Chicken Breast Grilled Nutrition Facts

Should I Be Worried About White Striping

Some concern was raised in early 2017 about “white striping,” a condition where white stripes appear in chicken breast as a result of a perceived “growth spurt.” The worry was that more white stripes meant that the chicken had a higher fat content with less protein. That said, there’s no cause for concern. Chicken is still a nutrient-dense source of lean protein that can be enjoyed in many different ways. Just pick the meat that looks best to you when purchasing.

What Do All Those Labels On Chicken Mean

You may have noticed the many different labels found on chicken breast at the grocery store. Here’s a breakdown.

• Natural. There’s no formal definition for the use of “natural” on food labels. The USDA allows the term “natural” to be used on meat and poultry when it contains no artificial ingredients or added colors and is minimally processed.
• Organic. Organic has strict criteria set by the USDA, in which organic chicken, for example, must come from a chicken that is not given any antibiotics or growth hormones. The chicken must be fed organic feed and they must be able to live in conditions in which they can graze outside.
• Antibiotic- or hormone-free. This means that no antibiotics or hormones were given to the chicken.
• Free-range. This means that chickens are allowed to be outside.

“When it comes to choosing, I think it’s based on each person’s preference and budgetary restrictions,” says Ehsani. “Organic chicken unfortunately may be the most expensive option compared to just non-organic, but both have the same nutritional breakdown at the end of the day.”

Easy Grilled Chicken Breast Recipe

Grilled chicken breasts sometimes get a bad rap for being dry, tough, and boring. But the truth is, it really has nothing to do with the chicken itself. Its all about the cooking method. And this is one of the easiest grilled chicken breast recipes that is going to show you how simple it is to make perfectly grilled tender and juicy chicken breasts.

With my delicious marinade, a hot grill, and a little patience when it comes time to flip the breasts, you can have moist yummy chicken in no time! The marinade is composed of basic ingredients that help to elevate the flavor of the chicken as it is grilling. Its just so darn tasty and Im going to teach you how easy it is to make!

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Grilled Chicken Breast Nutrition Information

Grilled chicken breast is a summer time favorite, served plain or slathered in barbecue sauce. Its versatility makes this meat useful in the kitchen as well not only does grilled chicken breast serve as a high quality protein source by itself, you can add it to salads and casseroles to boost the nutritional value.

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A Good Source Of Protein

Eat a 4-oz. portion of grilled chicken breast and you contribute 35 g of protein to your meal plan. The recommended daily allowance is 46 g for adult females and 56 g for adult men, according to USDA. Like all animal proteins, grilled chicken breast is a complete protein, containing all the amino acids your body needs to function. Protein is a vital component of every cell in your body and is required for building muscle and repairing tissue.

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What Are The Best Ways To Make Chicken Breast Taste Good

Enjoy chicken breasts roasted solo, grilled with a marinade, tossed in salads, and sliced on sandwiches. Regardless, broiler or rotisserie versions beat the pre-packaged kind that’s preserved with added sodium. Since the breast itself naturally includes some salt, additional flavorings can drive up that sodium content quickly! Check labels for sauces, seasonings, and toppings that come in at 140mg of sodium or less.

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How To Trim A Chicken Breast

When shopping for chicken breasts, you can buy bone-in or boneless chicken breasts. Personally, I like to grill boneless, skinless chicken breasts hot and fast. Whereas I barbecue bone-in, skin-on breasts longer at lower temps.

Todays recipe is for boneless, skinless chicken breasts with rib meat.

I have found that how chicken breasts are butchered varies greatly, depending on the brand. You can purchase breasts that say pre-trimmed on them, but theyre usually more expensive, so Im going to show you how to trim them yourself.

When you take the breasts out of the package, look them over. One side will likely have a thin white layer of fat. I like to trim this off.

The other side will have the socket where the wing was connected to the breast. Feel it with your finger. If you notice a little gristle, trim it away with a sharp boning knife.

When you flip the breast over, it should have a flap. This is the chicken tender or rib meat. I like to leave this attached, because it helps balance out the thickness of the breast.

If the breasts you buy already have the tenderloin removed, you may notice that one end will be significantly thicker than the other. If thats the case, place the chicken between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound the thicker side a bit, so its even with the thinner side. This will help it cook more evenly.

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Builds And Maintains Muscle Mass

Protein helps your body maintain muscle mass and also helps build muscle in conjunction with a strength training program. Because chicken breast is high in protein, it is part of a diet that can help you build muscle mass. Research shows that losses in muscle mass and strength are directly associated with mortality rates in older people. So even if you aren’t trying to bulk up your muscles, preventing muscle loss is important regardless of age.

Are Chicken Breasts Better For You Than Other Parts Of The Chicken

Chicken breasts are the leanest parts of the bird, packing about 1 to 1.5g of saturated fat per 3.5-ounce serving and they’ve got more protein than skinless chicken thighs. That said, thighs have more iron, making them another nutritionally-dense choice to keep in your menu rotation.

Skinless breasts, thighs, and drumsticks all hover around the 170 calories per serving. Wings are the fattiest and most caloric part of the bird at about 210 calories and 11g saturated fat each not including the skin.

Bottom line: All skinless chicken is a good source of protein that’s lower in saturated fat than some red and processed meats. It’s the less-healthy choices that happen in the kitchen with high-fat, high-sodium sauces, breadings, and marinades. Instead, dress up a skinless bird with poultry seasonings, rubs, and spices that stay around or under 140mg of sodium per serving.

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Count Calories And Macros

Chicken breasts usually weigh about 6 to 8 ounces. A 3-ounce serving is about the size of a deck of cards. According to the USDA, there are 128 calories in a 3-ounce grilled boneless, skinless chicken breast. They are very low in fat, clocking in at 2.7 grams, and contain no carbohydrates.

As an added bonus, a serving of grilled, skinless, boneless chicken breast contains no saturated fats â the “bad” fats that raise the levels of “bad” cholesterol in your blood, according to the American Heart Association.

Saturated fats should make up no more than 5 to 6 percent of your daily total caloric intake.

Each serving provides you with 26 grams of protein, which is more than half of the recommended daily intake for adults â 46 grams for women and 56 grams for men, according to the National Academies of Sciences.

How Many Calories In Chicken Breast Thigh Wing And More

Chicken is a popular option when it comes to lean protein, as it packs a considerable amount into a single serving without a lot of fat.

Plus, its easy to cook at home and available in most restaurants. Chicken dishes can be found on just about any menu, no matter what type of cuisine youre eating.

But you may wonder exactly how many calories are in that chicken on your plate.

Chicken comes in many cuts, including breasts, thighs, wings and drumsticks. Each cut contains a different number of calories and a different proportion of protein to fat.

Here are the calorie counts for the most popular cuts of chicken.

Chicken breast is one of the most popular cuts of chicken. Its high in protein and low in fat, making it an excellent choice for people trying to lose weight.

One skinless, boneless, cooked chicken breast has the following nutrition breakdown :

A 3.5-ounce serving of chicken breast provides 165 calories, 31 grams of protein and 3.6 grams of fat .

That means that approximately 80% of the calories in chicken breast come from protein, and 20% come from fat.

Keep in mind that these amounts refer to a plain chicken breast with no added ingredients. Once you start cooking it in oil or adding marinades or sauces, you increase the total calories, carbs and fat.

Chicken thigh is slightly more tender and flavorful than chicken breast due to its higher fat content.

One skinless, boneless, cooked chicken thigh contains :

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How To Grill The Juiciest Grilled Chicken Breast

Chicken Broilers Or Fryers Breast Meat Only Cooked Roasted Nutrition Facts & Calories

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Nutrition facts label for Chicken, broilers or fryers, breast, meat only, cooked, roasted

NUTRITIONAL TARGET MAP The Nutritional Target Map allows you to see at a glance how foods line up with your nutritional and weight-management goals. The closer a food is to the right edge of the map, the more essential nutrients per calorie it contains. For a more nutritious diet, select foods that fall on the right half of the map.The closer a food is to the top edge of the map, the more likely it is to fill you up with fewer calories. If you want to restrict your caloric intake without feeling hungry, choose foods from the top half of the map.Foods that are close to the bottom edge are more calorie-dense. If you want to increase your calorie intake without getting too full, choose foods from the bottom half of the map.

Nutritional Target Map for Chicken, broilers or fryers, breast, meat only, cooked, roasted

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How Can I Tell If The Chicken I’m Buying Was Raised With Hormones Or Antibiotics

No hormones are ever used in the raising of chickens. Antibiotics were used in the livestock production to prevent the spread of illness, but the FDA banned routine antibiotics in 2017. The practice had garnered criticism for potential growth hormone-promoting effects.

Livestock can still receive antibiotics as a treatment for infection. Only organic meat and poultry can never receive antibiotics at any point, so if you’re concerned pick meat labeled “USDA Organic.”

Recipe Ideas Using Chicken Breasts

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Protein In 4 Ounces Of Grilled Chicken

A 4-ounce serving of grilled chicken breast, which is a little bigger than the palm of your hand, has 35 grams of protein. In general, adults need 46 to 56 grams of protein a day, which means a serving of chicken may meet two-thirds to three-quarters of your daily protein needs. Of course, protein needs vary and you may need more if youre working out to build muscle or recovering from an illness or surgery. The protein in chicken breast contains all the essential amino acids, making it a high-quality source of protein.

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Chicken Breast Nutrition Facts

One 3-ounce serving of boneless, skinless grilled chicken breast contains 128 calories, 2.7 grams of protein, and 2.7 grams of fat with 0 g of carbohydrates. Note that many commercially packaged chicken breasts are much larger than 3 ounces. So if you eat a single breast, youre probably eating more than a single serving.

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Possible Substitutes And Variations For This Recipe

• Use chicken thighs in place of chicken breasts .
• Try other herbs in place of they thyme such as basil, rosemary, parsley, cilantro, dill, or oregano.
• Substitute fresh herbs for dried and use 1 Tbsp to 2 Tbsp depending on the herb .
• Increase flavor by adding spices such as sweet or smoked paprika, cayenne pepper or onion powder.
• For lemony chicken use 1 Tbsp lemon zest or you could even use lemon juice in place of chicken broth but dont marinate longer than a few hours for a better texture .
• Sugar or maple syrup can be used in place of honey.
• In a pinch water can be used in place of chicken broth, like as done in a standard brining solution.
• Extra virgin olive oil can be used in place of regular refined olive oil if you want a little more flavor from this ingredient.

Beware The Downside Of Grilling

Grilling is a healthy way to cook your chicken breast, but you may want to adjust your grilling method. Cooking chicken and other “muscle meat” at very high heat, such as with pan frying or over an open flame, produces by-products that cause cancer in animals. Whether they are associated with cancer in humans is as yet unclear.

The National Cancer Institute cites studies that associate a high consumption of barbecued, fried or well-done meat with colorectal, pancreatic and prostate cancer. You can reduce your risk by grilling smaller cuts of meat that cook quickly and keeping it away from high flames. Avoid eating your meat blackened or charred.

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Storage And Food Safety

Raw chicken can harbor bacteria, such as Campylobacter and Salmonella, that can cause illness. Cooking chicken to at least 165 degrees F will kill the bacteria, but safe handling of the raw meat during preparation is important. Never wash or rinse raw chicken, and always thoroughly clean hands, utensils, and surfaces after handling raw chicken.

Both uncooked and cooked chicken should be kept in the refrigerator, where it will keep for a few days. Refrigerate or freeze leftover chicken within two hours of serving. Both raw and cooked chicken can also be frozen for up to nine months.

Chicken Wing: 43 Calories

When you think about healthy cuts of chicken, chicken wings probably dont come to mind.

However, as long as theyre not covered in breading or sauce and deep-fried, they can easily fit into a healthy diet.

One skinless, boneless chicken wing contains :

Per 3.5 ounces , chicken wings provide 203 calories, 30.5 grams of protein and 8.1 grams of fat .

This means that 64% of the calories come from protein and 36% from fat.

Summary

One chicken wing has 43 calories, or 203 calories per 3.5 ounces . Its 64% protein and 36% fat.

Chicken legs are made up of two parts the thigh and the drumstick. The drumstick is the lower portion of the leg.

One skinless, boneless chicken drumstick contains :

Per 3.5 ounces , chicken drumsticks have 172 calories, 28.3 grams of protein and 5.7 grams of fat .

When it comes to calorie count, about 70% come from protein while 30% come from fat.

Summary

One chicken drumstick has 76 calories, or 172 calories per 3.5 ounces . Its 70% protein and 30% fat.

Though breast, thighs, wings and drumsticks are the most popular cuts of chicken, there are several others to choose from.

Here are the calories in some other cuts of chicken :

• Chicken tenders: 263 calories per 3.5 ounces
• Back: 137 calories per 3.5 ounces
• Dark meat: 125 calories per 3.5 ounces
• Light meat: 114 calories per 3.5 ounces

Summary

The number of calories in various cuts of chicken varies. Light meat has the lowest number of calories while chicken tenders have the highest.

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