Chicken is a well-known lean protein source in many diets. Most of us often consume chicken breasts, but right now, it is time to give their darker and juicier counterparts a chance! Keep reading to learn about chicken thigh nutrition!
4 oz Chicken Thigh Nutrition
In this article, we will have 4 oz of chicken thigh to analyze and study, but if you have more, feel free to multiply the nutrients in accordance with the weight or number of your chicken thighs!
CALORIES IN 4 OZ CHICKEN THIGH
- 4oz chicken thigh calories cooked (meat only): 192 calories, 33g protein, 0g carbs, 11g fat
- 4oz chicken thigh calories cooked (meat and skin): 274 calories, 32g protein, 0g carbs 15g of fat
- 4oz chicken thigh calories raw (meat and skin): 249 calories, 19g protein, 0g carbs, 18g fat
4 OZ CHICKEN THIGH MACROS (RAW)
- 4 oz chicken thigh protein: 19g
- 4 oz chicken thigh carbs: 0g
- 4 oz chicken thigh fat: 18g
While all food varies depending on how it is prepared, important nutritional components can still be looked at such as carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals! Chicken thigh nutrition is different from other parts of the chicken, and I will tell you why!
Protein
Protein is different in a chicken thigh versus other parts of the chicken. It has about 32 grams per 4 oz serving (cooked, meat and skin)! Many other parts of the chicken do contain more protein, but if you are planning on eating all 4 oz during your meal, the protein should not make too much of a difference (particularly if you are using the protein for muscle building)!
Chicken thigh protein is also high in leucine, which is an amino acid (a building block of protein). This amino acid sends a message to the brain that amino acids are available, and this helps us to build muscle! Chicken thighs are especially high in leucine, containing more than chicken breasts!
Both chicken breasts and chicken thighs are great options for muscle building, but thighs are higher in leucine which could make a slight difference since the brain is being signaled more that it is time to build muscle!
Fat
There are about 15g of fat in a 4oz chicken thigh (cooked, meat and skin), compared to chicken breast which only have around 9g per 4 oz serving.
Due to their high fat content, chicken thighs have 3g of Omega-6 fatty acids in each 4 oz serving (cooked, meat, and skin).
Omega-3 fatty acids are often praised for their anti-inflammatory properties, but we don't often hear about Omega-6 fatty acids. So, what is so special about them? Omega-6 fatty acids are extremely important for our skins' health!
Our skin is able to be more flexible with the help of Omega-6 fatty acids! It is also popular in helping lessen different skin disorders, even types of acne! This is because they help to stimulate skin (and hair) growth!
So, while Omega-3s are often praised, it does not mean that Omega-6s are not important for our bodies.
Vitamins/Minerals
The most exciting nutritional information about chicken thighs to me is its high amount of B vitamins! Let's take a look at a couple of standout vitamins and minerals!
Iron
Chicken, like other, meats, is also a source of heme iron. This is the iron most readily available to our bodies. That just means our bodies are able to use more of it! Iron is important because it transfers oxygen throughout our body, which is important for our heart and brain health, as well as many other bodily functions!
There are two types of iron: heme iron and non heme iron. Heme iron comes from meats. Non heme iron comes from plants and fortified foods. Our body prefers heme iron over non heme iron since it is easier for our bodies to absorb.
Here is a small nutrition hack for you all! If you do not get enough iron in your diet, especially heme iron, eating or drinking something with Vitamin C can help your body absorb the iron!
B Vitamins
Animal products are the easiest way to get enough of vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 is an important nutrient to keep our body's blood and nerve cells healthy. It is also important for the creation of our DNA and during our growth and development.
For people who do not eat meat, it can be tough to get enough B12 which can make people tired and weak. Later on, this can create more significant issues, such as cognitive decline.
Luckily, if you eat meat, it is much easier to get in your B12! Chicken thighs, in particular, have a high amount of B12, even more than chicken breasts!
Another B vitamin in chicken thighs is Vitamin B-3, Niacin! Niacin is important for our nervous system, digestive system, and our skin! This is the B vitamin that is the highest in chicken.
Vitamin B6 is also high in chickens. This vitamin also helps our nervous system and brain development, but it also helps with our immune system!
B vitamins provide our bodies with a lot of benefits and help our bodies to function correctly! They help to keep us healthy, preventing cognitive decline and protecting our immune systems!
Calories
Due to chicken thighs' high-fat content, it slightly changes the nutrition information. The calories are slightly higher than chicken breasts. The calories from chicken thighs are coming from protein and fat. The positive, though, is that it is more filling because of this! In 4 oz of chicken thighs, there are about 274 calories (cooked, meat and skin).
What does a 4 oz chicken thigh look like?
If you do not have a scale and want to know how much 4 ounces is, there is a simple way to guesstimate. Pull out your hand, and look at your palm. That is about how big 4 ounces of chicken thighs are!
Uncooked Chicken vs. Cooked Chicken
Cooked meat will weigh less than uncooked meat because it loses the water and juices during cooking! Different cooking techniques will result in more or less loss of moisture. So, if you are someone who tracks their food, you should make sure you specify if it is uncooked chicken or cooked chicken.
Some cooking techniques that would create the biggest change in weight from uncooked to cooked include:
- Grilling
- Broiling
- Frying
- Roasting
- Slow-Cooking
How much water evaporation from the chicken change its weight?
It can actually decrease weight by 25% to 30%. This means that a 4 oz chicken thigh that is uncooked could be 3 oz after being cooked! That is a significant change.
How does this affect the nutrition of the chicken?
Cooking the meat affects the chicken's fat, water, and water-soluble vitamin content. The exciting news is that the protein remains relatively the same! After cooking, though, the majority of people add seasonings to their food, which can change the nutritional content of the chicken thighs.
The type of cooking technique will change the amount of fat and water loss. Cooking techniques that will lose more fat are typically grilling or broiling. Doing this, you will see liquid dripping off of the food, which is the moisture and nutrients coming off the food.
If you are going to track your macros, I recommend measuring your chicken after being cooked! This allows for less error in what you are tracking!
Chicken thighs vs. Chicken breasts
In chickens, there are both white meat and dark meat. The thighs of chicken are dark meat, which is fattier. The fattier meat creates a richer flavor and is juicier overall.
It is fattier than chicken breasts, but the good news is that most of the fat is healthy fats.
In terms of cooking, Chicken thighs are preferred for recipes that require longer cooking times. This is because their skin becomes crispy while keeping a moist interior. Popular cooking methods for chicken thighs are popular for grilling and roasting.
If you are interested in learning more about the nutrition of chicken breasts, go look at my blog post on chicken breast nutrition.
How can you prepare chicken thighs?
Like other poultry, the preparation of the dark meat of chicken can come in many forms. I love creating chicken recipes in a way that is low-effort but delicious. So I have a few cooking techniques that are my go to's:
- Using a cast iron skillet
- In an air-fryer
- With my instant pot!
Chicken Thigh Recipes
These are my favorite Chicken Thigh recipes. Keep reading and I think you will love these due to their mouthwatering flavors, simplicity of the recipes, and their ability to be meal prepped!
- Honey Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs
- Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Thighs
- Easy Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Thighs
- Cast Iron Chicken Thighs in Creamy Tomato Sauce
- Teriyaki Chicken Thighs on the Blackstone Griddle
Chicken Thigh Nutrition FAQs
It depends on the size of each thigh! If each thigh were to be 4 ounces, then there would be about 8 pieces of chicken.
Like above, it will depend on the size. If it was 4 ounces per piece of chicken, that would give you about 4 pieces of chicken!
They vary from thigh to thigh, but the average weight of a boneless chicken thigh is 3-5 ounces and a bone-in chicken thigh is typically between 4-6 ounces.
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