How Many Grams of Protein Are in Uncooked Chicken?

December 2, 2025 •

3 min read

Raw, skinless chicken breast contains approximately 22-23 grams of protein per 100 grams, but this amount varies significantly depending on the cut. Understanding how many grams of protein are in uncooked chicken is vital for accurate meal planning and dietary tracking, especially since cooking changes the water content.

Quick Summary

Raw chicken's protein content varies by cut, with breast meat being the leanest and most protein-dense per 100g. Cooking alters water content, which affects protein concentration per gram.

Key Points

Leanest Cut is Breast: Raw, skinless chicken breast has the highest protein content per 100 grams (~22-23g).
Thighs and Wings Vary: Darker cuts like thighs and wings have slightly less protein per 100g and more fat.
Cooking Concentrates Protein: Water loss during cooking increases the protein concentration per 100 grams, but the total protein amount doesn't change.
Measure Raw for Accuracy: For consistent macro tracking, measure the weight of your chicken before it's cooked to account for moisture loss.
Skin Matters: Leaving the skin on significantly increases the fat and calorie count, reducing the protein percentage of the total weight.
High-Quality Protein: Chicken provides a complete amino acid profile, making it a highly bioavailable and excellent source of protein.

Understanding the Protein in Uncooked Chicken

Chicken is a staple protein source for many, prized for its versatility and high-quality complete amino acid profile. However, the exact protein content can be confusing due to variations between different cuts and the effects of cooking. To accurately track macronutrients, it is essential to understand the raw or uncooked protein values before any water loss occurs. The amount of protein in raw chicken typically falls within a range of 18 to 23 grams per 100 grams, with the leanest cuts offering the highest concentration.

Protein Content by Cut: An Uncooked Breakdown

Different cuts of chicken have varying compositions of muscle, fat, and skin, which directly impacts their nutritional content. Here is a breakdown of the typical raw protein content for common cuts, based on 100-gram servings:

Raw, skinless, boneless chicken breast: This is the leanest cut and the most protein-dense. It provides around 22 to 23 grams of protein per 100 grams.
Raw, skinless chicken thigh: Thigh meat is darker and contains more fat than breast meat, resulting in a lower protein density. Raw skinless thigh contains about 18.7 to 20 grams of protein per 100 grams.
Raw chicken wing: Chicken wings have a higher proportion of fat and skin, giving them less protein per 100 grams compared to breast or thigh meat. You can expect around 17.6 to 20 grams of protein per 100 grams of raw wings.

The Cooking Effect: Raw vs. Cooked Protein

One of the most common points of confusion is the difference in protein numbers between raw and cooked chicken. This is not because protein is destroyed during cooking, but because water is lost, concentrating the remaining nutrients. The total amount of protein in your original piece of chicken remains nearly unchanged after cooking, even if the weight has decreased.

For example, if you cook a 100-gram piece of raw chicken breast containing 22 grams of protein, it might weigh only 75-80 grams afterward due to moisture evaporation. A new 100-gram serving of this cooked chicken would then contain a higher protein density, around 28-31 grams. For consistent tracking, it is best to always measure your chicken raw, or to use a consistent food database that specifies whether the values are for raw or cooked portions.

Factors Influencing the Final Protein Count

Several factors can affect the final nutritional content of your chicken dish, beyond just the raw weight:

Cut of meat: As detailed above, different parts of the chicken naturally have different protein and fat ratios.
Inclusion of skin: Leaving the skin on significantly increases the fat and calorie content while lowering the protein percentage per 100 grams.
Cooking method: While total protein isn't lost, different methods affect moisture retention. Moist-heat cooking (boiling, steaming) preserves more moisture than dry-heat methods (grilling, frying).
Added ingredients: Breading, marinades, or added oils will alter the final nutritional profile of your cooked meal. For example, frying adds significant fat and calories.

Comparison Table: Raw vs. Cooked Chicken Protein


Chicken Cut (per 100g)	Protein (Raw)	Protein (Cooked)	Notes
Skinless Chicken Breast	~22–23g	~28–31g	Leanest cut, highest protein density per 100g.
Skinless Chicken Thigh	~19–20g	~24–25g	Dark meat, higher fat content.
Chicken Wing	~18–20g	~24g	Higher fat and skin content.

Total Protein: Calculating Your Original Portion

For those meticulously tracking macros, using the raw weight of the chicken is the most accurate approach. Measure your chicken breast, thigh, or wings before cooking and use that number for your calculations. The weight will decrease after cooking, but the total protein in that piece remains virtually the same, regardless of how much water is lost. By consistently using the uncooked weight, you eliminate any inaccuracies caused by varying cooking times and methods.

Conclusion

In conclusion, understanding the protein content of uncooked chicken requires paying close attention to the specific cut. Skinless breast meat offers the highest protein concentration per 100 grams, while thighs and wings contain slightly less due to their higher fat content. The key takeaway is that cooking does not destroy protein; it merely removes water, which increases the protein density per gram in the final product. For accurate dietary tracking, it is best to measure your chicken in its raw state before cooking to ensure consistent and precise macro counting. With this knowledge, you can better manage your nutritional intake and meet your fitness goals.

Learn more about protein tracking and cooking methods at Instalab: How much protein in chicken breast remains after cooking?.

Frequently Asked Questions

Cooking does not destroy the protein in chicken. It causes the meat to lose water, which concentrates the protein. Therefore, the total protein in the initial raw portion is the same as in the final cooked piece, although its weight is reduced.

Raw chicken breast has a higher protein content per 100 grams (approximately 22-23g) than a raw chicken thigh (around 19-20g). The difference is due to the breast being a leaner cut with less fat.

For the most accurate and consistent macro tracking, you should weigh your chicken when it is raw. This accounts for any water loss that occurs during cooking, ensuring your measurements are always based on the same standard.

This is a result of water evaporation. When chicken is cooked, its weight decreases. Since the total protein remains constant, the protein becomes more concentrated in the smaller cooked portion, leading to a higher protein number per 100g.

Chicken skin adds a significant amount of fat and calories to the meat. When included, it lowers the overall percentage of protein per 100 grams compared to skinless chicken.

Yes, all cuts of chicken provide a complete amino acid profile, meaning they contain all nine essential amino acids that the human body cannot produce on its own.

The cooking method mainly affects the moisture content and not the total protein. Dry-heat methods like grilling or frying will cause more water loss, resulting in a higher protein density per 100g compared to moist-heat methods like boiling.