A lot of people are turning to chicken as a healthier choice. And that's why it is important to know all about the calories in chicken, the nutrition facts about it etc. This is especailly true because checking the calories in chicken might vary according to the chicken part, cooking method and other parameters. So let's see if we can make some sense into this field.

Different chicken parts result in different calories. When listing the calories in chicken parts you need to decide whether you are going to have them with the skin or not. It makes a big difference!

The following numbers are for 3.5 oz (100 gr) raw chicken (broilers or fryers):

• 110 calories in chicken breast, 170 calories with skin
• 119 calories in chicken drumstick, 161 calories with skin
• 119 calories in chicken thigh, 211 calories with skin
• 120 calories in chickn leg, 187 calories with skin
• 124 calories in chicken giblet
• 125 calories in chicken dark meatn, 237 calories with skin
• 126 calories in chicken wing, 237 with skin
• 137 calories in chicken back, 319 with skin

So as you can see there is quite a difference between the calories in chicken parts. Without the skin - up to 27 calories per 3.5 oz, and with the skin - up to 149 calories per 3.5 oz!!! That's a big difference!

A lot of the calories in chicken actaully come from the skin. Since the skin has a lot of fat in it, it also has a lot of calories. Not to mention other health issues related to consuming fat. Fat makes over 30% of the chicken skin and is responsible for over 80% of the calories in chicken skin! If you are looking to cut down on the calories in chicken, skin is defintely the first thing you should take off your menu,

Would anyone like to guess? Calories in chicken that was fried vs. calories in chicken that was roasted, or how about stewed?

I'm sure everybody knows that frying adds calories to whatever you're making. It's simple - you are basically using fat to fry. So now you have to add the calories in the fat the the calories in the chicken.

But even when you roast or broil a chicken, there will be a difference in the calories in chicken according to the actual way you're doing it. Any method that will allow the chicken to "swim" in its own liquid or fat will result in more calories that a method that will allow the fat to drip away. So grilling a chicken would be better than frying it.

Let's see some example numbers to how the cooking effects the calories in chicken. If we take 3.5 oz of raw chicken (broilers or fryers, breast, meat, no skin, no bone):

• 151 calories in chicken that was stewed
• 165 calories in chicken that was roasted
• 187 calories in chicken that was fried

And since I'm guessing you might eat more than 3.5 oz, you should remember that these chicken calories add up!

I love chicken. Especially eating them :-) But seriously, chicken can be both healthy and tasty! Once you realize what effects the calories in chicken: the parts, the skin, the cooking and of course the portion size, you can eat well and enjoy it!