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Ounces in a chicken breast

SophRW
SophRW Posts: 93 Member
edited October 2024 in Food and Nutrition
How many oz. are in an average skinless/boneless chicken breast? (I don't have a food scale) When I log a chicken breast the automatic serving size says 4 oz. rather than one fillet, but a tilapia fillet logs in at 3 oz. My chicken serving is way larger than my tilapia serving. Should I just log the chicken as 8 oz. to be on the safe side?
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Replies

  • Brandicaloriecountess
    Brandicaloriecountess Posts: 2,126 Member
    I would invest in a scale. The size varies a LOT. I got mine at Target for like $10 or less.
  • atd81
    atd81 Posts: 225 Member
    I just got a scale and discovered that the chicken breasts we've been buying are not 6oz as I had thought, but indeed 7.5oz. If you want to be on the safe side, I'd go for 8oz. Better to budget for more than too little.
  • SuperHeroRipped
    SuperHeroRipped Posts: 86
    food scale will make a huge impact if you are keeping track to the oz or gram
  • stormieweather
    stormieweather Posts: 2,549 Member
    I used to log my chicken breasts as 4 oz, and then I bought a scale...OMG, not even close. Anywhere from 7 to 10 oz. Seriously, a $20 food scale is a necessity for accurate calories. Another one is 2 oz of pasta...compared to what I used to eat?? Yikes.
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
    Look at the number of ounces in the packages, and the number of breasts.... That's what I do.
  • anubis609
    anubis609 Posts: 3,966 Member
    I can eyeball breast size, but I'd need to see 'em.
  • elliecolorado
    elliecolorado Posts: 1,040
    I have found that the 'average' chicken breast is usually 6-9oz.
  • phyllis5
    phyllis5 Posts: 16 Member
    I have been told that 4oz of any meat should look like a deck of card....height and lenght. I use this eye ball for meats if I don't have a scale handy (like vacation and when I'm not eating at home)....but with a scale you can't go wrong....good luck!
  • wolfchild59
    wolfchild59 Posts: 2,608 Member
    When I buy a pack of chicken breasts I usually get on that's smaller, around 4-5, then most of 'em are around 6-7, and then usually one on the larger side, around 8 or so. So weighing is always your best option.
  • debbieriddick123
    debbieriddick123 Posts: 1
    One boneless skinless chicken tenderlion is about 4 ounces not a full breast which is 7-9 oz
  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
    A food scale is definitely worth the investment.

    I also get the Perdue Perfect Portions chicken breasts. They come individually wrapped and are 140 cal for each breast. Saves me some time sometimes!
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,584 Member
    A food scale is definitely worth the investment.

    I also get the Perdue Perfect Portions chicken breasts. They come individually wrapped and are 140 cal for each breast. Saves me some time sometimes!

    Food. Scale.
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    Look at the number of ounces in the packages, and the number of breasts.... That's what I do.

    This. Some of the breasts I've had were almost 16 oz. Those chickens had some big hooters!
  • palmerar
    palmerar Posts: 489 Member
    I now buy pre-packaged, hand trimmed, organic 4 oz chicken breasts, to save myself time and hassle. If for some reason I just buy regular chicken breasts, I look at the weight on the package and figure out how many ounces per chicken breast, and break the chicken down into close to 4 oz servings. It's been my experience that most chicken breasts are around 8 oz per breast so I usually butterfly 1 chicken breast into two servings, this saves calories, money and cooking time!
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    I can eyeball breast size, but I'd need to see 'em.

    http://instantrimshot.com
  • Brandon74
    Brandon74 Posts: 453 Member
    Get a food scale that measures ounces and grams. You can get them at Walmart, Target or similar stores.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    It varies, but those things are usually 6-8 oz. Pretty much never 4. It's pure protein for the most part so if you're off by a bit it really doesn't matter. 24 calories never killed anybody
  • Mainebikerchick
    Mainebikerchick Posts: 1,573 Member
    Look at the number of ounces in the packages, and the number of breasts.... That's what I do.

    This. Some of the breasts I've had were almost 16 oz. Those chickens had some big hooters!

    :laugh:
  • Cliffslosinit
    Cliffslosinit Posts: 5,044 Member
    I think the dark meat is heavier!!
  • SRH7
    SRH7 Posts: 2,037 Member
    I think the dark meat is heavier!!
    But it's the tastiest. Nom nom nom. I tend to go for chicken thighs instead - tastier and cheaper. Just weigh and log the calories.
  • FakingFitness
    FakingFitness Posts: 325 Member
    Look at the number of ounces in the packages, and the number of breasts.... That's what I do.

    hahah Brilliant, Wattson!

    Seriously though, just buy a scale. You don't need an expensive one.
  • adamgottlob
    adamgottlob Posts: 36 Member
    I never found a way to measure this accurately if the breast has bones. The database (and packaging) is unclear if the weight includes the bones or not. I guess I should weigh the thing before and after eating and then subtract...
  • megalin9
    megalin9 Posts: 771 Member
    Gotta get a food scale. I got mine at Walmart for like $12. I thought I was eating 4oz chicken breasts. Turns out, I was eating anywhere from 7oz to 10oz. That is a BIG calorie difference.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    How many oz. are in an average skinless/boneless chicken breast? (I don't have a food scale) When I log a chicken breast the automatic serving size says 4 oz. rather than one fillet, but a tilapia fillet logs in at 3 oz. My chicken serving is way larger than my tilapia serving. Should I just log the chicken as 8 oz. to be on the safe side?

    A serving size IS 4 oz...your average breast is going to vary substantially. The ones I get are usually right around 8 oz and I by organic chicken. When I bought regular chicken, it wasn't unusual to have a 10 oz breast.

    Really, you should invest a marginal sum of money for a food scale. They're not that expensive.
    I never found a way to measure this accurately if the breast has bones. The database (and packaging) is unclear if the weight includes the bones or not. I guess I should weigh the thing before and after eating and then subtract...

    A serving of chicken breast MEAT is 4 oz. If your package says serving is 4 oz, it's talking about the meat.
  • adamgottlob
    adamgottlob Posts: 36 Member
    A serving of chicken breast MEAT is 4 oz. If your package says serving is 4 oz, it's talking about the meat.

    The problem was if package weighed (for example) 40 oz and had 4 pieces, I didn't know if each piece was 10 oz of meat, or less than that. I also couldn't find an MFP entry that helped either, did the weight of "chicken w/ bone" include the bone.
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,584 Member
    A serving of chicken breast MEAT is 4 oz. If your package says serving is 4 oz, it's talking about the meat.

    The problem was if package weighed (for example) 40 oz and had 4 pieces, I didn't know if each piece was 10 oz of meat, or less than that. I also couldn't find an MFP entry that helped either, did the weight of "chicken w/ bone" include the bone.
    unless you plan on eating the bone, no. it's 4 oz of chicken meat, not bone.
  • adamgottlob
    adamgottlob Posts: 36 Member
    I don't want to belabor the point, but that's the problem. If I have a chicken that weighs 10oz with the bone, neither MFP nor the package indicate if the weights they are giving also include the bone, or do I have to subtract the bone weight prior to entering. Or maybe bones aren't that heavy and I'm splitting hairs.
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,584 Member
    I don't want to belabor the point, but that's the problem. If I have a chicken that weighs 10oz with the bone, neither MFP nor the package indicate if the weights they are giving also include the bone, or do I have to subtract the bone weight prior to entering. Or maybe bones aren't that heavy and I'm splitting hairs.
    you really just have a few options.
    1. log it as 10 oz and just know you overestimated.
    2. weigh the bone.
    3. buy boneless chicken.
  • __Di__
    __Di__ Posts: 1,661 Member
    How many oz. are in an average skinless/boneless chicken breast? (I don't have a food scale) When I log a chicken breast the automatic serving size says 4 oz. rather than one fillet, but a tilapia fillet logs in at 3 oz. My chicken serving is way larger than my tilapia serving. Should I just log the chicken as 8 oz. to be on the safe side?

    All depends on the size of the chicken.

    Can you not get yourself a food scale, there would be no guessing then?
  • iTStaRTsN0W
    iTStaRTsN0W Posts: 106
    If you get the perfect portion from perdue they are about 140cals, if you just buy a big pack from walmart you NEED a food scale.

    I eat chicken breast everyday, and everyday the size varies. Even though I just take out 1 breast and cut it up, some are bigger then others!
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