Chicken Thigh Yield: Boneless, Bone-In and Cooked
Boneless, skinless chicken thighs give about 0.88 lb of trimmed raw meat and 0.63 lb of cooked meat per pound purchased. Bone-in, skin-on thighs give about 0.52 lb of cooked, boned meat with skin, or 0.43 lb without the skin (USDA Food Buying Guide).
USDA yields for chicken thigh
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, Thighs; Thighs (boneless, without skin) | 1 lb AP = 0.88 lb trimmed, raw, ready to cook chicken thigh meat (ready to use, raw) | 88% | FBG table |
| Chicken Parts, fresh or frozen, Thighs; Thighs (boneless, without skin) | 1 lb AP = 0.63 lb trimmed, cooked chicken thigh meat (cooked) | 63% | FBG table |
| Chicken Parts, fresh or frozen, Thighs; With bone, With skin, (about 4.0 oz each) | 1 lb AP = 0.52 lb cooked, boned, chicken meat with skin (cooked) | 52% | FBG table |
| Chicken Parts, fresh or frozen, Thighs; With bone, With skin, (about 4.0 oz each) | 1 lb AP = 0.43 lb cooked, boned, chicken meat without skin (cooked) | 43% | FBG table |
| Chicken Parts, fresh or frozen, Thighs; With bone, Without skin, (about 2.8 oz each) | 1 lb AP thawed = 0.53 lb cooked, boned, chicken meat (cooked) | 53% | 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, thigh, meat and skin | Roasted | 69% | — |
| Chicken, broiler-fryer, thigh, meat and skin | Simmered | 74% | — |
| Chicken, broilers or fryers, thigh, meat and skin | Braised | 68% | 1 |
How much to buy
At 63% (cooked meat (boneless, skinless thighs)), for 5 oz portions:
| Portions | Cooked | Buy as purchased |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | 3.13 lb | 4.96 lb |
| 25 | 7.81 lb | 12.4 lb |
| 50 | 15.6 lb | 24.8 lb |
| 100 | 31.3 lb | 49.6 lb |
Cost per usable pound
At 63%, the price per pound as purchased becomes:
| Price as purchased | Cost per usable pound |
|---|---|
| $3.00/lb | $4.76/lb |
| $3.50/lb | $5.56/lb |
| $4.00/lb | $6.35/lb |
Example prices. Put yours in the food yield calculator.
Run your own numbers
Good to know
- Boneless thighs lose about 12% to trimming before they are cooked, so cost them on the trimmed weight.
FAQ
How much do chicken thighs shrink when cooked?
Bone-in thighs with skin kept 69% of their weight when roasted and 74% when simmered in USDA cooking-yield data. For boneless, skinless thighs, the Food Buying Guide gives 0.63 lb of cooked meat per pound purchased, after trimming.
How much trim comes off boneless chicken thighs?
The USDA Food Buying Guide gives 0.88 lb of trimmed, ready-to-cook meat per pound of boneless, skinless thighs, so about 12% is trimmed away.
How many boneless thighs per person?
For a 5 oz cooked portion, buy about 8 oz of boneless, skinless thighs (5 ÷ 0.63).
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 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.