Comparison

Chicken Breast vs Chicken Thigh: Which Is Healthier?

A side-by-side comparison of the two most popular chicken cuts - calories, protein, fat, micronutrients, cost, and best culinary uses.

By Jennifer Zone, PhD · Updated July 1, 2026 ·
4.8 (8 reviews) · Rating

Summary

Chicken breast and chicken thigh are the two most consumed cuts of chicken worldwide, but they differ significantly in nutritional profile, flavor, and culinary application. This comparison uses USDA FoodData Central data per 100 g of raw, boneless, skinless meat to ensure an apples-to-apples evaluation. Breast wins on protein density and leanness, while thigh wins on flavor, juiciness, iron and zinc content, and cost per gram of protein.

The table below compares Chicken Breast and Chicken Thigh across 10 key nutritional and economic metrics. The "winner" column indicates which option performs better on that specific metric - note that "better" depends on your dietary goal (lower calories vs higher iron, etc.).

Side-by-Side Comparison

Per 100 g. Values are for raw, edible portion unless otherwise noted. Winner column reflects the option that performs better on the given metric.

Metric Chicken Breast Chicken Thigh Winner
Calories (kcal) 110 130 Chicken Breast
Protein (g) 23.1 19.4 Chicken Breast
Total Fat (g) 1.24 7 Chicken Breast
Saturated Fat (g) 0.32 1.9 Chicken Breast
Cholesterol (mg) 65 85 Chicken Breast
Iron (mg) 0.4 0.9 Chicken Thigh
Zinc (mg) 0.9 1.4 Chicken Thigh
Niacin (B3) (mg) 9.5 6.5 Chicken Breast
Selenium (μg) 27.6 24 Chicken Breast
Cost per 100 g protein (USD) 0.72 0.51 Chicken Thigh
Note: "Winner" reflects the nutritionally preferable direction for the metric (e.g., lower calories wins for calories, higher protein wins for protein). See the "Note" column for context.

Key Findings

  • Calories: Breast is ~15% lower in calories.
  • Protein: Breast provides ~19% more protein per 100 g.
  • Total Fat: Breast has 5.6× less fat.
  • Saturated Fat: Significant for cardiovascular health.
  • Cholesterol: Thigh is ~31% higher in cholesterol.
  • Iron: Thigh provides 2.25× more iron.
  • Zinc: Thigh is meaningfully higher in zinc.
  • Niacin (B3): Breast is a superior source of niacin.
  • Selenium: Both are excellent sources of selenium.
  • Cost per 100 g protein: Thigh is typically ~30% cheaper per gram of protein.

Recommendation

Bottom line

Choose chicken breast if your priority is maximizing protein while minimizing calories and fat (cutting phases, weight loss, very high protein intakes). Choose chicken thigh if your priority is flavor, juiciness, tolerance to long cooking, higher iron/zinc intake, or lower cost per gram of protein. Both cuts are excellent complete-protein whole foods; the 'best' choice depends on your dietary and culinary goals.

FAQ

Which has more protein, chicken breast or thigh?
Chicken breast. Per 100 g raw boneless skinless: breast provides 23.1 g protein vs thigh's 19.4 g - breast is roughly 19% higher in protein.
Which is healthier, chicken breast or thigh?
It depends on context. Breast is leaner and lower-calorie, making it better for weight management. Thigh provides more iron and zinc and is more forgiving to cook. Both are healthy whole-food protein sources.
Which is cheaper, chicken breast or thigh?
Chicken thigh is typically 25 to 40% cheaper per pound at retail in the United States, and ~30% cheaper per gram of protein.