Which Piece of Chicken Has the Most Cholesterol? A Comprehensive Guide to Nutritional Choices

October 25, 2025 •

4 min read

While often viewed as a lean protein, the cholesterol content of chicken varies significantly between different cuts. This nutritional guide will address the common question, Which piece of chicken has the most cholesterol?, and explore how both the cut of meat and preparation method can impact your heart health.

Quick Summary

This guide details the cholesterol content across different chicken cuts, explaining how preparation methods and fat content, particularly in the skin, influence nutritional value. It helps readers make healthier poultry choices.

Key Points

Wings have the most cholesterol: Per 100g, the chicken wing, especially with the skin on, contains the most cholesterol among popular cuts.
Skin-on is fattier: The skin on chicken contains most of the total fat, and removing it significantly reduces both fat and cholesterol intake.
White meat is leaner: Skinless chicken breast is the leanest cut with the lowest amount of fat and cholesterol compared to dark meat like thighs and legs.
Cooking method matters: Grilling, baking, and steaming are healthier cooking options than frying, which adds significant fat and calories.
Saturated fat impacts cholesterol more: The saturated fat content of food often has a more significant impact on blood cholesterol levels than the dietary cholesterol itself.

For those focused on heart health, understanding the nutritional differences between various chicken cuts is crucial. While all parts offer a good source of protein, their fat and cholesterol levels are not equal. This difference can significantly impact your overall diet, especially if you are monitoring your cholesterol intake.

The Breakdown of Cholesterol in Chicken Cuts

The amount of cholesterol and fat in chicken is directly related to the specific cut. The popular notion that chicken is universally lean overlooks the higher fat content found in dark meat compared to white meat.

Comparing White Meat vs. Dark Meat

White Meat (Breast): The leanest option, skinless chicken breast has the lowest cholesterol and fat content. It is packed with high-quality protein, making it a favorite for those aiming to lose weight or build muscle. For example, 100 grams of skinless, boneless chicken breast contains approximately 73 mg of cholesterol.
Dark Meat (Thighs and Legs): Dark meat is known for its richer, more flavorful profile due to its higher fat content. Consequently, it also contains more cholesterol. A 100-gram serving of a skinless thigh has about 94 mg of cholesterol, while a skinless leg contains around 91 mg.

The Impact of Chicken Wings

Among the most common cuts, chicken wings are a clear outlier. Per 100 grams, a chicken wing with the skin on contains approximately 111 mg of cholesterol, making it the piece of chicken with the most cholesterol. This high content is largely due to the combination of dark meat and a higher ratio of skin, which holds most of the fat.

The Significant Role of the Skin

One of the most important factors influencing the nutritional value of any chicken cut is whether the skin is included. The skin on chicken contains the majority of the bird's total fat calories. When considering cholesterol, the impact is substantial.

Skin-on vs. Skinless: While skinless chicken breast is lower in cholesterol than a skinless thigh (73 mg vs. 94 mg per 100g), the gap narrows dramatically when skin is involved. In fact, a 100-gram breast with skin surprisingly has a lower cholesterol content (64 mg) than its skinless counterpart, which is likely due to inconsistencies in testing or the specific fat-to-cholesterol ratio in the skin versus the muscle tissue. However, the skin adds significant saturated fat, which is often considered more impactful for blood cholesterol levels. The wing, with its higher proportion of skin and dark meat, remains the highest in cholesterol overall.

How Preparation Affects Chicken's Nutritional Profile

Your cooking method can alter the final fat and cholesterol content of your chicken, regardless of the cut. Unhealthy preparation methods can counteract the benefits of choosing a lean cut.

Healthier Cooking Methods

Grilling, Baking, and Roasting: These methods allow excess fat to drip away, especially when using a rack. Cooking skinless chicken breast in these ways yields the leanest results. For instance, roasted chicken meat without skin contains around 75 mg of cholesterol per 100 grams.
Steaming and Pressure Cooking: These moist-heat methods are excellent for producing tender chicken while minimizing the addition of fat. Pressure cooking, in particular, can help reduce the oxidation of cholesterol.

Methods to Moderate

Frying: Frying, especially deep-frying, adds significant fat from the oil, which increases the total calorie and fat content. A fried chicken thigh contains more fat and cholesterol than a simply baked one.
Sauces and Batters: Heavy sauces, coatings, and batters can also add excess calories and fat, further impacting the healthfulness of your meal.

Comparison of Chicken Cuts (per 100g, cooked)


Chicken Cut (Skinless)	Cholesterol (mg)	Fat (g)	Protein (g)
Chicken Breast	73	3.6	31
Chicken Thigh	94	10.9	26
Chicken Wing	~85	13.3	22
Chicken Cut (Skin-On)	Cholesterol (mg)	Fat (g)	Protein (g)
Chicken Breast	64	8.2	23
Chicken Thigh	98	16.5	16.5
Chicken Wing	111	~14.9	~24

Note: The high fat content in wings is a significant contributor to the high cholesterol, even if the total cholesterol in the meat itself is slightly lower than a skin-on thigh. Cholesterol values can vary slightly depending on the specific source and cooking method.

Conclusion: Making Heart-Healthy Chicken Choices

In conclusion, the highest amount of cholesterol in a piece of chicken is found in the wing, primarily due to its combination of dark meat and high skin content. For those watching their cholesterol, opting for lean, skinless white meat like the breast is the best choice. However, the most important takeaway is that both the cut of chicken and how it's prepared are critical. Removing the skin and choosing healthier cooking methods like baking, grilling, or steaming over frying are effective ways to reduce your intake of fat and cholesterol. Always consider your overall dietary pattern, focusing on lean proteins and a balanced intake of fiber-rich foods, rather than fixating on a single nutrient from one food source. For comprehensive heart health advice, consult a reliable source such as the American Heart Association.

Frequently Asked Questions

The skinless chicken breast is the leanest cut of chicken and has the lowest cholesterol content. A 100-gram serving of skinless breast contains approximately 73 mg of cholesterol.

Cooking methods significantly affect the cholesterol level of chicken. Healthier methods like grilling, baking, or steaming minimize added fats, while frying adds a large amount of extra fat and calories.

Yes, removing the skin from chicken is one of the most effective ways to reduce its total fat and cholesterol content, as most of the fat is stored under the skin.

White meat, such as skinless chicken breast, is generally a better option for a low-cholesterol diet because it is leaner and contains less fat and cholesterol than dark meat.

While both are factors, recent dietary guidelines suggest that saturated fat intake has a more significant impact on blood LDL ('bad') cholesterol levels than dietary cholesterol itself. Many foods high in cholesterol are also high in saturated fats.

Chicken wings have a higher cholesterol content than other cuts, but this amount can be reduced by removing the skin. However, deep-frying and adding rich sauces will increase the overall fat and calorie content.

Yes, you can include chicken in a high-cholesterol diet, but focus on lean, skinless cuts like the breast and prepare it using healthy methods such as grilling, baking, or steaming, rather than frying.