Meat, fish, and eggs
Chicken thigh
Chicken thighs provide 19.7 g of protein for 121 kcal per 100 g (3.5 oz), or 16.3 g of protein for every 100 kcal.
Estimated satietyHow it is calculated
Estimated satiety: 5 out of 5
| Starting point | +1 |
|---|---|
| Low energy density | +1 |
| A lot of protein per calorie | +2 |
| High water content | +1 |
Our own estimate from the values per 100 g: useful for comparing foods with each other, not a measurement in people. Holt index (1995): this food was not measured.
- Prepared by
- Alex Gonzalez
- Last updated
- Next review
- Sources
- 10 primary
- Data
- USDA FDC 173627
No clinical review. No advertising from drug companies and no affiliate links.How we work
Nutrition facts
- Calories
- 145 kcal per serving
- 121 kcal per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Protein
- 23.6 g per serving
- 19.7 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Carbohydrates
- 0 g per serving
- 0 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- of which sugars
- 0 g per serving
- 0 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Fiber
- 0 g per serving
- 0 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Fat
- 4.9 g per serving
- 4.1 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- of which saturated
- 1.3 g per serving
- 1.1 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Water
- 91.4 g per serving
- 76.2 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Source: USDA FoodData Central: Chicken, broilers or fryers, dark meat, thigh, meat only, raw (FDC ID 173627), accessed September 23, 2026.
A typical 120 g (4 oz) serving provides about 145 kcal, 23.6 g of protein, and 0 g of fiber.
What it is and how to eat it
The Dictionary of the Spanish Language calls the lower, fleshy part of a bird's leg the muslo and the upper part the contramuslo, but the Dictionary of Americanisms records pierna in Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Colombia, Peru and Bolivia for the part that runs from the muslo to the foot, so there the muslo is the upper part. This page uses USDA's entry for that upper part (the thigh, contramuslo in the academic dictionary and muslo in those countries), meat only, without skin or bone and raw, with 121 kcal, 19.7 g of protein and 4.12 g of fat per 100 g. With the skin, the same raw cut rises to 221 kcal and 16.6 g of fat per 100 g according to USDA.
A 120 g (4.2 oz) raw, skinless serving provides 23.6 g of protein and 145 kcal with 4.9 g of fat; with the skin it would be 265 kcal and almost 20 g of fat. The 2025 nutrition advisory on GLP-1 therapy includes lean poultry among the proteins to encourage and suggests avoiding fatty foods in the first few days of treatment, so in those days, and after each dose increase, remove the skin before cooking. Stewed, it turns tender and falls apart easily, as in the chicken stew with potato and vegetables, which helps when chewing is an effort or appetite is low. If you eat little, start with the chicken and leave the sides for last, as the same advisory suggests.
What the evidence says
Protein provides 65% of its energy, far above the 20% the EU requires for a "high protein" claim, and the EU authorizes saying that protein contributes to the maintenance of muscle mass (Regulations (EC) No 1924/2006 and (EU) No 432/2012). With 5.56 mg of niacin and 0.451 mg of vitamin B6 per 100 g it exceeds 30% of the EU reference values for those vitamins (16 mg and 1.4 mg), the minimum for a "high" claim for them (Regulations (EC) No 1924/2006 and (EU) No 1169/2011). The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service advises cooking all poultry, thighs included, until the center reaches 165 °F (73.9 °C), measured with a thermometer. I have not found trials comparing thigh with breast for weight loss; the practical difference between them is the fat, especially if you eat the skin.
Recipes with this food
Chicken stew with potato and vegetables23.9 g protein per serving
Satiety
The 1 to 5 score is our own estimate: it starts at 1 point, adds points for low energy density, for protein and fiber per 100 kcal, and for the water in solid foods, and subtracts points for drinks with calories. It is useful for comparing foods with each other; it is not a measurement in people.
What to keep in mind on a GLP-1 medication
Frequently asked questions about chicken thighs
How much protein is in a 120 g (4 oz) serving of chicken thighs?
100 g (3.5 oz) of chicken thighs has 19.7 g of protein. A typical 120 g (4 oz) serving has about 23.6 g of protein. That is 16.3 g of protein per 100 kcal, which is why they carry our “High in protein” tag.
How many calories does a 120 g (4 oz) serving of chicken thighs have?
100 g (3.5 oz) of chicken thighs has 121 kcal. A typical 120 g (4 oz) serving has about 145 kcal. That is a low energy density.
Are chicken thighs filling?
Yes, very filling for the calories they provide: our estimated satiety score is 5 out of 5. It is based on: low energy density; a lot of protein per calorie; high water content. It is an estimate based on its composition, not a measurement in people.
How do chicken thighs sit with nausea from a GLP-1 medication?
Based on our tags, this is what matters about chicken thighs on a GLP-1 medication. “High in protein”: plenty of protein per calorie; protein helps preserve muscle mass when you eat less. “Easy to digest”: a soft or low-fat food that many people tolerate well when they feel nauseous or get full quickly. These are general guidelines, not medical advice: everyone tolerates foods differently.
What counts as a normal serving of chicken thighs?
We use 120 g (4 oz) as a typical serving. That amount provides about 145 kcal, 23.6 g of protein, and 0 g of fiber. It is a reference for calculations, not a recommendation of how much to eat.
Compare with…
Similar foods
Sources
Sources for the data on this page, with the access date.
- Official databaseU.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service.USDA FoodData Central: Chicken, broilers or fryers, dark meat, thigh, meat only, raw (FDC ID 173627).accessed .
- InstitutionRoyal Spanish Academy and Association of Academies of the Spanish Language (RAE-ASALE).Diccionario de la lengua española (Dictionary of the Spanish Language, 23rd ed., online version): "muslo" (in Spanish).accessed .
- InstitutionRoyal Spanish Academy and Association of Academies of the Spanish Language (RAE-ASALE).Diccionario de la lengua española (Dictionary of the Spanish Language, 23rd ed., online version): "contramuslo" (in Spanish).accessed .
- InstitutionAssociation of Academies of the Spanish Language (ASALE).Diccionario de americanismos (Dictionary of Americanisms): "pierna" (in Spanish).accessed .
- Official databaseU.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service.USDA FoodData Central: Chicken, broilers or fryers, thigh, meat and skin, raw (FDC ID 172385).accessed .
- Clinical guidelineObesity (Wiley).Mozaffarian D, et al. Nutritional priorities to support GLP-1 therapy for obesity: A joint Advisory from the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, the American Society for Nutrition, the Obesity Medicine Association, and The Obesity Society. Obesity. 2025;33(8):1475-1503. doi:10.1002/oby.24336.accessed .
- RegulatorOfficial Journal of the European Union (EUR-Lex).Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 on nutrition and health claims made on foods (Annex).accessed .
- RegulatorOfficial Journal of the European Union (EUR-Lex).Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 establishing a list of permitted health claims made on foods.accessed .
- RegulatorOfficial Journal of the European Union (EUR-Lex).Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on the provision of food information to consumers (Annex XIII, nutrient reference values).accessed .
- RegulatorU.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA FSIS).Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart.accessed .