Updated 30 September 2026
How much does a chicken breast weigh? It's a surprisingly common question, whether you're following a recipe, counting calories and protein, or working out how many packs to order. The honest answer is that it varies, because breasts come from birds of different sizes. But there are reliable ranges, and a few simple rules for raw versus cooked weight. Here's what a butcher would tell you.
The short answer
A single skinless, boneless chicken breast fillet usually weighs around 150–250g raw. The fillets in our Chicken Breast 1kg pack work out at around 250g each, because the pack is 1kg and contains approximately 4 fillets (as stated on the product page). Supermarket fillets are often at the smaller end of that range.
Raw chicken breast weights
| Size | Typical raw weight | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Small | About 120–150g | Often from smaller birds, or with the mini fillet removed |
| Medium | About 150–200g | The size most recipes assume |
| Large | About 200–250g+ | Common in butcher and bulk packs |
These are typical ranges from retail pack information and butchery practice, not fixed standards. If a recipe says "2 chicken breasts" and yours are large, weigh them: two large fillets could be 500g, and two small ones only 250g.
Raw vs cooked weight
Chicken loses water as it cooks, so a cooked breast weighs less than it did raw. As a rough guide, expect a chicken breast to lose about 20–30% of its weight when cooked, depending on the method and how long you cook it. Grilling and roasting lose more; poaching loses a little less.
| Raw weight | Approximate cooked weight |
|---|---|
| 150g | About 105–120g |
| 200g | About 140–160g |
| 250g | About 175–200g |
This matters most if you're tracking macros. Nutrition labels are usually per 100g of raw weight, so weigh raw where you can. Chicken breast has about 24g of protein per 100g raw, so a 200g raw fillet has roughly 48g. See how much protein is in a chicken breast.
How many chicken breasts in a pack?
- Chicken Breast 1kg (£8.99): approximately 4 fillets, according to the product page, so roughly 250g each. The fillets are skinless, boneless and have no added water.
- 5kg Frozen Chicken Breast Fillets (£39.99): a 5kg frozen bulk pack. The page doesn't give a fillet count; if the fillets are 200–250g, that's roughly 20–25 fillets, but it's an estimate.
- Fresh 5kg Chicken Breast Fillets (£19.99): a 5kg pack of fresh fillets, not water-pumped, limited to one per order. Again, no count is given, so expect roughly 20–25 fillets of a similar size.
Because the fillets are natural, weights vary a little from pack to pack. For a side-by-side comparison, read chicken breast: 1kg vs 5kg.
How much chicken breast per person?
- Main meal: about 150–200g raw per person, so a large fillet or one medium one.
- Curries, stir-fries and pasta: about 120–150g raw per person, as the vegetables and sauce bulk it out.
- Big appetites and high-protein diets: 200–250g raw.
So a 1kg pack feeds about 4–6 people, depending on the dish.
Why "no added water" matters
Some cheaper chicken has water or brine added, which increases the weight you pay for and comes out as liquid in the pan. Our chicken breast fillets have no added water, so what you weigh raw is chicken. It's also why they brown well instead of stewing in their own liquid.
What about the mini fillet?
On the underside of every chicken breast there's a small, loose strip of meat called the mini fillet or inner fillet. It usually weighs about 20–40g. Some packs sell breasts with it removed, and some sell the mini fillets separately. If your breasts seem light for their size, the mini fillet has probably been taken off. It's a lovely piece of meat in its own right, great for goujons and quick stir-fries, and it cooks in just a few minutes.
Weighing for meal prep
- Weigh raw. It's the most accurate way to track protein and calories.
- Portion before freezing. Split a bulk pack into bags of 1 or 2 fillets, and write the weight on each bag.
- Butterfly or slice large fillets. A 250g breast cut in half horizontally gives two thin 125g escalopes that cook quickly and evenly.
- Cook in batches. Weigh the whole batch cooked, then divide it into equal portions.
For ideas, see our bulk chicken breast meal prep guide.
Cooking by weight
A thicker, heavier breast takes longer to cook. A medium fillet of about 150–200g takes about 20–25 minutes at 200°C in the oven, and larger ones up to 30 minutes. Chicken must be cooked until steaming hot all the way through, with no pink meat and clear juices; a thermometer should read at least 70°C for 2 minutes, or 75°C in the thickest part (FSA guidance). See how to cook chicken breast in the oven.
Browse all chicken and our lean meat range.
Chicken breast weight FAQs
How much does one chicken breast weigh?
Usually about 150–250g raw. The fillets in our 1kg pack are roughly 250g each.
How much does a chicken breast weigh cooked?
It loses around 20–30% of its weight as it cooks, so a 200g raw breast weighs roughly 140–160g cooked.
How many chicken breasts are in 1kg?
Our 1kg pack contains approximately 4 fillets. With smaller supermarket fillets, 1kg might be 5–6.
How much chicken breast should I eat per portion?
About 150–200g raw for a main meal, or 120–150g in curries and stir-fries.
Should I weigh chicken raw or cooked?
Raw, if you can. Most nutrition figures are for raw weight, and cooked weight varies with the cooking method.