Quick Answer
Breaded Chicken Breast Nutrition Facts (Calories, Protein & Macros) is a nutrient-dense source of lean complete protein. Based on USDA FoodData Central reference values, a 100g serving contains approximately 165 calories, 31g protein, and 3.6g fat. These statistics represent values without added oil, sauces, or breading.
Introduction
A breaded chicken breast is higher in calories, fat, carbohydrate, and sodium than an ordinary chicken breast owing to the batter and also the cooking oil that may be involved in the preparation process. The nutritional content will vary from one recipe to another, but normally, a 100-gram portion of breaded chicken offers around 240 to 300 calories, 20 to 28 grams of protein, 10 to 15 grams of fat, and 12 to 20 grams of carbohydrate.
Understanding Breaded Chicken Breast Nutrition
The preparation of chicken breasts in batter is one of the most beloved ways of consuming this type of meat. Whether you prepare your own oven-baked cutlets at home, eat chicken sandwiches in restaurants, or consume frozen breaded fillets, millions of people eat chicken breaded every day.
However, the process of breading affects the nutrition profile much more significantly than any other type of cooking.One of the most frequent questions from my clients as a nutritionist is whether it is possible to consider breaded chicken as a healthy sources of protein. And the answer is yes - although it is necessary to know how ingredients such as flour, breadcrumbs, eggs, seasonings, and cooking oil influence calories, fats, carbohydrates, and sodium content.
Unlike grilling, baking, steaming, or poaching of chicken breast, breaded chicken adds an additional outer layer that provides the increased amounts of carbohydrates and calories.
In case of deep frying, chicken breast absorbs cooking oil adding additional amounts of fat.
It means that it is still possible to prepare nutritious and balanced meals using breaded chicken without deep frying or controlling portion sizes and combining them with vegetables or whole grains.
In this guide, I'll explain how breading changes chicken breast nutrition, compare baked and fried breaded chicken, provide serving-size estimates, and help you calculate nutrition for your own meals.
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Breaded Chicken Breast Nutrition Facts
The following dynamic values represent standard composition facts per 100 grams, sourced directly from the USDA FoodData Central database.
| Nutrient | Amount per 100g |
|---|---|
| Calories | 151 kcal |
| Protein | 30.5 g |
| Total Fat | 3.2 g |
| Saturated Fat | 1.0 g |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 1.2 g |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.8 g |
| Carbohydrates | 0 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 0 g |
| Total Sugars | 0 g |
| Cholesterol | 104 mg |
| Sodium | 52 mg |
| Potassium | 391 mg |
| Phosphorus | 258 mg |
| Selenium | 28.4 mcg |
| Zinc | 0.9 mg |
| Iron | 0.5 mg |
| Magnesium | 34 mg |
| Calcium | 5 mg |
| Vitamin B3 (Niacin) | 12.1 mg |
| Vitamin B6 | 1.2 mg |
Macronutrients
Calories, Protein, Fat & Carbohydrates
The breaded chicken breast retains its high protein content, but it alters the macronutrient profile in comparison to ordinary chicken breast.
Calories
Each portion contains significantly more calories due to the breading and the cooking process with oil.
Protein
Even though protein drops slightly when measured per 100 grams due to the presence of breading in the product instead of meat itself, breaded chicken remains a good provider of protein.
Fat
Fat is elevated due to the following factors:
- Oil absorption during the frying process
- Use of eggs in breading
- Butter or oil in the baking process
- Components in breading mixes
- Carbohydrates
In contrast to plain chicken breast, breaded chicken contains carbohydrates in form of:
- Breadcrumbs
- Flour
- Panko
- Cracker crumbs
- Cornmeal
- Seasoning mixes
This difference is the most significant one in terms of nutrition between breaded and ordinary chicken breast.
Breaded Chicken Breast Nutrition By Serving Size
Since portion sizes differ between meals, use this serving size guide to estimate macro intake based on raw and cooked weight equivalent conversions.
| Serving Size | Calories | Protein | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 oz (28g) | approx. 43 | approx. 8.7g | approx. 0.9g |
| 3 oz (85g) | approx. 128 | approx. 26.0g | approx. 2.7g |
| 4 oz (113g) | approx. 171 | approx. 34.6g | approx. 3.6g |
| 5 oz (142g) | approx. 214 | approx. 43.3g | approx. 4.5g |
| 6 oz (170g) | approx. 257 | approx. 51.9g | approx. 5.4g |
| 8 oz (227g) | approx. 342 | approx. 69.3g | approx. 7.2g |
| 100 g | 151 | 30.5g | 3.2g |
| 1 lb (454g) | approx. 685 | approx. 138.5g | approx. 14.4g |
Vitamins & Minerals
Breaded Chicken Still Provides Valuable Micronutrients
Even though the breading alters the caloric content and composition of nutrients, the chicken meat still provides many necessary vitamins and minerals.
Niacin (B3 vitamin)
Aids in energy metabolism.
B6 vitamin
Needed for proper protein metabolism and nerve system function.
Selenium
Aids in boosting immunity and providing antioxidants.
Phosphorus
Promotes healthy bone formation and energy production.
Zinc
Boosts wound healing, growth, and immunity.
The breading itself does not provide that many vitamins, unlike the nutritious chicken meat below.
How Steaming Affects Chicken Breast Nutrition
Steaming involves the cooking of chicken through exposure to hot water vapor rather than water or oil. This form of cooking exposes the chicken to moist heat where it is cooked evenly while maintaining the natural tenderness of the chicken.
Nutritionally, steaming doesn't have much impact on the protein, fat, and mineral content of the chicken. Similar to other cooked chicken, there will be moisture loss during the process hence an increase in nutrient density per 100 grams.
In terms of fat and calorie content, steaming doesn't add any fat or calories to the chicken since no cooking oil is required. Steaming is therefore one of the healthiest ways to cook chicken since the chicken doesn't add extra fat and calories.
The absence of water also means that steamed chicken loses less amount of water-soluble nutrients compared to boiled and poached chicken. However, the difference in nutrient content is small between these cooking processes.
Texture is another great benefit of steaming as the chicken comes out moist, tender, and easily sliceable or shreddable for use in salads, rice bowls, wraps, and stir-fries among others.
How Steamed Chicken Compares To Other Cooking Methods
| Cooking Method | Calories (100g) | Protein | Fat | Main Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steamed | 165 | 31.0g | 3.5g | Moist heat without oil, tender texture |
| Poached | 165 | 31.0g | 3.5g | Cooked gently in liquid, moist texture |
| Boiled | 165 | 31.0g | 3.5g | Cooked in boiling water, simple style |
| Grilled | 165 | 31.0g | 3.6g | Smoky flavor from direct heat searing |
| Roasted | 165 to 170 | 31.0g | 3.6 to 4g | Dry oven heat with outer surface browning |
| Baked | 165 | 31.0g | 3.6g | Even dry heat cooking, standard meal prep |
| Fried | Varies | Varies | Higher | Oil absorption, added breading/batter |
The steaming of chicken breasts is considered one of the healthiest methods of preparing this meat, since this method utilizes moisture-based cooking and does not involve the use of any oil, butter, or breading. Steaming allows for the preparation of tender and juicy chicken that is rich in natural protein and has low calorie and fat content.
As far as the nutrition aspect is concerned, the steamed chicken is almost equal to other types of chicken cooked using the methods of poaching, boiling, grilling, baking, or roasting, provided that there is no addition of any fats during the preparation process.
In case one seeks pure and minimally processed protein food, then steamed chicken is a good choice.
Nutrition Comparison
| Cooking Method | Calories (100g) | Protein | Fat | Main Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steamed | 165 | 31.0g | 3.5g | Moist heat without oil, tender texture |
| Poached | 165 | 31.0g | 3.5g | Cooked gently in liquid, moist texture |
| Boiled | 165 | 31.0g | 3.5g | Cooked in boiling water, simple style |
| Grilled | 165 | 31.0g | 3.6g | Smoky flavor from direct heat searing |
| Roasted | 165 to 170 | 31.0g | 3.6 to 4g | Dry oven heat with outer surface browning |
| Baked | 165 | 31.0g | 3.6g | Even dry heat cooking, standard meal prep |
| Fried | Varies | Varies | Higher | Oil absorption, added breading/batter |
| Cooking Method | Calories (100g) | Protein | Fat | Carbohydrates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Main Difference | Steamed | 165 | 31g | 3.5g |
| 0g | Moist heat without oil | Poached | 165 | 31g |
| 3.5g | 0g | Cooked gently in liquid | Boiled | 165 |
| 31g | 3.5g | 0g | Cooked in boiling water | Grilled |
| 165 | 31g | 3.6g | 0g | Smoky flavor from direct heat |
| Roasted | 165 | 31g | 3.6g | 0g |
| Dry oven heat with browning | Baked | 165 | 31g | 3.6g |
| 0g | Even dry heat cooking | Fried | Higher | Similar |
Steaming and poaching are two great methods to make sure you don't add any fats while making your dish tender.
The only difference between these two methods is the cooking medium, which is steam in the case of steaming and water in poaching.
Nutrition-wise, both of these techniques are pretty much similar. It's really just a matter of taste.
Steamed vs. Boiled Chicken Breast
Boiling entails cooking chicken directly within hot water, whereas steaming entails cooking chicken indirectly through steam generated from boiling water.
Steaming usually keeps chicken more firm while helping preserve water-soluble nutrients from getting into the cooking liquid.
Overall, the nutritional differences are small.
Steamed vs. Grilled Chicken Breast
Grilled chicken gets its characteristic smoky flavor and char from direct heat.
Steamed chicken lacks flavor and is softer in texture, but it contains roughly the same amount of calories, proteins, and fats as grilled chicken without any extra ingredients added.
Steamed vs. Roasted Chicken Breast
The roasted chicken turns brown because of the oven’s dry heat, whereas the steamed chicken is white, juicy, and very soft.
However, despite the difference in taste and texture, both types provide nearly equal nutrients.
Steamed vs. Fried Chicken Breast
Fried chicken generally has a much higher calorie and fat content as cooking oil gets infused in the process of frying.
The breading may also add to carbohydrates and sodium content.
Steam chicken provides all the goodness of high quality protein but without the added calories.
Who Should Choose Steamed Chicken Breast?
Steamed chicken breast is a good match to various healthy eating habits and diets and is suitable for individuals having various nutrition-related goals.
People Who Emphasize Healthy Eating Habits
Steaming doesn’t involve oil and steamed chicken stays naturally low fat but offers you a great source of protein.
Meal Prep Lovers
It is easy to store in your fridge and is perfect for use in salads, bowls, wraps, sandwiches, soups, and stir-fry meals.
Sportsmen and Athletes
High protein helps in preserving muscles and meeting daily protein needs without extra calories.
Families
It is convenient to cook it in bulk and to use in various family-oriented dishes during the week.
Old People
Easy to chew and tender, steamed chicken offers you a good source of protein.
From Jennifer
The first major benefit of steaming is the ability to have a naturally moist chicken without relying on the use of butter and cooking oils. I would suggest using spices like thyme, rosemary, parsley, oregano, dill, garlic, black pepper, lemon slices, and even ginger. All these spices will add more taste to your food without making it too heavy. An important recommendation would be to watch out not to overcook the chicken as it will continue cooking a bit even after being taken out of the steamer. It is therefore important to let it sit for several minutes. If you are preparing food for the whole week then I would suggest chopping up the chicken after it has cooled down.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is steamed chicken breast healthy?
Yes. Steamed chicken breast is one of the healthiest ways to prepare chicken because it provides complete protein with very little fat and no carbohydrates while requiring no added cooking oil.
How many calories are in steamed chicken breast?
A 100-gram serving of steamed, boneless, skinless chicken breast contains approximately 165 calories, although slight variations occur depending on moisture retention and serving size.
Is steamed chicken healthier than grilled chicken?
Both methods are excellent choices. Nutritionally they are very similar when prepared without added fats. Steaming simply avoids direct heat and produces a softer, more tender texture.
Does steaming reduce protein?
No. Steaming does not significantly reduce the protein content of chicken breast. The meat continues to provide approximately 31 grams of protein per 100 grams after cooking.
Can I steam chicken without seasoning?
Yes. Plain steamed chicken remains nutritious, but adding herbs, spices, citrus, garlic, or ginger can greatly improve flavor without adding many calories.
Is steamed chicken good for weight management?
Yes. Because steamed chicken is naturally high in protein and relatively low in calories, it can contribute to satisfying meals that support balanced eating patterns.
Can steamed chicken be frozen?
Absolutely. Once cooled, steamed chicken can be stored in airtight containers and frozen for later use while maintaining most of its nutritional value.
Final Thoughts
It is one of the most nutritious types of proteins you can add to your daily diet.
Containing around 31 grams of complete protein and just about 165 calories in 100 grams of steamed chicken breast, this food is high in nutrients but is naturally low in fat and does not contain any carbs at all. Due to the steaming procedure, there is no need to add any cooking oil, which retains the natural protein content of chicken breasts and provides a tender piece of meat that is perfect for a variety of recipes.
In terms of nutrient content, steamed chicken breast is on par with the other cooking procedures like baking, grilling, roasting, boiling, and poaching. The main difference is that steaming is a less intense cooking method that retains more moisture and allows versatile cooking.
I hope my guide helped you understand steamed chicken breast nutrition better and use it to your advantage. Take a look at our nutrition calculator and comparison guides to learn how portion size and cooking methods affect your nutrition intake.
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