Fried Chicken > How much does a piece of fried chicken weigh
How Much Does a Piece of Fried Chicken Weigh?
Fried chicken is a beloved comfort food enjoyed by people across the globe. This tasty dish starts with raw chicken pieces that are then coated in a flavorful breading mixture before being fried to golden, crispy perfection.
But if you’re trying to portion out fried chicken for a meal, how much does a single piece actually weigh after cooking? Here’s a breakdown of the typical weights for different cuts of fried chicken:
How Much Does a Piece of Fried Chicken Weigh?
The weight of a piece of fried chicken can vary quite a bit depending on the cut and size of the chicken, as well as how much breading is used in the frying process. Smaller chicken pieces like wings and drumsticks tend to range from 1.75-3 ounces after frying. Wings are on the lighter end, with most weighing about 2 ounces each. Drumsticks are typically 2-2.5 ounces.
Larger chicken pieces like breasts, thighs, and legs weigh more per piece because they are thicker cuts with more meat. An average fried chicken breast with the bone still in will weigh approximately 5-6 ounces.
Boneless breasts come in around 4-5 ounces when fried. Chicken thighs are usually medium-sized cuts, weighing about 3.5-4.5 ounces each after frying. And chicken legs (including the thigh and drumstick together) average 4.5-6 ounces per leg after cooking.
Related post: How much does a fried chicken wing weigh?
The frying process causes the chicken pieces to lose some moisture, so the fried weight is always a bit less than the raw. But the breading and oil absorbed during frying can also add a little mass. On average, you can calculate about a 20% weight loss for boneless breasts and thighs, and around a 10% reduction in weight for bone-in pieces after frying.
The size of the chicken itself also matters. Smaller chickens produce lighter pieces than larger chickens. And the amount of breading alters the weights too. More heavily breaded pieces will weigh a bit more than those with a lighter coating.
Anywhere from 1.75 ounces for a small wing up to 6 ounces for a large breast covers the general weight range per piece of boneless or bone-in fried chicken. Keeping the typical fried chicken piece sizes and weights in mind helps ensure proper portioning for recipes or meals.
Chicken Breasts
Raw chicken breasts generally weigh between 6-8 ounces each. Once fried, a chicken breast will lose around 20% of its original weight as moisture cooks out. So you can expect a fried chicken breast to weigh approximately 5-6 ounces.
Chicken Wings
Raw chicken wings with the drumette and wing tip attached weigh around 2-3 ounces each. Fried wings shrink less than other cuts, losing only about 10% of their raw weight. This puts fried chicken wings at around 1.75-2.75 ounces each.
Chicken Legs
A raw chicken leg with the thigh and drumstick weighs 6-8 ounces typically. Fried chicken legs will end up between 4.5-6 ounces per piece after cooking.
Chicken Thighs
Chicken thighs start off around 4-6 ounces each before frying. Fried thighs slim down to about 3-4.5 ounces each.
So as you can see, a single piece of bone-in fried chicken will weigh somewhere between 1.75 ounces on the lighter end for a wing, up to about 6 ounces for a larger breast. The size of the chicken itself and exactly how much breading is used will affect the final weights as well.
To summarize:
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- Fried chicken breast: 5-6 oz
- Fried chicken wing: 1.75-2.75 oz
- Fried chicken leg: 4.5-6 oz
- Fried chicken thigh: 3-4.5 oz
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Keep these typical fried chicken piece weights in mind for portioning out servings!
FAQs
How much does chicken weigh after frying?
When raw chicken is fried, it loses moisture and absorbs oil, which alters the final weight. On average, a boneless, skinless chicken breast weighs about 4 ounces raw. After deep frying, it will lose around 20% of its weight and end up weighing approximately 3.2-3.5 ounces. Chicken wings shrink relatively little, with 2 ounces of raw wings resulting in 1.8-1.9 ounces fried.
Thighs and legs lose moisture as well during frying, with a 6 ounce raw thigh weighing 4.5-5 ounces fried. The exact fried chicken weight depends on factors like the size of the cut, amount of breading, and how long it cooks. But you can estimate around a 20% weight loss for boneless breasts and thighs, and closer to 10% for bone-in pieces.
What is one serving of fried chicken?
The USDA defines one fried chicken serving as about 3 ounces of meat with skin and bone, or 4 ounces if boneless and skinless. A typical serving would be one breast, thigh, or drumstick, or two wings, weighing between 3-6 ounces total. One chicken breast half or a thigh would be a standard single serving.
Two small wings or drumsticks equals another single serving option. Really large pieces like a jumbo fried chicken breast may weigh up to 8-12 ounces and count as more than one serving. But in most cases, aim for approximately 3-6 ounces total for an ideal one person fried chicken serving.
How many ounces is a fried chicken breast?
On average, a boneless, skinless fried chicken breast weighs about 4-5 ounces, while a bone-in breast is around 5-6 ounces. The weight can vary based on the chicken’s size and how much coating is used.
For example, a thin boneless breast may yield 3 ounces fried, while a very large or double breast with ribs and skin may be up to 8 ounces fried. But you can expect most single bone-in chicken breast halves to weigh 5-6 ounces after deep frying.
How many ounces is a fried chicken wing?
Individual fried chicken wings are one of the smaller cuts and weigh just 1.75-2.75 ounces on average. The drumette (or drumette) section will make up 1-1.5 ounces, while the flat midsection “wingette” is around 0.75-1.25 ounces.
Smaller chicken wings may even weigh as little as 1.5 ounces fried. On the larger side, jumbo wings can be up to 3 ounces prepared. But for most average wings, expect around 2 ounces as the typical fried weight per wing.
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