Having a hard time visualizing portion sizes? It can be a tricky business. Fortunately, chicken breasts are compact enough to make the job a bit easier. How much is 8 oz of chicken breast? We’re here to break it down using practical terms.
How Much is 8 Oz of Chicken Breast?
8 ounces of chicken breast translates into 1/2 cup. A single chicken breast might weigh as much as 8 ounces, or as little as 3 or 4 ounces, depending on the size of the bird. A typical serving consists of 3 to 4 ounces, which is about the size of a deck of cards. If you want exact measurements, use a kitchen scale.
How Much Does a Serving of Chicken Breast Weigh?
The recommended serving size for a lean protein like chicken breast is 3 to 4 ounces. If you need a visual aid, that’s about the same size as a deck of playing cards.
As a rule of thumb, a serving of chicken breast should not be larger than the palm of your hand. This isn’t an exact measurement, since hands come in various sizes, but it’s something to go by.
How Much is 8 Oz of Chicken Breast?
If you’re using a recipe that calls for 8 ounces of cooked chicken breast, you might be wondering how to measure that without a scale. All you need to know is that 8 ounces equals 1 cup, or 1/2 pound.
Here’s an easy way to remember the formula: “A pint’s a pound the world around.” Since a pint consists of 2 cups (16 ounces), you can easily halve that to remind yourself that 8 ounces equals 1 cup, or 1/2 pound.
These measurements come in especially handy when you’re dealing with shredded or chopped chicken breast. All you need to do is add the chicken to a measuring cup, and there’s your 8 ounces.
That said, you don’t necessarily have to chop or shred the chicken in order to ensure that it fits inside a 1-cup measure. As long as the portion is roughly the same size as the measuring cup, it should weigh in at around 8 ounces.
What Does 8 Oz of Chicken Breast Look Like?
Since we’ve established that a 4-ounce serving is about the size of a deck of cards, you can visualize an 8-ounce serving as 2 decks of cards nestled side by side.
If the success of your recipe depends on the exact weight (which is seldom the case), use a food scale. It’s a good idea to invest in one of these anyway, especially if you do a lot of baking as well as grilling.
How Big is the Average Chicken Breast?
Chickens come in various sizes, depending on the breed, gender, and age at the time of slaughter. Therefore, it’s tough to say exactly how much a chicken breast weighs.
On average, though, a boneless and skinless chicken breast will weigh between 4 and 8 ounces. So you’d need 1 to 2 of them to get an 8-ounce portion.
Be aware that when we discuss these weights, we’re talking about the chicken breast before it’s cooked. All meat loses some of its mass during cooking, owing to the moisture loss that occurs through exposure to the heat.
This isn’t as much of a concern with chicken breast as it is with some cuts, because the meat is so lean. But it is something to be aware of. Again, you should invest in a kitchen scale if you need to know the weight of the chicken breast before and after cooking.
How Many Cooked Chicken Breasts Make Up 8 Oz?
Although it’s tough to answer this question definitively, we can give you a basic idea.
There are 2-1/2 to 4 cooked chicken breasts in a pound. Dividing this number in half to make 8 ounces, you would have 1-1/4 to 2 chicken breasts in each portion.
If you’re hosting a large group of people and want to plan on 8 ounces of chicken breast per person, buy 2 boneless and skinless chicken breasts for every guest on the list. You might be able to scale back on this for guests under the age of 10.
How Much Does 8 Oz of Chicken Breast Cost?
Because chicken breast is so lean and versatile, it’s a popular option. That means it will typically cost more than dark meat cuts like the thigh.
The cost of chicken breast varies, depending on where you buy it. But the average cost of boneless and skinless chicken breast sits at around $3.25 per pound. That means 8 ounces would cost roughly $1.63.
You can save money by purchasing split chicken breast. This cut comes with the bone attached, so you won’t be getting as much meat per pound. Still, the average per-pound cost of $1.72 makes it an appealing option, depending on how you plan to cook it.
Buying in bulk can also save money. Ask your butcher the next time you’re planning on hosting a large gathering. The per-pound price might be a bit lower if you purchase several pounds of chicken breast at once.
Nutritional Value
An 8-ounce serving of chicken contains approximately 70 grams of protein. Protein is a vital nutrient, responsible for cell repair and growth as well as the production of hormones and enzymes.
There are about 340 calories in 8 ounces of chicken breast, along with 7.2 grams of fat and 118 grams of sodium. These numbers are lower than they would be in an 8-ounce serving of beef or pork, but they do call attention to the fact that 8 ounces is a large portion.
If you’re wondering about the nutritional value of chicken breasts versus thighs, know that while the breast meat contains less fat, it’s also lower in protein. Depending on your recipe, chicken thighs can be an excellent option—and they’re easier on the wallet.
Final Thoughts
When following recipes, pay close attention to whether the ingredients call for 8 ounces of cooked or raw chicken breast. The shrinkage factor is bound to affect your results, and you want to make the measurements as precise as possible.
Happy grilling!
