Chicken vs duck: calories compared

The chicken here is roasted breast. Per 4 oz (113 g) it has about 186 calories and 35 g of protein, against 227 calories and 27 g for roasted duck meat, which has about three times the fat. Duck gives more iron, about 3.1 mg against 1.2 mg.

Skin changes duck most. In British food tables, roast duck meat has 195 calories and 10.4 g of fat per 3.5 oz (100 g), and with skin and fat 423 calories and 38.1 g. In a 4-week trial of 113 healthy adults, LDL cholesterol was higher on red and white meat than on nonmeat protein and did not differ between the two meats.

Campylobacter turned up in about half of poultry samples, and duck liver pâté was linked to an outbreak. WHO notes the infection can be fatal in very young children, older people and people with weakened immunity. USDA says whole duck is safe at 165 °F (74 °C) even if pink inside. Do not rinse raw chicken, because that spreads bacteria. EFSA advises women planning a pregnancy or pregnant to avoid liver and liver products. The UK Food Standards Agency says duck eggs carry more Salmonella risk and should always be cooked thoroughly.

For the most protein per calorie, pick skinless chicken breast. With duck, remove the skin and fat layer.

Evidence behind this note

1. Level E In the British table raw duck meat with skin and fat has 37.3 g fat and 388 calories per 3.5 oz (100 g) against 6.5 g fat and 137 calories for meat only. Roasting the skinless meat concentrates it to 10.4 g fat, 25.3 g protein and 2.7 mg iron. CoFID 2021 (Public Health England, OGL v3.0), codes 18-371, 18-489, 18-372, 18-374
2. Level E USDA FSIS says whole duck is safe at an internal temperature of 165 °F (74 °C) even if still pink in the center, and notes that all duck meat is dark with a fat layer under the skin. USDA FSIS, Duck and Goose from Farm to Table
3. Level E The agency responsible for US poultry safety tells people not to wash raw chicken, because rinsing spreads the bacteria instead of removing them. Chicken from Farm to Table, USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service
4. Level B In 113 healthy adults eating red meat, white meat or non-meat protein for 4 weeks each, LDL cholesterol and apoB were higher on both meats than on non-meat and did not differ between red and white meat, so poultry brought no lipid advantage over beef. Am J Clin Nutr, 2019
5. Level C After a catered event, 58% of 77 guests fell ill, and cooked duck liver pate prepared the same way at the venue grew Campylobacter jejuni and C. coli, pointing to under-cooked pate as the cause. Epidemiol Infect, 2014
6. Level E EFSA advises women who are planning a pregnancy or are pregnant not to eat liver, offal or products made from them, because preformed vitamin A can harm the embryo. EFSA NDA Panel, Scientific opinion on the tolerable upper intake level for preformed vitamin A and beta-carotene, EFSA Journal 2024;22(6):e8814
7. Level E The UK Food Standards Agency says eggs from species other than chickens, duck eggs among them, carry a higher Salmonella risk and should always be cooked thoroughly, never served raw or lightly cooked. Food Standards Agency (UK), Advice on safe storage, handling and use of eggs for catering, 2026
8. Level C Pooled across 131 studies, Campylobacter was found in 51.9% of poultry product samples, making poultry the primary food vehicle for campylobacteriosis. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr, 2026
9. Level E WHO says Campylobacter infections are usually mild but can be fatal in very young children, older people and people with weakened immunity, and can be followed by reactive arthritis or Guillain-Barre syndrome. World Health Organization, Campylobacter fact sheet, 1 May 2020

Written from the studies and agency guidance we hold for both foods, reviewed by the Bioma editorial system. How we verify.

Read more about these foods

• Chicken: the iron it blocks, and the washing you skip
• Duck: a dark bird whose fat sits in the skin

Rankings and guides

• Calories: what it does and what the evidence shows
• Which foods give the most protein for the fewest calories?
• Dietary fat: what it does and how much you need
• Chicken: full nutrition facts

More comparisons

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• Chicken vs salmon
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• Chicken vs pork
• Chicken vs beef
• Chicken vs lamb

• Chicken: USDA FoodData Central, Chicken, broilers or fryers, breast, meat only, cooked, roasted, FDC ID 171477 · full profile · all forms of chicken
• Duck: USDA FoodData Central, Duck, domesticated, meat only, cooked, roasted, FDC ID 172411 · all forms of duck

Each food is one USDA entry, chosen as it is usually eaten. Other cuts, brands and preparations differ, and the links show them. % DV uses FDA Daily Values for adults. How we verify.