how much protein in 1 pound of chicken breast

One pound of cooked, boneless, skinless chicken breast contains roughly 110–130 grams of protein, with most reputable nutrition sources clustering around about 120 grams per pound.

Quick Scoop

• A widely used estimate is about 30 g of protein per 4 oz (113 g) of cooked chicken breast, which scales to around 120 g of protein per 16 oz (1 lb).

• Some analyses list a range from roughly 73–118 g of protein per pound depending on source and how lean or moist the chicken is.

• More detailed macro guides for cooked chicken breast often give about 120–130 g protein per cooked pound , reflecting water loss during cooking that concentrates protein.

Raw vs cooked

• Raw chicken breast has slightly less protein per gram because it contains more water, so a raw pound will often test a bit lower than a fully cooked pound measured at the same weight.

• As chicken cooks and loses water, the protein per 100 g goes up, which is why some calculations that assume cooked density can reach 130–140 g protein per pound, though 120 g is a practical tracking number.

Easy rule of thumb

If you are meal-prepping or tracking macros, a simple, realistic rule is:

1 lb cooked, skinless chicken breast ≈ 120 g protein

This keeps things consistent with most macro calculators and fitness-nutrition guides.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.