Tuna vs Chicken Breast
Straight answer: chicken breast carries more protein per 100g (31g vs 26g), but tuna wins the efficiency ratio — 22.4g of protein per 100 kcal against chicken's 18.8g — because it is leaner (1g fat vs 3.6g per 100g). In plain words: for the same calorie budget, canned tuna hands you slightly more protein; for the same plate weight, chicken does. Both are elite cutting proteins; the table and verdicts below split the rest by goal.
The numbers: Canned Tuna vs Chicken Breast
| Per 100g | Canned Tuna | Chicken Breast |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 116 kcal | 165 kcal |
| Protein | 26g | 31g |
| Carbs | 0g | 0g |
| Fat | 1g | 3.6g |
| Fiber | 0g | 0g |
| Sugar | 0g | 0g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 22.4g | 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
For cutting
Tuna by a nose on the math: 22.4g protein per 100 kcal means its default 100g serving delivers 26g protein for ≈116 kcal — protein density that guards muscle inside a tight deficit. Practicality matters as much as arithmetic: tuna needs zero cooking and stores for months, which is exactly what a busy cut requires.
For muscle gain
Chicken breast, mostly because volume adds up: a 150g serving carries 46.5g protein and 247.5 kcal — the larger, hot, versatile plate a gaining phase builds meals around. Tuna works too (stack two cans for ≈52g protein), but a chicken portion's higher calorie load (247.5 vs 116 kcal per serving) fits a surplus more naturally.
Variety is the real verdict
Rotate them. Fish twice or more a week is the standing shape of official dietary guidance, and rotating protein sources also rotates their mineral and fatty-acid profiles. Neither food asks the other to leave the kitchen: the can for the rushed days, the breast for the cooked ones.
Common questions
Which has more protein per calorie?
Canned tuna: 22.4g per 100 kcal vs chicken breast's 18.8g — the leanness gap (1g vs 3.6g fat per 100g) decides it. Flip the lens and chicken leads absolute protein per 100g (31g vs 26g). Choose your lens before you choose your food.
Is canned tuna healthy to eat every day?
It is an excellent protein source, but "every day" is not the frame official guidance uses for any single fish: weekly variety across species is the standing recommendation, and larger predatory fish carry more mercury than small ones. A practical pattern: tuna 2-3 days a week, rotated with chicken, eggs, dairy, and legumes — the rotation covers both the safety guidance and the micronutrient spread.
Which is cheaper per gram of protein?
Prices move by country and brand, so no honest fixed answer exists — the site does not publish grocery prices. The rule that survives geography: compare the protein PER CAN/TIN against the protein PER KG of chicken at your local prices; canned tuna frequently wins on shelf-stability and portion precision (one drained tin ≈ one 100g serving of 26g protein), while bulk chicken usually wins on cost per kg.
Turn these numbers into a plan: the Macro Calculator splits your daily budget into grams — free, no account needed.