Tofu vs Chicken Breast
Straight answer: chicken breast wins both protein lenses. Per 100g it carries 31g against tofu's 17g, and per 100 kcal it still leads — 18.8g versus 11.8g — because its fat line (3.6g vs 9g per 100g) stays lower. Per real servings the same order holds: one 150g breast hands you 46.5g of protein, a 100g tofu block 17g. But "wins the table" is not "wins your kitchen": tofu is one of the rare plant proteins that is complete, carries no cholesterol by origin, and absorbs whatever sauce you commit to it. The verdicts below split the rest.
The numbers: Tofu vs Chicken Breast
| Per 100g | Tofu | Chicken Breast |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 144 kcal | 165 kcal |
| Protein | 17g | 31g |
| Carbs | 3g | 0g |
| Fat | 9g | 3.6g |
| Fiber | 2g | 0g |
| Sugar | 1g | 0g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 11.8g | 18.8g |
Source: the Alkemos food database — the same rows each food’s page shows (per-100g values; serving values derive from each food’s default serving).
What a real serving looks like
Typical serving: 1 medium breast (150g)
247.5 kcal · 46.5g protein · 0g carbs · 5.4g fat
Which one, for which goal
Pure protein arithmetic
Chicken breast, on both lenses: 18.8g of protein per 100 kcal against tofu's 11.8g, and 31g against 17g per 100g — the double win rides a lower fat line (3.6g vs 9g). When the job is maximal protein per bite and per calorie, the breast is the instrument.
For the plant-based kitchen
Tofu, and not as a consolation prize: soy is one of the rare plant proteins that is complete — it supplies the essential amino acids on its own — and a 100g serving carries 17g of it for 144 kcal. It is also the kitchen's blank canvas: it takes whatever marinade, sauce, or spice you commit to it.
The mixed-plate reality
Both, most weeks. Tofu soaks up the stir-fry on meatless days; chicken anchors the rest of the calendar. What decides muscle is the day's total protein line, not the citizenship of its source — a plate that hits its grams from two sources beats a plate that misses them from one "optimal" one.
Common questions
Is tofu a complete protein?
Yes — soy protein contains the essential amino acids, which is what makes tofu the anchor case among plant proteins (most legumes need a grain pairing to complete the set). "Complete" does not mean "higher": it still carries 17g per 100g against chicken's 31g; it means self-sufficient.
Can tofu replace chicken for muscle gain?
With portion planning, yes: a 100g serving carries 17g of protein while a 150g breast carries 46.5g — so a gaining phase built on tofu needs larger servings or stacked sources. The muscle-building requirement is total daily protein; tofu can meet it, it just needs a bigger plate.
Which is lower in fat?
Chicken breast: 3.6g per 100g against tofu's 9g. The nuance worth keeping: tofu's fat is plant fat — predominantly unsaturated — and both lines are modest by the standards of a normal plate; the fat column should not scare anyone off either food.
Turn these numbers into a plan: the Macro Calculator splits your daily budget into grams — free, no account needed.