Chicken is a versatile food that features in many athletes’ diets.
Its high protein content is useful for muscle growth and repairing muscle fibres after training.
How many calories does it contain? How much can you eat, and is it healthy?
We answer your questions here.
How many calories are in 100 grams of chicken breast?
100 grams of chicken breast provide the following:
- Chicken calories: 111 kcal
- Protein: 21 g – 84 kcal – (76 %)
- Carbohydrate: 0 g – 0 kcal – (0 %)
- Fat: 3 g – 27 kcal – (24 %)
How much does a chicken breast weigh?
Size varies, but a standard breast may weigh around 400 g.
How much protein is in 100 grams of chicken breast?
In 100 g of raw breast, around 21 grams of protein provide 84 kcal: approximately 76% of its energy.
Is chicken protein good quality?
Yes. It is high-quality protein supplying all the essential amino acids the body needs.
Chicken breast versus thigh
The nutritional difference between raw thigh and breast is relatively small. Breast contains a little more protein, while thigh contains more fat and is often juicier.
Is chicken healthy?
It can be a healthy food and is generally suitable for many diets, depending on individual medical circumstances and preparation.
Concerns about hormones and antibiotic residues should be considered in the context of food controls. Read this report from EFSA, the European Food Safety Authority, for further context.
Health benefits
Chicken is known for good-quality protein and its low fat and carbohydrate content, particularly lean breast.
It also supplies micronutrients: a range of vitamins and minerals.
B vitamins, including B3 and B6, contribute to red blood cell formation and fat and carbohydrate metabolism.
Minerals include zinc, magnesium, selenium and phosphorus, relevant to sporting performance. Zinc supports muscle function and the immune system; magnesium helps reduce tiredness, while its deficiency can contribute to cramps and spasms, particularly during prolonged exercise.
How much chicken can you eat each week?
There is no universal minimum or maximum. A complete diet does not require chicken.
Some people include it more than once a day, but the overall dietary pattern matters.
Overreliance on one food reduces variety. The broad suggestion here is no more than 7 times per week, rather than treating it as an essential daily food.
When is a good time to eat chicken?
Its protein content makes it useful in a meal after training, particularly following muscle-building exercise, to help repair muscle fibres.
How should chicken be stored?
Chicken can carry pathogenic bacteria, including Salmonella.
Correct storage helps reduce food poisoning risk.
Choose chicken in good condition. It usually has a pink colour, sometimes more yellow in certain birds. A colour turning grey, a sour smell or swollen packaging can indicate spoilage. Appearance and smell alone cannot establish safety: follow storage and use-by instructions.
Maintain the cold chain and refrigerate promptly after shopping.
Store raw chicken on the bottom shelf in a sealed container so juices cannot contaminate other foods. Keep the fridge temperature at 4ºC or below.
Cook raw chicken within 1–2 days or freeze it at -18ºC or below in a sealed container. When defrosting, use the fridge rather than room temperature, where bacteria such as Salmonella or Listeria can multiply.
How should chicken be cooked?
Remember its potential for microbial contamination.
Cook it until the centre reaches 74ºC.
Some meats may be served raw under appropriate controls, but raw chicken is a food poisoning risk.
Do not wash raw chicken: washing does not make it safe and can spread contamination.
Cook it thoroughly in your preferred way: grilled, baked, stir-fried or in an air fryer. Options are almost endless, but raw chicken maki is not among them.
3 healthy chicken recipes
Try these three ideas for variety:
- Chicken breast salad with cucumber, Parmesan and walnuts
- White rice with chicken and homemade teriyaki sauce
- Chicken soup with potato, courgette, onion and rosemary
These are available in our meal plans.
If you want to take these recommendations further and adapt them to your goals, training and individual needs, at INDYA you can work with a sports nutritionist who will design and adjust a personalised nutrition plan for you.
If you want to complement your online nutrition plan with an anthropometric assessment, visit INDYA’s centre in Valencia, where the skinfold calipers are ready and waiting ;)
