How many calories do two chicken thighs have?

October 29, 2025 •

4 min read

The calorie count for two chicken thighs can range significantly, with cooked, boneless, skinless versions potentially having as few as 186 calories, while raw, skin-on thighs can exceed 400. This substantial difference is a critical factor for anyone trying to determine how many calories do two chicken thighs have for their meal plan.

Quick Summary

The calorie count for two chicken thighs varies greatly depending on whether the skin is removed and how they are cooked. Boneless, skinless thighs are the leanest option, while frying with skin adds significant calories. Preparation methods and portion sizes are key to managing nutritional intake.

Key Points

Significant Variation: The calorie count for two chicken thighs can range from under 200 to over 500, depending on the preparation.
Skin Matters: Removing the skin is the most effective way to reduce calories, as chicken skin contains a high percentage of fat.
Cooking Method is Key: Healthy cooking techniques like baking, grilling, and poaching keep the calorie count low, while frying dramatically increases it.
Portion Control is Crucial: Since thigh sizes vary, weighing your cooked, edible meat is the most accurate way to count calories.
Boneless vs. Bone-in: When comparing the same weight of meat, boneless thighs offer more edible meat and thus more calories per gram than bone-in cuts.
Nutrient-Dense Protein: Even with higher fat, chicken thighs are an excellent source of protein, B vitamins, and minerals like iron and zinc.

Understanding Chicken Thigh Calories

Determining the exact calorie count for chicken thighs is not a simple, single number. Several factors influence the final nutritional value, including the presence of skin and bone, the cooking method, and the overall size of the chicken. A boneless, skinless thigh is a vastly different meal from a fried, bone-in, skin-on thigh. Being aware of these variations is essential for accurate meal planning and calorie tracking.

Key Factors That Influence Calorie Count

Presence of Skin: Chicken skin is primarily fat, and removing it is the most effective way to drastically reduce the calorie content of your meal. According to one source, removing the skin from 100g of chicken thigh meat drops the fat from 8.2g to 2.8g.
Bone-in vs. Boneless: When comparing bone-in to boneless chicken thighs, remember that the calorie count for a given weight (e.g., per 100g) typically only refers to the edible meat. However, when purchasing and cooking bone-in chicken, the final dish will contain less edible meat per unit of weight, meaning fewer calories overall for a stated raw weight. This can be a point of confusion for those tracking calories. The key is to measure the meat after cooking and removing the bone.
Cooking Method: How you prepare your chicken thighs makes a huge difference. Healthy cooking methods like roasting, baking, or poaching in water or low-sodium broth add minimal extra calories. In contrast, frying in oil, especially with breading or batter, significantly increases the fat and calorie content.
Portion Size: A 'medium' or 'large' chicken thigh is not a standardized measurement. Weighing your cooked meat is the most accurate way to track your intake. Variations in the size of the chicken can cause substantial calorie discrepancies. For example, some sources show a medium thigh with 152 calories, while a large one has 206.

Calorie Breakdown of Two Chicken Thighs

To provide a clear picture, here is a detailed calorie breakdown for two chicken thighs, considering different preparations. For consistency, we will reference data based on typical cooked sizes. One cooked, boneless, skinless chicken thigh (approx. 116g) contains around 208 calories. Based on this, we can calculate for two:

Two Cooked, Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs

Calories: ~416 calories (208 calories x 2).
Protein: ~57.6 g (28.8g x 2).
Fat: ~19 g (9.5g x 2).

Two Cooked, Bone-in, Skin-on Chicken Thighs

Calories: The fatsecret source shows that two medium chicken thighs (which likely include bone and skin weight) contain 304 calories. Another source, using a 100g cooked, skin-on measure, shows 216 calories, indicating a higher fat content. A safe, general estimate would put this closer to 500-600 calories for two larger thighs, depending on cooking method.
Protein: Expect a slightly lower protein-to-calorie ratio compared to the skinless version due to the added fat.
Fat: Significantly higher due to the presence of the skin.

The Impact of Preparation on Calories

Beyond just the skin and bone, other factors can rapidly change the calorie count. Here are some examples from the search results:

A chicken thigh fried in batter contains 238 calories per thigh (116g), compared to 208 for the same thigh cooked without the added oil.
Adding high-calorie marinades or sauces will also increase the final calorie total.

Comparison Table: Calorie Variations


Preparation Method	Per Thigh (Approximate)	Two Thighs (Approximate)	Primary Calorie Source
Boneless, Skinless (Cooked)	208 calories	416 calories	Protein and moderate fat
Bone-in, Skin-on (Cooked)	~250-300+ calories	~500-600+ calories	Higher fat content
Fried in Batter (With Skin)	238 calories	476 calories	Added oil and batter
Poached (Boneless, Skinless)	~180-200 calories	~360-400 calories	Lean protein, minimal fat

Health Benefits Beyond Calories

While calories are important, chicken thighs also offer nutritional benefits. They are a great source of essential nutrients, including:

Protein: Chicken thighs are a rich source of protein, which is vital for building and repairing muscle tissue.
Vitamins: They contain various B vitamins, such as Vitamin B6 and B12, which are crucial for energy metabolism and cell health.
Minerals: Thighs provide minerals like iron and zinc, which support immune function and oxygen transport in the body.

Tips for Reducing Calories in Chicken Thighs

For those watching their calorie intake, here are some actionable tips:

Remove the skin: This is the most impactful step you can take. While the skin adds flavor and crispiness, it also contains a significant amount of fat.
Choose leaner cooking methods: Opt for baking, grilling, poaching, or air-frying instead of pan-frying or deep-frying.
Trim excess fat: Before cooking, use a knife or kitchen shears to trim any visible, excess fat from the thighs.
Use low-calorie marinades: Flavor your chicken with herbs, spices, lemon juice, or low-sodium soy sauce instead of high-fat sauces.
Measure your portion: Use a kitchen scale to accurately measure your cooked meat to ensure your calorie tracking is precise.

Conclusion

Ultimately, the calorie count for two chicken thighs is highly dependent on how they are prepared. While a skin-on, fried thigh can be a high-calorie meal, two boneless, skinless thighs prepared healthily can be a nutritious and moderate-calorie part of your diet. By understanding the factors that influence the calorie count and choosing leaner cooking methods, you can easily incorporate this flavorful cut of meat into your weight management goals. For more in-depth nutritional information on different cuts of chicken, you can visit Healthline's chicken calorie guide..

Lists

Reasons for Calorie Variation:

Presence or absence of skin and bone.
Cooking methods (frying vs. baking).
Use of added oils, marinades, or breading.
Inaccurate portion size estimation (using visual cues instead of weighing).

Best Practices for Calorie Control:

Always remove the skin before cooking.
Choose healthier cooking techniques like grilling or poaching.
Measure and portion your food accurately.
Use fresh herbs and spices for flavor instead of fatty sauces.
Trim excess fat before beginning preparation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, chicken thighs can be part of a healthy weight loss diet, especially when prepared without the skin and with low-fat cooking methods. They are a great source of satiating protein, which can help control appetite.

Yes, but it's about the edible portion. For a given raw weight, a bone-in thigh has less edible meat than a boneless one. To get the same amount of edible meat, you would need to cook more of the bone-in version, which would yield a similar calorie count once the bone is removed.

Absolutely. Chicken skin is a concentrated source of fat. By removing it, you can significantly lower the total fat and calorie count of your meal, making it a much leaner protein source.

Baking, grilling, and poaching are excellent low-calorie options. These methods cook the meat without requiring a lot of added oil or batter, helping to keep the final dish lean.

Fried chicken thighs, especially with batter, are significantly higher in calories. A skinless, boneless thigh that might be 208 calories when baked can jump to over 238 calories when fried, and even higher with the skin on and extra batter.

Based on one source's figures for a 116g cooked boneless, skinless thigh, two would provide approximately 57.6 grams of protein (28.8g per thigh).

While it depends on the size and cooking, one database lists two medium chicken thighs as having 304 calories. It's important to remember this likely includes the weight of the inedible bone.