surplus.

Adjust your intake based on your progress week-to-week.

Sample Meal Plan with 6 oz Chicken Breast

Here is a sample one day meal plan incorporating a 6 ounce chicken breast to hit a moderate calorie target:

Breakfast

• 3 egg omelet with vegetables – 300 calories

Lunch

• 6 oz chicken breast
• 1 cup brown rice – 200 calories
• 1 cup broccoli – 30 calories
• TOTAL: 470 calories

Dinner

• 6 oz salmon
• 1 medium sweet potato – 150 calories
• 1 cup green beans – 35 calories
• TOTAL: 500 calories

Snacks

• 1 apple – 95 calories
• 1 oz almonds – 170 calories

TOTAL: 1865 calories

This sample day comes to around 1865 calories including two 6 ounce portions of lean protein at lunch and dinner. Adjust the portion sizes and ingredients to meet your own calorie goals.

The Takeaway – Calories in Chicken Breast

• There are 185 calories in 6 ounces raw, boneless, skinless chicken breast
• A 6 ounce cooked chicken breast has around 240 calories
• Chicken breast with skin and bones increases calories to 285-380 calories for 6 ounces
• Compare calories to other proteins like salmon (315 calories), steak (370 calories), and tofu (400 calories)
• A 6 ounce chicken breast is around 3/4 the size of a average man’s hand
• Use a food scale for most accuracy in weighing chicken breast portions
• Adjust daily calorie intake based on your gender, activity level, and fitness goals

Chicken breast is tough to beat in terms of protein-to-calorie ratio. Skinless, boneless breasts are your best bet for minimizing calories while maximizing nutrition.

But don’t be afraid to mix up your protein sources. Salmon, lean beef, turkey, and plant proteins like tofu can all fit into a healthy, balanced diet.

Just be mindful of accurate portion sizes and cooking methods. This will ensure you know exactly how many calories are in each meal.

Nutrition Facts