Chicken vs fish for weight loss: the calorie numbers
Full comparison · Protein · Calories · Healthier · Cholesterol · Weight loss
Fewer calories in fish: 90 calories per 3.5 oz (100 g) vs 165 calories in chicken (1.8× as much in chicken). Per typical serving: 187 calories in 4 oz (113 g) of chicken and 102 calories in 4 oz (113 g) of fish.
USDA FoodData Central.
| Chicken | Fish | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories per serving | 187 calories in 4 oz (113 g) | 102 calories in 4 oz (113 g) |
| Calories per 3.5 oz (100 g) | 165 calories | 90 calories |
| How much is 200 calories | 4.3 oz (121 g) | 7.8 oz (222 g) |
| Protein per 100 calories | 18.8 g | 22.2 g |
| Fiber per 100 calories | 0 g | 0 g |
| Sugar per 100 calories | 0 g | 0 g |
These are composition numbers from USDA, not a test of weight loss. “How much is 200 calories” shows the amount of each food you can eat for the same calories.
What the numbers don't tell you
Most people want the most protein for the fewest calories. A 4 oz (113 g) portion of roasted chicken breast gives about 35 g of protein for 186 calories. The same weight of cooked haddock gives about 23 g for 102 calories. Per gram of protein, haddock is leaner, about 4.5 calories against 5.3. It also has less cholesterol, 75 mg against 96.
Across 18 to 21 randomized trials, lean fish lowered blood triglycerides compared with no fish (the abstract gives no size), with no significant difference in total cholesterol. Lean fish barely moved blood vitamin D (1.9 nmol/L, not significant), while fatty fish raised it by 6.8. FDA and EPA list haddock among the Best Choices and advise 2 to 3 servings a week of these in pregnancy and breastfeeding, and 2 a week for children, about 1 oz (28 g) at ages 1 to 3. In a small study in women, heme iron absorption of 10.3% fell to 4.9% when blended with chicken and to 7.1% with fish.
Skip rinsing raw chicken, because that spreads its bacteria to other foods and surfaces, and cook it to 165 °F (74 °C) on a food thermometer. Pick chicken when protein per serving matters most, haddock when calories do, and a fatty fish if vitamin D is why you eat fish.
Evidence behind this note
- Level A A meta-analysis of 18 to 21 randomized trials with about 1,400 people found lean fish lowered blood triglycerides versus no fish, with no significant difference in total cholesterol or lipoproteins. Nutr Rev, 2021
- Level A In a meta-analysis of randomized trials with 640 people, lean fish raised blood vitamin D by only 1.9 nmol/L, a non-significant change, while fatty fish raised it by 6.8 nmol/L. Am J Clin Nutr, 2015
- Level E FDA and EPA list cod, flounder, haddock, pollock, salmon, sole and tilapia among Best Choices and king mackerel, marlin, orange roughy, shark, swordfish, Gulf of Mexico tilefish and bigeye tuna as Choices to Avoid. FDA and EPA, Advice about Eating Fish
- Level E FDA and EPA list haddock among Best Choices and advise 2 to 3 servings a week of these fish in pregnancy and breastfeeding. FDA/EPA, Advice about Eating Fish, 2024
- Level E FDA and EPA advise 2 to 3 servings a week of Best Choices fish in pregnancy and breastfeeding, 2 servings a week for children, and list king mackerel, marlin, orange roughy, shark, swordfish, Gulf of Mexico tilefish and bigeye tuna as Choices to Avoid with the highest mercury levels. FDA and EPA, Advice about Eating Fish
- Level B The meat factor that is supposed to help you absorb iron does not come from chicken: blending heme iron with chicken halved its absorption, while beef left it alone. Food Chemistry, 2016
- 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
- Level E USDA FSIS advises cooking whole and ground chicken and other poultry to a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F (74 °C), measured with a food thermometer. USDA FSIS, Doneness Versus Safety
Written from the studies and agency guidance we hold for both foods, reviewed by the Bioma editorial system. How we verify.
Keep exploring
Read more about these foods
- Chicken: the iron it blocks, and the washing you skip
- Fish: the omega-3 and the mercury arrive together
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
- Fish: full nutrition facts
More comparisons
Where the numbers come from
- Chicken: USDA FoodData Central, Chicken, broilers or fryers, breast, meat only, cooked, roasted, FDC ID 171477 · full profile · all forms of chicken
- Fish: USDA FoodData Central, Fish, haddock, cooked, dry heat, FDC ID 174198 · full profile · all forms of fish
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.