This Million Dollar Chicken Bake is made with a rich and bold flavor combo that can’t be beat! Tender chicken breast is layered with a velvety mixture of two kinds of cheese, bacon, and green onions and baked to tender, juicy perfection! With hundreds of glowing reviews, this recipe is a tried and true best baked chicken recipe for an easy dinner!.
The problem is that sometimes it is bland, boring, and even can be tough or chewy.
This Million Dollar Chicken Bake is rescuing chicken breast destined for boring chewy baking everywhere! If you have ever had Million Dollar dip, you know what I am talking about. If not, you are in for a treat.
It is packed with flavor, baking right in a rich and creamy sauce. The best part is that not only is it delicious, but it can go from the fridge to the oven in as little as 10 minutes!.
After this recipe becoming one of loved chicken recipes I have ever created, I decided to try my hand at a few other Million Dollar recipes. They all live up to their name, make sure to try our Million Dollar Chicken Casserole, Million Dollar Bacon, Million Dollar Baked Pork Chops, Million Dollar Spaghetti, and this Million Dollar Chicken Salad, which tastes a lot like this recipe, but is perfect for a quick lunch, a great low carb option, or on the go meal for kids or adults!.
A lot of people like chicken breast as a lean protein source. It’s healthy, easy to cook, and can be used in many ways. There are, however, a lot of calories in a chicken breast, so it’s important to know how many are in one. We will read in depth about how many calories and nutrients are in a 6 ounce chicken breast in this article.
Calorie Count for 6 Ounces of Chicken Breast
According to the USDA, a 6 ounce boneless, skinless chicken breast contains
- 276 calories
- 5.95g of fat
- 0g of carbs
- 51.68g of protein
That means that more than three quarters of the calories in a six-ounce serving come from protein. Because of this, chicken breast is a great choice if you want to eat more protein while cutting back on calories.
Chicken breast has a relatively low calorie density, meaning there are fewer calories relative to the weight and volume of food. Foods with low calorie density, like chicken breast, vegetables, and fruits, are great options for managing your weight.
Calorie Differences Between Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
There can be slight differences in calories for chicken breast depending on whether the skin is removed and whether the breast contains bones.
Here’s a comparison of common chicken breast servings
- 1 ounce boneless, cooked, skinless: 46 calories
- 1 ounce boneless, cooked (skin removed): 43 calories
- 1 ounce boneless, raw, without skin (yield after cooking): 30 calories
- 1 ounce with bone, cooked (bone and skin removed): 34 calories
- 1 ounce with bone, cooked without skin (bone removed): 38 calories
You can see that a breast without bones or skin has the fewest calories. About 3 calories per ounce are added by leaving the skin on. 4 to 8 calories per ounce are added by leaving the bone in.
If you want to get the most nutrition for the least amount of calories, choose boneless and skinless meats whenever you can.
Nutrition Facts for 6 Ounces of Chicken Breast
In addition to protein and calories, chicken breast contains a variety of vitamins and minerals:
- Fat: 5.95g total fat, 1.68g saturated fat
- Cholesterol: 141mg
- Sodium: 665mg
- Potassium: 427mg
- Calcium: 25mg (2% DV)
- Iron: 1.73mg (10% DV)
- Vitamin A: 10mcg (1% DV)
Chicken breast is an excellent source of lean protein and contains essential vitamins and minerals like niacin, selenium, vitamin B6 and phosphorus. It’s also a good source of choline, an important nutrient for liver and brain health.
Skinless chicken breast is relatively low in fat, especially saturated fat. Removing the skin helps reduce the total fat and calorie content.
Comparing Calories in Chicken Breast to Other Proteins
How does chicken breast compare to other high protein foods in terms of calories?
- 6 ounces salmon: 362 calories
- 6 ounces pork tenderloin: 210 calories
- 6 ounces 90% lean ground beef: 314 calories
- 6 ounces tilapia: 144 calories
- 6 ounces tuna: 184 calories
- 6 ounces shrimp: 102 calories
- 6 ounces tempeh: 222 calories
So chicken breast sits right in the middle calorie-wise. It has slightly more calories than the fish options but fewer calories than fattier cuts of meat.
Chicken and other lean proteins like seafood, eggs, and legumes are great for building muscle, staying full between meals, and maintaining energy levels.
Cooking Methods and Calorie Changes
The basic nutrition facts discussed so far are for a plain, roasted chicken breast. But different cooking methods can alter the calories:
- Grilled: Minimal effect on calories
- Baked: Minimal effect on calories
- Fried or breaded: Adds 70-120 calories per serving
- Roasted with oil: Adds about 50 calories per TBSP of oil
- Simmered in sauce or soup: Depends on ingredients; cream-based sauces add more
Grilling, baking, poaching, or roasting without oil are the best low-cal cooking methods. But even fried chicken or chicken dishes like chicken parmesan can fit into a healthy diet in moderation. Just be mindful of added oils, coatings, and high-calorie sauces.
Tips for Preparing Low-Calorie Chicken Breasts
Here are some simple tips for keeping chicken breast low in calories:
- Remove the skin before cooking to reduce fat and calories
- Use healthier cooking methods like grilling, baking or poaching
- Avoid frying or breading chicken to minimize added calories
- Limit high-calorie sauces and opt for lighter options like salsa or mustard
- Pair chicken with non-starchy veggies for added bulk and nutrients
- Spice it up with herbs, lemon, garlic, pepper instead of fatty sauces
- Measure portions since it’s easy to overeat lean protein
- Make big batch and refrigerate or freeze for easy weeknight meals
With a little creativity, chicken breast can be transformed into dozens of delicious low-calorie meals that will help you reach your health goals.
Common Questions about Chicken Breast Calories
Here are answers to some common questions about the calories in chicken breasts:
How many calories in baked chicken breast?
Plain baked chicken breast has about the same calories as roasted – around 46 calories per ounce. The calories can increase depending on any oil, breading or sauce added.
How many calories in 1 grilled chicken breast?
There are typically 140-170 calories in a small grilled boneless, skinless chicken breast (4-5 oz). A medium breast is around 210-230 calories.
How many calories in rotisserie chicken breast?
Rotisserie chicken tends to be slightly higher in fat so rotisserie chicken breast has about 50-70 calories per ounce. A 6 oz portion would have 300-400 calories.
What is the lowest calorie part of a chicken?
The chicken breast is the leanest part of the chicken, so breast meat without skin is your best bet for minimizing calories.
Can I eat chicken breast everyday and lose weight?
Yes, as long as it fits within your calorie goals for weight loss. Chicken breast is a versatile lean protein that promotes satiety, making it a smart choice for frequent meals.
The Bottom Line
How long to Bake Chicken
The key to getting that tender juicy chicken is all in the baking!
Chicken breast should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165˚F. Once it starts getting hotter, it will start getting more tough and chewy.
This is why I recommend cooking with thin chicken breasts. It allows the chicken to come to the temperature more quickly. When you have thicker (or even normal sized) chicken breasts the outside has to cook longer for the middle to be done.
The best way to get perfect chicken is to use a food thermometer. You can get them inexpensively at most super stores, grocery chains, and even amazon. If you don’t have (or want) one, you can still do it without, you just need to keep an eye on it to make sure you don’t over cook it.
The time it takes to cook can vary based on your oven’s size, how it’s powered, the weather where you live, the height of your home, and the thickness of your chicken breast. I will share some best practices though to get you started.
I cook this dish on the middle rack of my oven at 350˚F uncovered. It generally takes about 35 minutes to be done.
This can range from 30-40 on average. The only way to know exactly when it is done, is with a food thermometer, but you can cut in the middle and check to see if it is done if you don’t have one.
I always encourage you to make the recipe as written first. You can try these fun changes to this chicken bake if you love the original recipe but want to make it your own.
- For the Skinny Million Dollar Chicken Bake, use light cream cheese and mayo instead of heavy cream cheese, and cut the amount of colby jack cheese by 1/2 cup. This will make the dish lower in calories and fat.
- Ranch Chicken Bake: For a fun new taste, add 1 tablespoon of ranch mix to the cream cheese mixture.
- Spinach
- For Million Dollar Baked Chicken and Potatoes, put baby red or gold potatoes that have been cut in half and mixed with olive oil, salt, and garlic powder in a larger baking dish. Place the chicken on top of the potatoes. For the potatoes to cook at the same speed as the chicken, you need to use small potatoes.
If you are cooking for someone with special dietary needs, this dish meets some requirements and can be easily modified for others.
Remember that the notes below are just suggestions. If you buy any store-bought ingredients, you should make sure they meet your dietary needs.
- Gluten Free- This recipe is naturally gluten free
- Nut Free- This recipe is naturally nut free
- Low Carb/Keto: This recipe is low in carbs (only 2g net carbs per serving) and works well with the Keto diet.
- Egg-free: You can use sour cream or vegan mayonnaise instead of the mayonnaise in the recipe to make this dish egg-free.
- Macro Friendly: This recipe has about 2g of carbs, 45g of protein, and 35g of fat per serving, so you can use it as part of your macros.
❄️ Freezer Meal Instructions
If you want to prepare the Million Dollar Chicken for another night, you can prep it as a freezer meal. It can be prepared and frozen for up to 3 months.
- Place the chicken flat in a baking dish or a container that can go in the freezer.
- The cream cheese, mayo, bacon bits, half of the Colby Jack cheese, and green onions should all be mixed together.
- Spread the mixture over the chicken breast and freeze. Extra cheese and bacon for topping can be frozen separately.
- When you’re ready to cook, let it thaw in the fridge for 24 to 48 hours.
- Add remaining cheese to top and bake as directed.
If you have any of this delicious chicken bake leftover, then you are in luck! Package it up and place it in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to a month.
- Million Dollar Chicken Grilled Sandwiches: Separate the extra chicken into thin slices and put them between two white bread slices. One side of the bread should have the creamy topping put on it. Next, add some fresh spinach leaves and close the sandwich. On each side, grill the sandwich in a skillet with butter over medium heat until it turns golden.
- Baked Chicken Stuffed Peppers: Cut up the millionaire chicken that you no longer need. Mix equal parts chicken with prepared rice. Put the mixture into bell pepper halves that have had the seeds and ribs taken out. Top with extra cheese. Cover and bake in a large baking dish for 25 to 35 minutes, or until the peppers are soft and the filling is hot all the way through.
- Million Dollar Chicken Stuffed Baked Potatoes- Prepare baked potatoes. Split open and season with salt and pepper. Chop leftover million dollar chicken and stuff inside the potato. Add more bacon and cheese on top, and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the filling is hot and the cheese melts. Top with sour cream and extra bacon and green onions.
- Million Dollar Chicken Rice (or Cauli Rice) Bowls: Make rice or cauliflower rice. Chop and reheat leftover chicken. Pile in on one side of the bowl. Around the bowl, put chopped spinach, diced sweet red bell pepper, black beans, and more chopped green onions of your choice. Drizzle with ranch dressing and enjoy!.