You’re in luck if you’re wondering how many calories are in grilled chicken. This popular chicken dish packs a lot of protein into relatively small serving size. Not only is chicken an easy and inexpensive food to make at home, but it can also be found on almost any restaurant menu. The chicken comes in many cuts, each with its nutritional value and caloric content. To help you decide what to order, we’ve broken down the chicken’s nutritional content and calories into their parts. To know grilled chicken nutrition facts, read further.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, people should consume at least 5.5 oz of protein daily. To make the calculation easier, you can weigh the chicken before cooking it. Cooking methods, seasonings, and sugar will also add calories and fat. Also, remember that you’ll have to count the calories if you’re unsure whether the grilled chicken has fewer calories than fried chicken.
Grilled Chicken Nutrition Facts
What are the Benefits of Eating Grilled Chicken?
For a good reason, chicken is the world’s most popular poultry, and for a good reason! It has a high nutritional value while being low in calories and fat. Grilled chicken is also a high-protein option. People who consume enough of this nutrient have a higher chance of maintaining muscle mass and a healthy metabolism.
Chicken breasts are adaptable and economical, so they’re a good choice if you want to add additional flavor to your diet. Tacos, soups, sandwiches, salads, or as a main course with vegetables and whole-grain bread are all possibilities. Let’s look at the four primary advantages of eating more grilled chicken in your diet.
1. Increase your Protein Supply
Chicken is strong in protein and is a good choice for anyone seeking muscle mass. Protein, on the other hand, isn’t just for bodybuilders! This nutrient is necessary for all of your body’s cells to function properly. Protein is required to produce the body’s enzymes, hormones, and other substances. It also helps maintain the bones, muscles, tissues, blood, and cartilage health. Remember that, unlike other nutrients, protein cannot be stored in the body. Thus it must be consumed regularly.
2. Support Healthy Bones
Aside from protein, grilled chicken is high in calcium and phosphorus, two minerals that keep bones strong and healthy. Not everyone thinks about their bones while they’re young, but the choices you make now will impact your bone health. By eating adequate calcium, you can grow strong bones and reduce your risk of arthritis and osteoporosis.
3. Boost your Immunity
When you’re sick, there’s a reason you eat chicken soup. Chicken boosts immune cells in the body, making it easier to fight infection and recover from illness. Chicken protein also contains amino acids that help create antibodies to fight illness. It’s the perfect recipe for comfort and healing when combining shredded chicken with fresh broth and vegetables. Not to mention that chicken contains Vitamin B5, magnesium, and tryptophan, all of which help ease stress and improve mood.
Calories in Sauces and Condiments for Grilled Chicken
On its own, grilled chicken is low in fat and has no sugar or salt. But those calories can add up quickly if you smother, dip, or spread sauces on your chicken breast.
BBQ sauce is often used to top grilled chicken. This American favorite is usually fat-free, but every two tablespoons have about 25 calories and 5 grams of sugar. Depending on how many tablespoons it takes to cover a whole chicken breast, your “healthy” grilled chicken could have an extra 0 gram of sugar and 147 calories. A tablespoon of green chimichurri sauce, made in Argentina with parsley, jalapeo, garlic, oil, and vinegar, has 20 calories, 2 grams of fat, and no sugar. This would keep your chicken from turning into a sugar bomb when you grill it.
How to Make Healthy Grilled Chicken?
Grilled chicken is a popular dish made with chicken, curd left to sit for a while, and spices like cumin powder and black pepper. It is a great chicken recipe for a quick meal; everyone will love it because it tastes so good. This recipe is sure to please your taste buds because it is tasty and filling. You can make this delicious dish for events like wedding anniversaries and kitty parties.
If you’re having a party at your house, you should make this chicken recipe because it will surely wow your guests. This dish smells and tastes stronger because of the garlic paste. So, put on your chef’s hat and make this tasty recipe to show your cooking skills to your family and friends.
Step 1: Wash the Chicken Pieces
To make this easy chicken dish, wash the chicken pieces and poke holes in them with a fork. Mix the hung curd, ginger paste, garlic paste, red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, black pepper, salt, and garam masala in a large bowl. Stir together all the ingredients until they are well mixed.
Step 2: Grill it to Perfection and Serve Hot
Now add the chicken pieces and spread the masala mixture over them all. Cover and put in the fridge for at least 8 hours and up to 24. When you’re done, turn the oven on to 190 degrees Celsius. Take the chicken pieces out of the marinade and put them on a tray for grilling. Turn them over after 30 minutes, so both sides get the same cooking time. Take one piece of chicken out and cut it with a knife to see if it’s done. Hot, with a salad or a dip.
Ingredients of Grilled Chicken
Is Grilled Chicken Good for Weight Loss?
This is because grilled chicken is lean and contains far less fat and calories than other types of meat. Eating it regularly can help you lose weight, especially when swapping it out for fattier meats like beef or pork. The best part about chicken is that it can make losing weight easier. Chicken is always part of a healthy diet because it is lean meat, which means it doesn’t have a lot of fat.
So, eating chicken regularly is a healthy way to lose weight. Chicken breasts are lean and have the most protein per pound, making them ideal for people looking to lose weight, maintain muscle mass, and improve recovery. Fattier cuts, such as the thigh, drumstick, and wings, have more calories, making them better for those looking to bulk up.
Calories in Different Types of Chicken
Chefs can prepare chicken in various ways: rotisserie, grilled, stewed, boiled, roasted, and fried. They can use white or dark meat, and they can use the skin or go skinless. All those tweaks make a big difference regarding the nutrition on your plate.
- Three ounces of the grilled chicken breast have 110 calories and 2 grams of fat.
- Three ounces of rotisserie chicken breast has 150 calories and 6.5 grams fat.
- Three ounces of fried chicken breast has 220 calories and 11 grams fat.
Even though grilled chicken breast is usually healthier than fried chicken, there is one exception: Priya Khorana, EdD, a doctor of nutrition education at Columbia University, says that when you grill meat at high temperatures, chemicals called HCAs (heterocyclic amines) and PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) are made. “These cancer-causing chemicals can change DNA in ways that can lead to cancer.”
Does Grilled Chicken Make you Fat?
Grilled chicken is almost always a cornerstone when constructing a balanced diet plan. This is because grilled chicken is lean and contains considerably fewer calories and fat than other meats. It can help you lose weight if you consume it regularly instead of fattier meats like beef or pork. Weight gain was most closely linked to chicken consumption in men and women, and it didn’t take much. Those who ate about 20 grams or more of chicken per day had a significantly higher increase in their body mass index than those who didn’t eat any chicken.
The Right Portion Size of Grilled Chicken
I wish it were that simple. The size of chicken breasts and the amount of meat on them have grown over time due to the selective breeding of chickens, and this means that the chicken breast you buy at the store may be much bigger than the actual serving size, which is only three ounces.
Wilson says, “A person’s total calorie needs are directly related to the size of their portions, but on average, a three- to four-ounce portion is enough.”
- Three ounces of the grilled chicken breast have 110 calories and 2 grams of fat.
- Three ounces of the grilled chicken thigh has 120 calories and 6.75 grams of fat.
- One grilled skinless chicken breast (around 9.5 ounces) has 326 calories and 7 grams of fat.
- One grilled skinless chicken thigh (around 6.5 ounces) has 269 calories and 17 grams of fat.
You won’t bring your kitchen scale to the restaurant, so let’s make this easier: Wilson says to try to keep your piece about the size of a deck of cards or the palm of your hand.
Is Eating Grilled Chicken Everyday Healthy?
“It’s lean and one of the best protein sources.” Plus, chicken breasts are simple to prepare and can be found at a fair price in most grocery stores. According to Mazzucco, eating chicken daily can help you grow muscle mass while preserving and protecting your overall muscle health. Anything in excess is harmful, and chicken is no exception. Eating chicken daily is not harmful, but you must be careful while selecting the perfect one and cooking it properly. Salmonella, a bacterium found in poultry hens that can cause food-borne diseases, may cause food poisoning.
Conclusion
A medium piece of grilled chicken has about 147 calories. The fat content varies by size, but on average, a 4-oz. 2.33 grams of saturated fat. Aim to keep your total fat intake between 20 percent and 35 percent of your daily caloric intake. Getting a balanced diet is essential for your health. You can learn what foods are good for you by checking out the USDA Dietary Guidelines.
Grilled chicken contains about 147 calories. Be sure to add in the calories from sauces and marinades. The serving size of this chicken breast contains no fiber or carbohydrates, so be sure to read the labels carefully. A piece of grilled chicken breast is about the same as two bananas. So, when you’re deciding what to order, consider the calories.
