If you're trying to track ground chicken, the first thing I would check is not the calorie number. I would check the name on the package.
That's because "ground chicken" and "ground chicken breast" are not automatically the same food. USDA FSIS explains that ground poultry can contain muscle meat and skin with attached fat, and the finished product can vary depending on which parts of the bird were used. That means regular ground chicken can contain more fat than a product specifically made from lean breast meat.
For a packaged product, use the Nutrition Facts label whenever it accurately represents what you ate. For plain generic ground breast, use our verified food reference and calculator below.
Check the Package Before You Log It
Use a breast-specific product or verified breast-meat reference.
Do not automatically use chicken-breast nutrition; it may contain dark meat and skin.
For example: 92% lean / 8% fat. Use the nutrition values for that specific product.
Check for added broth, salt, seasonings, or flavorings on the Nutrition Facts panel.
Sitewide Principle: The exact package is usually the best representation of a formulated commercial product. Product labeling takes priority over generic assumptions.
What's the Difference Between Ground Chicken and Ground Chicken Breast?
A plain chicken breast is easy to identify because you can see the cut. Ground chicken is different because once the meat has been ground, you cannot reliably tell its exact composition just by looking at it.
| Question | Ground Chicken Breast | Ground Chicken |
|---|---|---|
| Breast meat only? | Usually intended to be | Not necessarily |
| Can contain dark meat? | Product-dependent | Yes, depending on formulation |
| Fat level | Often lower (~2.5 to 3.5 g per 100g raw) | Can vary widely (~8 to 12 g per 100g raw) |
| Skin/fat possible? | Check product label | Can be present within product standards |
| Best nutrition source | Exact product label or breast reference | Exact product label |
Plain breast meat doesn't suddenly become high-fat because it was ground. The nutrition changes when the product contains a different mix of muscle meat, skin, fat, and added ingredients. The key question is always: What went into the grinder?
Use the Package Nutrition Facts When You Have Them
Ground and chopped poultry products are required to carry nutrition labeling under USDA FSIS rules. That makes the package especially useful. Look for the serving size, calories, total fat, saturated fat, protein, and sodium.
For example, imagine your label says: Serving size: 112 g | Protein: 23 g. If you eat 168 g, your serving represents: 168 ÷ 112 = 1.5 servings. Protein for your portion is: 23 × 1.5 = 34.5 g. That is much more accurate than searching for a generic number online.
Calculate Your Ground Chicken Nutrition
Our calculator offers two tracking modes: choose Generic Reference Mode to use verified USDA baselines, or switch to Package Label Scaler Mode to scale the exact Nutrition Facts panel from your grocery store package.
Your Ground Chicken Portion: 113 g Ground Chicken Breast (Raw)
Data type: Calculated from USDA FoodData Central reference
Reference: Chicken breast, boneless, skinless, raw (Foundation Food proxy) | Source ID: 2646170 | Last checked: July 2026
Ground Chicken Breast Nutrition Facts per 100g
Below is the nutritional profile for plain, unseasoned ground chicken breast made exclusively from skinless breast meat:
| Nutrient | Amount per 100 g (Raw) | Amount per 100 g (Cooked) | Data Classification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 112 kcal | 151 kcal | verified |
| Protein | 22.5 g | 30.5 g | verified |
| Total fat | 1.9 g | 3.2 g | verified |
| Saturated fat | 0.35 g | 0.99 g | verified |
| Carbohydrate | 0 g | 0 g | verified |
| Fiber | 0 g | 0 g | verified |
| Sugars | 0 g | 0 g | verified |
| Cholesterol | 73 mg | 104 mg | verified |
| Sodium | 66 mg | 52 mg | verified |
| Potassium | 330 mg | 391 mg | verified |
| Phosphorus | 215 mg | 258 mg | verified |
| Selenium | 27.6 µg | 28.4 µg | verified |
| Niacin | 9.5 mg | 13.8 mg | verified |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.60 mg | 0.60 mg | verified |
| Iron | 0.35 mg | 0.89 mg | verified |
| Zinc | 0.65 mg | 1.00 mg | verified |
What Makes Ground Chicken Higher or Lower in Calories?
Usually, the biggest factor is fat content. A very lean product made primarily from breast meat will generally contain fewer calories per equal weight than a ground chicken product containing more skin, attached fat, or darker fattier poultry meat.
Some ground poultry packages provide a lean/fat percentage (for example: 93% lean / 7% fat or 99% lean / 1% fat). Because fat contains 9 calories per gram compared to 4 calories per gram for protein, even a modest increase in fat percentage significantly increases total calories.
Does Grinding Chicken Add Calories?
No. Grinding changes the physical structure of the chicken. If you take plain skinless breast meat and grind it without adding anything, the grinder itself doesn't create calories.
The change comes from composition, not from the act of grinding. Commercial ground chicken can differ from whole chicken breast because of what went into the grinder (such as skin, solution, or dark meat).
Raw and Cooked Ground Chicken Nutrition
If you weigh your ground chicken before cooking, use the raw product nutrition. The sitewide rule is simple: Weighed raw? Log raw.
If your package says one serving is 112 grams raw and you weigh 224 grams raw, you have approximately two label servings. You can scale the label directly.
How to Track a Cooked Batch (Meal Prep Method)
Cooking removes water, so the finished ground chicken weighs less than the raw starting weight. For home meal prep, calculating the entire raw batch and dividing by the finished cooked weight is often the most accurate tracking method:
Practical 4-Step Batch Calculation Example:
- Start with raw package: You weigh 1,000 grams of raw ground chicken breast (total known raw package macros).
- Cook and re-weigh batch: After browning in the pan, the finished cooked batch weighs 780 grams.
- Weigh your meal portion: You serve yourself 195 grams of cooked ground chicken.
- Calculate proportion: 195 ÷ 780 = 25% (0.25). You consumed exactly 25% of the total raw package nutrition.
This method automatically accounts for the exact amount of water and liquid lost in your specific cooking process.
Does Draining Ground Chicken Reduce Fat?
It can change the composition of the final food if rendered fat is discarded. However, I would not use a universal rule such as "draining removes 20% of the calories."
The result depends on how fatty the product was to begin with, how it was cooked, how much liquid or fat was removed, and how much moisture was lost. If precision matters, use a validated cooked record or calculate the whole recipe using measured yield.
Carbohydrates, Sodium and Added Ingredients
Does Ground Chicken Breast Have Carbs?
Plain chicken muscle contains essentially no meaningful carbohydrate. If a packaged ground chicken product shows carbohydrates, look at the ingredient list for starch, sugar, seasoning, binders, or flavorings.
Why Does Ground Chicken Sodium Vary?
Commercial ground poultry can be formulated with added salt, broth, seasonings, or sodium solutions. If sodium matters to you, the product label is the best place to check.
Does the Color Tell You How Lean Ground Chicken Is?
Not reliably. USDA FSIS explains that ground poultry color can vary depending on the chicken parts used. A lighter pink product may indicate more white meat, while a darker product may contain more dark meat. Skin can also affect appearance.
Color is not a reliable substitute for the Nutrition Facts panel, fat percentage, or ingredient statement. Always use the label.
What About Ground Chicken Burgers and Meatballs?
Once you add breadcrumbs, egg, cheese, oil, and seasonings, you are no longer eating plain ground chicken:
Calculate the nutrition for the full recipe rather than logging only the chicken meat.
Cook Ground Chicken Safely
Safe Minimum Internal Temperature: 165°F / 73.9°C
Ground chicken is poultry and needs to reach a safe internal temperature of at least 165°F (73.9°C), as measured with a food thermometer.
Grinding distributes surface bacteria throughout the meat. That is why the center of patties, burgers, meatballs, and meatloaf must reach 165°F. Do not judge safety by color alone.
How We Source Ground Chicken Nutrition
Ground chicken requires product-specific handling. Our preferred source order is:
- Specific packaged product: Use the official Nutrition Facts label.
- Generic ground chicken: Use an appropriate clearly identified USDA FoodData Central record.
- Restaurant product: Use official restaurant nutrition data.
Comes directly from the label or identified database.
Scaled mathematically to your serving size.
Requires an assumption, such as batch yield.
Information you enter into the calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ground chicken the same as ground chicken breast?
No. Ground chicken can contain different poultry muscle meat and associated skin/fat. Ground chicken breast should be identified as a breast-specific product.
Is ground chicken breast lower in fat?
It can be, particularly when made from lean skinless breast meat, but you should check the specific Nutrition Facts label rather than assuming.
How many calories are in ground chicken breast?
Calories vary by product, serving size, fat level and food state. Use the package label or a clearly identified ground-breast reference.
How much protein is in ground chicken breast?
The exact protein amount depends on the product and serving size. Scale the product's protein value to the amount you actually eat.
Does ground chicken breast have carbs?
Plain ground breast meat contains essentially no meaningful carbohydrate. Added ingredients can change that.
Should I weigh ground chicken raw or cooked?
Either method can work. Match the nutrition information to the state in which you measured it.
Does draining ground chicken reduce calories?
Discarding rendered fat can change the final food, but there is no universal calorie reduction that applies to every product and cooking method.
Can I tell whether ground chicken is lean by its color?
No. Color can vary with the parts used, but the Nutrition Facts panel is a much more reliable way to determine fat and calories.
What temperature should ground chicken reach?
Cook ground chicken to at least 165°F / 73.9°C and verify it with a food thermometer.
Continue Reading
Raw Chicken Breast Nutrition →
For whole plain breast meat weighed before cooking.
Cooked Chicken Breast Nutrition →
Understand how cooking changes weight and nutrient concentration.
Frozen Chicken Breast Nutrition →
Learn how added solutions and packaged products can change nutrition.
Chicken Breast Nutrition Calculator →
Calculate calories and protein for your actual serving.