Chicken is seen as one of the healthiest food choices. Most dieticians recommend the substitution of other types of meat for chicken.
Chicken is nearly entirely fatless and contains a number of useful nutrients. The manner in which the meat is cooked, however, can make it a really healthy selection or turn it into something that no dietician will recommend. The calories in chicken that has been steam-cooked are very different from those found in deep-fried chicken.
Counting calories in chicken depends on several factors. The different types of chicken meat have different calorie counts. Calories in chicken also depend on the type of thermal processing used and the addition of other ingredients to the meal.
These are the basics that you need to know when counting calories in chicken.
Calories in Chicken: The Basics
The number of calories in chicken breasts differs from the count in a leg or a wing.
A raw chicken leg contains approximately 180 calories. Chicken breasts without the skin contain 80 calories per serving. A serving of dark meat and skin contains 380 calories. Removing the skin will decrease the calorie count to 140 calories.
Raw back meat contains 40 calories. A drumstick contains 45 calories without the skin, while the keeping the skin on will increase the count to 70 calories.
Chicken skin alone contains 164 calories and turns out to be the most nutritious part of the chicken.
How about Cooking?
Cooking ads some calories to the count of raw chicken. The cooking method that adds the smallest amount of calories is steaming. Baking and grilling will also feature among the healthy food preparation techniques. Frying chicken will increase both the calorie count and the amount of fat contained in the serving.
A serving of chicken breasts fried in flour contains 131 calories. Stewed breasts contain 121 calories and roasted skin contains 115 calories. These figures count the presence of chicken skin.
Fried dark meat contains 217 calories and if it is roasted, the count decreases to 166 calories.
A portion of fried drumstick contains 50 calories. Stewed drumstick contains 47 calories.
Fried chicken legs contain 115 calories per serving. Roasted chicken leg contains 109 calories and a serving of the meat stewed will have a calorie count of 110 calories.
The Most Common Types of Chicken Dishes and Their Calories
Apart from undergoing thermal processing, a chicken meal contains other ingredients. Sometimes, you can add solely spices. Other times, the dish could contain cheese, mushrooms or vegetables.
You should be aware of the calorie count of common chicken dishes. A chicken fillet sandwich contains the impressive 515 calories. Chicken and vegetable soup contains 165 calories.
100 grams of fried chicken liver contain 170 calories. One portion of chicken curry will bring the calorie count up to 640. A serving of chicken and pasta contains 200 calories. A serving of chicken with rice contains about 100 calories.
Chicken can be a truly healthy type of food. Yet, this meat is also present in fast food options that have a high calorie count. When preparing chicken, consider the thermal processing techniques that will add little fat and calories to your meals. It’s also crucial to choose the right kind of chicken meat. There’s one more thing to keep in mind – remember to enjoy your meal!