Chicken breast (cooked) vs Chicken thigh (cooked)
Breast is leaner, with more protein per calorie; thigh carries more fat, which keeps it moist and adds flavour. Both are high-protein. Choose breast for a lean, high-protein plate, thigh when you want it juicy and forgiving to cook. The gap is fat, not protein quality.
Chicken breast (cooked) and Chicken thigh (cooked), per 100 g and per portion. A gap means USDA has no value for it — not zero.
| Chicken breast (cooked) · per 100 g | Chicken thigh (cooked) · per 100 g | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 165 | 179 |
| Protein | 31 g | 24.8 g |
| Fat | 3.6 g | 8.2 g |
| Carbs | 0 g | 0 g |
| Fiber | 0 g | 0 g |
| Sugars | 0 g | 0 g |
| Sodium | 74 mg | 106 mg |
| Vitamins & minerals — where both carry data | ||
| Calcium | 15 mg | 9 mg |
| Folate | 4 µg | 5 µg |
| Iron | 1 mg | 1.1 mg |
| Magnesium | 29 mg | 24 mg |
| Niacin | 13.7 mg | 6.2 mg |
| Phosphorus | 228 mg | 230 mg |
| Potassium | 256 mg | 269 mg |
| Riboflavin | 0.1 mg | 0.2 mg |
| Thiamin | 0.1 mg | 0.1 mg |
| Vitamin A | 6 µg | 8 µg |
| Vitamin B12 | 0.3 µg | 0.4 µg |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.6 mg | 0.5 mg |
| Vitamin C | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| Vitamin D | 0.1 µg | 0.2 µg |
| Vitamin E | 0.3 mg | 0.2 mg |
| Vitamin K | 0.3 µg | 3.9 µg |
| Zinc | 1 mg | 1.9 mg |
Generic USDA foods (not brands), so both carry micronutrients. Numbers are per 100 g unless the portion toggle is on. USDA FoodData Central, as of 2026-08-12.
Is Chicken breast (cooked) or Chicken thigh (cooked) better?
Neither is “better” on its own — it depends what you want from it. The table shows where each is higher; the short answer says when each one fits. Compare on the same basis (per 100 g) and pick for your dish and your goal.
How were these numbers worked out?
Straight from USDA FoodData Central for the generic form of each food, per 100 g. We show the portion view too, but portion sizes differ between foods, so per 100 g is the fair comparison.
Why does one column say “no data”?
Because USDA has no value for that nutrient in that food — so we leave it blank rather than print a 0 that would read as “none”. A real zero from USDA still shows as 0.