How Many Carbs Are in Grilled Chicken? A Detailed Look

Grilled chicken is a staple food for many health-conscious eaters. It’s a low-calorie, high-protein food that can be used in a lot of different ways, like salads, sandwiches, and wraps.

But if you’re on a low-carb diet like keto and need to keep a close eye on your carb intake, you need to know how many carbs are in the foods you eat. For example, how many carbs are in grilled chicken?

In this article, we’ll take a detailed look at the carb content of grilled chicken We’ll break it down by serving size and cut of chicken to give you the full picture.

An Overview of Carbs in Grilled Chicken

The favorite choice for grilled chicken is a 4 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast. This serving size of grilled chicken contains zero grams of carbs.

That’s right – pure grilled chicken breast without skin or breading is entirely carb-free! This makes it an excellent protein choice on a low-carb diet.

Here is a list of all the carbs that are in 4 oz of boneless, skinless grilled chicken breast:

• Total carbs: 0g
• Fiber: 0g
• Sugar: 0g
• Net carbs: 0g

So without the skin or any basting or marinade, grilled chicken itself contains no carbohydrates.

However, the total carb content changes slightly depending on the cut and serving size of the chicken, as we’ll explore next.

Carb Counts by Grilled Chicken Cut

Let’s take a more detailed look at how the carb count changes for different cuts and serving sizes of grilled chicken:

Boneless vs Bone-In

There may be a few more carbs in chicken with bones than in chicken without bones. Here is the carb comparison:

• 4 oz boneless grilled chicken breast: 0g net carbs
• 4 oz bone-in grilled chicken breast: 0-1g net carbs

The bone adds minimal carbs, so both boneless and bone-in chicken breast can be considered carb-free foods.

Breast vs Leg & Thigh

Chicken breasts are the leanest part of the chicken, while legs and thighs are slightly fattier. Here is the carb count for different grilled chicken cuts:

• Grilled chicken breast: 0g net carbs (for 4oz boneless)
• Grilled chicken leg: 0g net carbs (for 4oz boneless)
• Grilled chicken thigh: 0-1g net carbs (for 4oz boneless)

So again, while legs and thighs may have slightly more carbs than breasts, the difference is negligible. All cuts of grilled chicken are very low-carb options.

Serving Size

Obviously, eating a larger portion of chicken means consuming more carbs. But even at higher serving sizes, grilled chicken remains a zero or trace carb food:

• 1 small grilled chicken breast (4-5 oz): 0g net carbs
• 1 medium grilled chicken breast (6 oz): 0g net carbs
• 1 large grilled chicken breast (8 oz): 0-1g net carbs

So feel confident choosing grilled chicken in any reasonable portion size if you are counting carbs. Even a large 8 oz chicken breast contains just 1 gram of carbs or less.

Does Grilled Chicken Skin Add Carbs?

Plain chicken contains no carbs, but what about the skin? Does leaving the skin on significantly increase the carb content?

The answer is no. Chicken skin alone does not contain any carbohydrates either.

Here is the carb comparison for grilled chicken with and without the skin:

• Grilled chicken with skin: 0g net carbs (for 4 oz boneless breast)
• Grilled chicken without skin: 0g net carbs (for 4 oz boneless breast)

So the skin does not impact the carb count. However, chicken skin does add extra fat and calories. A 4 oz chicken breast has 119 calories without skin and 164 calories with skin.

If limiting fat and calories is your priority, skip the skin. But you don’t need to remove it just for carb reasons.

Does Marinade or Basting Add Carbs to Grilled Chicken?

Plain grilled chicken is carb-free, but what if it’s marinated or basted in sauce before cooking? Do these additions impact the carb content?

It depends entirely on the ingredients of the marinade or basting sauce.

Many simple herb rubs and olive oil or vinegar marinades will be very low-carb and not affect the overall carb count. However, sauces with sugar, fruits, or starchy thickeners will add carbohydrates.

For example:

• Grilled chicken basted in BBQ sauce can have 15+ grams of carbs per serving

• Grilled chicken marinated in an oil-based herb mix will remain 0 grams of carbs

To be safe, check the nutrition info for marinades and sauces before applying them to chicken. Or stick to simple herb, vinegar, and oil blends to avoid any added carbs.

How Do Carbs in Grilled Chicken Compare to Other Proteins?

Compared to other high-protein foods, grilled chicken is very low in carbohydrates:

• Grilled chicken: 0g carbs (for 4 oz boneless breast)
• Steak: 0g carbs (for 4 oz sirloin)
• Grilled salmon: 0g carbs (for 4 oz)
• Eggs: 0.5g carbs (for 2 large eggs)
• Tofu: 2g carbs (for 1/2 cup)
• Ground turkey: 0g carbs (for 4 oz)
• Canned tuna: 0g carbs (for 3 oz in water)
• Ground beef: 0g carbs (for 4 oz, 93% lean)

So along with red meat, fish, and other poultry, plain grilled chicken is an excellent high-protein, carb-free choice for low-carb diets. It’s much lower carb than plant proteins like beans and tofu.

Health Benefits of Choosing Grilled Chicken

Grilled chicken has many health advantages beyond its carb and calorie count. Here are some of the top benefits of adding grilled chicken to your diet:

• High in protein: A 4 oz serving provides 27g protein to help build muscle, curb hunger, and stabilize blood sugar.

• Low in fat: Chicken breast is a leaner choice than red meat. 4 oz has just 3 grams of fat.

• Nutrient-rich: Chicken provides niacin, selenium, vitamin B6, phosphorus, choline, vitamin K and more.

• Anti-inflammatory: Chicken contains glycine which can help reduce inflammation.

• May lower blood pressure: Some studies link poultry to reductions in blood pressure.

• Supports weight loss: Protein boosts metabolism and helps reduce body fat when dieting.

So grilled chicken provides a lean, low-carb protein option that offers a variety of potential wellness benefits. It’s an excellent addition to any healthy diet.

Simple Ways to Add Grilled Chicken to Your Diet

Here are some easy ways to enjoy grilled chicken as part of a low-carb lifestyle:

• Use it in salads. Top your greens with grilled chicken slices or diced chicken for a protein punch.

• Make chicken wraps. Wrap grilled chicken breast in low-carb tortillas or lettuce leaves for an easy lunch.

• Enjoy it on its own. Season simply with salt, pepper, and herbs.

• Chop it up for snacks. Dice into pieces to eat on-the-go or pair with veggies.

• Add it to stir fries. Use grilled chicken in any pan fried veggie dishes.

• Put it in omelets or breakfast bowls. An easy way to add protein in the mornings.

• Use it in soups and chilis. Shredded grilled chicken works for both hearty and lighter soups.

• Make chicken pizza and casseroles. Top low-carb crusts or cauliflower rice with chicken.

Nutrition Facts