Chicken Breast (skinless)
31.0gprotein / 100g165 cal · 3.6g fat · $ · Quality 0.94
Chicken Thigh (skinless)
26.0gprotein / 100g209 cal · 10.9g fat · $ · Quality 0.92
There's a meaningful protein-density gap here: Chicken Breast (skinless) runs 31.0g per 100g against Chicken Thigh (skinless)'s 26.0g, roughly 5.0g more per equal weight.
Protein quality is essentially matched between the two — both land in a similar tier for amino acid completeness.
Cost is roughly comparable between the two ($), so budget isn't the deciding factor here.
Chicken Breast (skinless)'s typical serving also delivers more leucine (2400mg vs Chicken Thigh (skinless)'s 1950mg) — relevant if the goal is maximizing the muscle-protein-synthesis trigger per meal, not just total grams.
These two are closer than the comparison headline suggests. Either Chicken Breast (skinless) or Chicken Thigh (skinless) works well in most contexts — let cost, prep time, and personal preference decide rather than the macros.
Full nutrition comparison
| Per 100g | Chicken Breast (skinless) | Chicken Thigh (skinless) |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 31.0g | 26.0g |
| Calories | 165 | 209 |
| Fat | 3.6g | 10.9g |
| Carbs | 0.0g | 0.0g |
| Fiber | 0.0g | 0.0g |
| Quality score | 0.94 | 0.92 |
| Relative cost | $ | $ |
| Prep time | 20 min | 25 min |
Frequently asked
Which has more protein, chicken breast (skinless) or chicken thigh (skinless)?
Chicken Breast (skinless) has 31.0g of protein per 100g compared to Chicken Thigh (skinless)'s 26.0g.
Which is lower in calories?
Chicken Breast (skinless) is lower in calories per 100g, at 165 vs the other's 209.