Chicken Breast

ModerateProteins

Medium

Inflammation Score

4/10

Anti-inflammatoryInflammatory

Serving size

3.5 oz (100 g) cooked, skinless

Key nutrients

ProteinNiacin (B3)SeleniumSodium (brined fillets)

Better swap

Salmon →

Where chicken breast sits on the inflammation scale

Chicken breast is neutral rather than anti-inflammatory, because it is protein and very little else. Three quarters of the calories in a skinless breast come from protein, and the rest is mostly water and a little fat. There is too little saturated fat in it to push inflammation up, and none of the plant compounds that bring inflammation down. Almost everything else about a chicken meal comes from what is done to the meat.

Chicken breast scores 4 out of 10 on the inflammation scale, and the coating explains most of that number. A lot of it is sold breaded, crumbed or shaped into nuggets, and those add refined flour and frying oil to the meat. A grilled fillet and a breaded one are different meals, even though the label says chicken breast on both.

At the counter, read what is listed after the meat. Chilled fillets are often injected with water and salt so that they weigh more. The label gives it away as a percentage of added water, or as salt among the ingredients. A pack that lists chicken and nothing else is the one to take.

Cooking changes the meat itself. Browning at high heat creates advanced glycation end products, compounds that add to oxidant stress and inflammation. A breast fried or grilled hot holds more of them than the same piece baked. Poach it, bake it or simmer it in a sauce, and marinate it in lemon juice before it meets a hot pan.

Reviewed · Sources: Determination of advanced glycation endproducts in cooked meat products (Food Chem, 2015) · Advanced glycation end products in foods and a practical guide to their reduction (J Am Diet Assoc, 2010)

Chicken Breast on the AIP diet

Chicken is a staple protein on the Autoimmune Protocol and is allowed from the first day of the elimination phase, so there is nothing to reintroduce later. What goes is everything added to it: breadcrumbs, marinades built on soy or seed spices, and fillets injected with a salt solution. Check that the label lists chicken and nothing else, and cook it in olive oil or coconut oil.

Benefits

One of the leanest meats sold, with barely any saturated fat
A lot of protein for few calories, so a portion fills you up
Rich in niacin and vitamin B6, which help turn food into energy
Selenium, a mineral your body uses to limit cell damage

Watch out for

Most of it is sold breaded or as nuggets, which changes the meal
Chilled fillets are often injected with water and salt to add weight
Frying and hot grilling create compounds linked to inflammation
Nothing in it lowers inflammation, so it is a neutral base at best

Get the inflammation score of any meal

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Frequently asked

Is chicken breast inflammatory?

Not on its own. A skinless breast is mostly protein and water, with too little saturated fat to push inflammation up and no plant compounds to bring it down. Breaded and fried chicken is another matter, and that comes from the batter and the oil rather than the meat.

Is chicken breast better than chicken thigh?

For inflammation, slightly. Thigh meat carries more fat, and more of that fat is saturated, which is the part of meat linked to inflammation. The gap is small once the skin is off both, and a thigh cooked gently beats a breast fried in batter.

Is grilled chicken bad for inflammation?

Grilling over high heat browns the surface and creates compounds linked to inflammation. That is not a reason to stop grilling. Cook it a little cooler, turn it before it chars, and marinate it in lemon juice or vinegar first.

Can I eat chicken breast on the AIP diet?

Yes, from the first day of the elimination phase. Buy it plain: breaded fillets, marinated packs and birds injected with a salt solution are out, along with the seed oils most chicken is fried in.