Chicken Breast Yield: Bone-In Breast to Cooked Meat
A bone-in, skin-on chicken breast half with ribs gives about 0.66 lb of cooked, boned meat with skin per pound purchased, or 0.56 lb without skin. Boneless chicken tenders give about 0.73 lb of cooked meat per pound (USDA Food Buying Guide). The guide has no entry for boneless, skinless breast fillets; tenders are the closest boneless figure.
USDA yields for chicken breast
From the USDA Food Buying Guide: how much ready-to-use or cooked product one pound as purchased gives.
| As purchased (USDA description) | Result, as USDA states it | Yield | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken Parts, fresh or frozen, Breast; Halves with Ribs, With skin, (about 6.1 oz each) | 1 lb AP = 0.66 lb cooked, boned, chicken meat with skin (cooked) | 66% | FBG table |
| Chicken Parts, fresh or frozen, Breast; Halves with Ribs, With skin, (about 6.1 oz each) | 1 lb AP = 0.56 lb cooked, boned, chicken meat without skin (cooked) | 56% | FBG table |
| Chicken Parts, fresh or frozen, Breast; Halves with Backs, With skin, (about 7.5 oz each), from 8 piece cut | 1 lb AP = 0.55 lb cooked, boned, chicken meat with skin (cooked) | 55% | FBG table |
| Chicken, Boneless, fresh or frozen, Tenders; Tenderloins, (boneless chicken breast pieces without skin) | 1 lb AP = 0.73 lb cooked chicken meat (cooked) | 73% | FBG table |
Cooking yield by method
USDA cooking tests: cooked weight as a share of the raw weight of the cut as described.
| Cut | Method | Yield | Samples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken, broiler-fryer, breast, meat and skin | Roasted | 72% | — |
| Chicken, broiler-fryer, breast, meat and skin | Simmered | 77% | — |
How much is waste
USDA’s nutrient database (SR28, NDB 05057) lists 20% of “Chicken, broilers or fryers, breast, meat and skin, raw” as refuse: bone.
How much to buy
At 66% (cooked, boned meat with skin), for 6 oz portions:
| Portions | Cooked | Buy as purchased |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | 3.75 lb | 5.68 lb |
| 25 | 9.38 lb | 14.2 lb |
| 50 | 18.8 lb | 28.4 lb |
| 100 | 37.5 lb | 56.8 lb |
Cost per usable pound
At 66%, the price per pound as purchased becomes:
| Price as purchased | Cost per usable pound |
|---|---|
| $2.00/lb | $3.03/lb |
| $2.50/lb | $3.79/lb |
| $3.00/lb | $4.55/lb |
Example prices. Put yours in the food yield calculator.
Run your own numbers
Good to know
- Breast halves sold with the back attached yield less: 0.55 lb of cooked meat with skin per pound.
FAQ
How much does chicken breast shrink when cooked?
Bone-in breast with skin kept 72% of its weight when roasted and 77% when simmered in USDA cooking-yield data, losses of about 28% and 23%.
How much meat is on a bone-in chicken breast?
The USDA Food Buying Guide gives 0.66 lb of cooked, boned meat with skin per pound of breast halves with ribs, or 0.56 lb without skin. Bone is about 20% of the raw weight in USDA’s nutrient database.
What is the yield of chicken tenders?
Boneless chicken tenders give about 0.73 lb of cooked meat per pound purchased, per the USDA Food Buying Guide.
Sources
- USDA Food and Nutrition Service, Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs (yield tables; public domain)
- USDA Agricultural Research Service, Table of Cooking Yields for Meat and Poultry, Release 2 (2014)
- USDA Agricultural Research Service, National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 28 (refuse)
USDA figures are averages; size, grade, trim, ripeness and cooking change them. Weigh your own main items before you cost a menu on them.
Last reviewed October 11, 2026.