Chicken vs turkey: calories compared

In the page table they are close: roasted chicken breast has 31.0 g of protein and 3.6 g of fat per 3.5 oz (100 g), roasted turkey meat 29.1 g and 3.8 g, with the same iron. The cut matters more. Raw skinless breast against raw 93% lean ground turkey is 22.5 g against 17.3 g of protein and 1.9 g against 9.6 g of fat, with three times the iron and 4.5 times the zinc in the turkey.

Trials pool both birds as poultry. Across 8 randomized trials in 406 healthy adults, LDL cholesterol changed the same on beef as on poultry or fish. In 45 women, blending heme iron with chicken cut its absorption from 10.3% to 4.9%. Turkey was not tested.

Safety differs more than nutrition. Pooled studies found MRSA, a drug-resistant staph, in 13% of turkey meat against 5% of chicken, with North America lowest at 1%. USDA gives both the same rule: cook to 165 °F (74 °C), checked by thermometer. A 2002 US listeriosis outbreak was traced to deli turkey, and CDC tells people who are pregnant, 65 or older or with weak immunity to heat deli-sliced meats until steaming hot. In three people allergic to bird meat, skin tests reacted to chicken and turkey alike.

Pick by cut and price, and handle both raw birds alike.

Evidence behind this note

1. Level E Per 100 g raw, USDA Foundation Foods measured skinless chicken breast at 22.5 g protein, 1.9 g fat, 0.35 mg iron and 0.65 mg zinc. Ground 93% lean turkey held 17.3 g protein, 9.6 g fat, 1.09 mg iron and 2.95 mg zinc, which reflects the cut more than the bird. USDA FoodData Central, Foundation Foods, release 2026-04-30 (variability_search.py)
2. Level A Across 8 randomized trials with 406 healthy adults, swapping beef for poultry or fish changed LDL cholesterol by the same amount (minus 8.2 versus minus 8.9 mg/dL) and total cholesterol by minus 8.1 versus minus 6.2 mg/dL, with no significant difference. J Clin Lipidol, 2012
3. Level B In 45 women aged 35-45, heme iron absorbed alone at 10.3% fell to 4.9% when eaten with chicken and 7.1% with fish, while beef left it unchanged. Food Chem, 2016
4. Level C Pooling 51 studies, MRSA was found in 13% of turkey meat samples against 5% of chicken meat, with North America lowest at 1%. J Food Prot, 2018
5. Level E USDA FSIS sets one safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F (74 °C) for whole and ground poultry, measured with a food thermometer, and states that meat color is not a reliable sign of doneness. USDA FSIS, Doneness Versus Safety
6. Level E USDA FSIS advises cooking whole turkey and ground turkey to a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F (74 °C), measured with a food thermometer. USDA FSIS, Doneness Versus Safety
7. Level E CDC advises pregnant people, adults 65 or older and people with weak immunity to avoid deli-sliced meats unless heated to 165 F or until steaming hot. CDC, Listeria outbreak linked to deli meats media release, 2024-08-28
8. Level C In a 2002 US listeriosis outbreak traced to deli turkey, people who ate deli turkey breast more than 1-2 times in 4 weeks had 4.5 times higher odds of infection, and 3 pregnant women lost their babies. Clin Infect Dis, 2006
9. Level D Three patients allergic to bird meat but not eggs reacted on skin tests to chicken, turkey, dove and quail alike, so allergy to one bird meat can extend to others through cross-reacting proteins. J Allergy Clin Immunol, 1999

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 or turkey: a comparison nobody has run
• Chicken: the iron it blocks, and the washing you skip
• Turkey: the sleep story, and the vitamins the pot takes

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

• Chicken vs shrimp
• Chicken vs tofu
• Chicken vs beef
• Chicken vs falafel

• Chicken: USDA FoodData Central, Chicken, broilers or fryers, breast, meat only, cooked, roasted, FDC ID 171477 · full profile · all forms of chicken
• Turkey: USDA FoodData Central, Turkey, whole, meat only, cooked, roasted, FDC ID 171481 · all forms of turkey

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