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Meat and poultry high in protein

The most protein per typical portion among 2,714 USDA records of meat and poultry: chicken breast, 56 g in 1 piece, 112% of the 50 g Daily Value. 95 of the 101 foods ranked give at least 20% of the Daily Value in one portion; the top 50 are shown, the top 101 are in the CSV.

Updated · By · data: USDA FoodData Central, April 30, 2026 release · how the figures are checked

Which meat and poultry have the most protein per portion?

  1. 1
    Chicken breast
    Chicken, broiler or fryers, breast, skinless, boneless, meat only, cooked, braised · 1 piece (174 g)
    56g112% DV · 32 g per 100 g · 39 g per 200 calories
  2. 2
    Chicken
    Chicken, stewing, light meat, meat only, cooked, stewed · 1 cup, chopped or diced (140 g)
    46g92% DV · 33 g per 100 g · 31 g per 200 calories
  3. 3
    Pheasant
    Pheasant, cooked, total edible · 1 cup, chopped or diced (140 g)
    45g90% DV · 32 g per 100 g · 27 g per 200 calories
  4. 4
    Ground turkey
    Turkey, ground, 93% lean, 7% fat, pan-broiled crumbles · 1 paired cooked w crumbles (155 g)
    42g84% DV · 27 g per 100 g · 25 g per 200 calories
  5. 5
    Pork loin
    Pork, fresh, loin, top loin (chops), boneless, separable lean only, cooked, braised · 1 chop (135 g)
    41g82% DV · 31 g per 100 g · 36 g per 200 calories
  6. 6
    Rabbit
    Rabbit · 1 cup (135 g)
    41g82% DV · 30 g per 100 g · 30 g per 200 calories
  7. 7
    Chicken heart
    Chicken, heart, all classes, cooked, simmered · 1 cup, chopped or diced (145 g)
    38g76% DV · 26 g per 100 g · 29 g per 200 calories
  8. 8
    Turkey
    Turkey, young hen, skin only, cooked, roasted · 0.5 turkey, skin only (196 g)
    37g74% DV · 19 g per 100 g · 7.9 g per 200 calories
  9. 9
    Turkey back
    Turkey, all classes, back, meat and skin, cooked, roasted · 1 cup, chopped or diced (140 g)
    37g74% DV · 27 g per 100 g · 22 g per 200 calories
  10. 10
    Goat
    Goat · 1 cup (135 g)
    36g72% DV · 27 g per 100 g · 38 g per 200 calories
  11. 11
    Goose
    Goose, domesticated, meat and skin, cooked, roasted · 1 cup, chopped or diced (140 g)
    35g70% DV · 25 g per 100 g · 16 g per 200 calories
  12. 12
    Chicken leg
    Chicken, broilers or fryers, leg, meat and skin, cooked, fried, batter · 1 leg, bone removed (158 g)
    34g68% DV · 22 g per 100 g · 16 g per 200 calories
  13. 13
    Dove, cooked (includes squab)
    1 cup, chopped or diced (140 g)
    33g66% DV · 24 g per 100 g · 22 g per 200 calories
  14. 14
    Duck
    Duck, domesticated, meat only, cooked, roasted · 1 cup, chopped or diced (140 g)
    33g66% DV · 23 g per 100 g · 23 g per 200 calories
  15. 15
    Chicken wing
    Chicken, broilers or fryers, wing, meat and skin, cooked, stewed · 1 cup, chopped or diced (140 g)
    32g64% DV · 23 g per 100 g · 18 g per 200 calories
  16. 16
    Pork bacon
    Pork, cured, bacon, cooked, broiled, pan-fried or roasted, reduced sodium · 3 oz (85 g)
    31g62% DV · 37 g per 100 g · 14 g per 200 calories
  17. 17
    Veal leg
    Veal, leg (top round), separable lean only, cooked, braised · 3 oz (85 g)
    31g62% DV · 37 g per 100 g · 36 g per 200 calories
  18. 18
    Beef round
    Beef, round, top round, separable lean only, trimmed to 0" fat, choice, cooked, braised · 3 oz (85 g)
    31g62% DV · 36 g per 100 g · 35 g per 200 calories
  19. 19
    30g60% DV · 24 g per 100 g · 32 g per 200 calories
  20. 20
    Veal shoulder
    Veal, shoulder, arm, separable lean only, cooked, braised · 3 oz (85 g)
    30g60% DV · 36 g per 100 g · 36 g per 200 calories
  21. 21
    Meatballs
    Meatballs, meatless · 1 cup (144 g)
    30g60% DV · 21 g per 100 g · 21 g per 200 calories
  22. 22
    Lamb shoulder
    Lamb, shoulder, arm, separable lean only, trimmed to 1/4" fat, choice, cooked, braised · 3 oz (85 g)
    30g60% DV · 36 g per 100 g · 25 g per 200 calories
  23. 23
    Veal
    Veal, cubed for stew (leg and shoulder), separable lean only, cooked, braised · 3 oz (85 g)
    30g60% DV · 35 g per 100 g · 37 g per 200 calories
  24. 24
    Beef chuck
    Beef, chuck, mock tender steak, separable lean only, trimmed to 0" fat, select, cooked, broiled · 4 oz (113 g)
    30g60% DV · 26 g per 100 g · 33 g per 200 calories
  25. 25
    Beef brisket
    Beef, New Zealand, imported, brisket point end, separable lean only, cooked, braised · 3 oz (85 g)
    29g58% DV · 35 g per 100 g · 34 g per 200 calories
  26. 26
    Veal rib
    Veal, rib, separable lean only, cooked, braised · 3 oz (85 g)
    29g58% DV · 34 g per 100 g · 32 g per 200 calories
  27. 27
    Veal sirloin
    Veal, sirloin, separable lean only, cooked, braised · 3 oz (85 g)
    29g58% DV · 34 g per 100 g · 33 g per 200 calories
  28. 28
    Lamb
    Lamb, cubed for stew or kabob (leg and shoulder), separable lean only, trimmed to 1/4" fat, cooked, braised · 3 oz (85 g)
    29g58% DV · 34 g per 100 g · 30 g per 200 calories
  29. 29
    Beef shank
    Beef, shank crosscuts, separable lean only, trimmed to 1/4" fat, choice, cooked, simmered · 3 oz (85 g)
    29g58% DV · 34 g per 100 g · 34 g per 200 calories
  30. 30
    Emu
    Emu, full rump, cooked, broiled · 1 serving ( 3 oz ) (85 g)
    29g58% DV · 34 g per 100 g · 40 g per 200 calories
  31. 31
    Veal loin
    Veal, loin, separable lean only, cooked, braised · 3 oz (85 g)
    29g58% DV · 34 g per 100 g · 30 g per 200 calories
  32. 32
    Beef
    Beef, New Zealand, imported, bolar blade, separable lean only, cooked, fast roasted · 3 oz (85 g)
    29g58% DV · 34 g per 100 g · 35 g per 200 calories
  33. 33
    Lamb rib
    Lamb, Australian, imported, fresh, rib chop, frenched, denuded, bone-in, separable lean only, trimmed to 0" fat, cooked, grilled · 3 oz (85 g)
    28g56% DV · 33 g per 100 g · 28 g per 200 calories
  34. 34
    Veal shank
    Veal, shank (fore and hind), separable lean only, cooked, braised · 3 oz (85 g)
    27g54% DV · 32 g per 100 g · 36 g per 200 calories
  35. 35
    Beef rib
    Beef, chuck eye Country-Style ribs, boneless, separable lean only, trimmed to 0" fat, select, cooked, braised · 3 oz (85 g)
    27g54% DV · 32 g per 100 g · 29 g per 200 calories
  36. 36
    Lamb leg
    Lamb, Australian, imported, fresh, leg, trotter off, bone-in, separable lean only, trimmed to 1/8" fat, cooked, roasted · 3 oz (85 g)
    27g54% DV · 32 g per 100 g · 30 g per 200 calories
  37. 37
    Beef shoulder
    Beef, shoulder pot roast, boneless, separable lean only, trimmed to 0" fat, select, cooked, braised · 3 oz (85 g)
    27g54% DV · 32 g per 100 g · 33 g per 200 calories
  38. 38
    Ground pork
    Pork, ground, 96% lean / 4% fat, cooked, pan-broiled · 3 oz grilled patties (85 g)
    27g54% DV · 32 g per 100 g · 34 g per 200 calories
  39. 39
    Lamb neck
    Lamb, New Zealand, imported, neck chops, separable lean only, cooked, braised · 3 oz (85 g)
    27g54% DV · 31 g per 100 g · 24 g per 200 calories
  40. 40
    Beef heart
    Beef, New Zealand, imported, variety meats and by-products, heart, cooked, boiled · 3 oz (85 g)
    27g54% DV · 31 g per 100 g · 35 g per 200 calories
  41. 41
    Pork leg
    Pork, Leg sirloin tip roast, boneless, separable lean and fat, cooked, braised · 3 oz (85 g)
    26g52% DV · 31 g per 100 g · 40 g per 200 calories
  42. 42
    Beef loin
    Beef, loin, tenderloin steak, boneless, separable lean only, trimmed to 0" fat, select, cooked, grilled · 3 oz (85 g)
    26g52% DV · 31 g per 100 g · 31 g per 200 calories
  43. 43
    Chicken back
    Chicken, broilers or fryers, back, meat and skin, cooked, fried, batter · 0.5 back, bone removed (120 g)
    26g52% DV · 22 g per 100 g · 13 g per 200 calories
  44. 44
    Lamb tenderloin
    Lamb, Australian, imported, fresh, tenderloin, boneless, separable lean only, trimmed to 1/8" fat, cooked, roasted · 3 oz (85 g)
    26g52% DV · 31 g per 100 g · 34 g per 200 calories
  45. 45
    Beef sirloin
    Beef, top sirloin, steak, separable lean only, trimmed to 0" fat, select, cooked, broiled · 3 oz (85 g)
    26g52% DV · 31 g per 100 g · 35 g per 200 calories
  46. 46
    Beef flank
    Beef, New Zealand, imported, flank, separable lean only, cooked, braised · 3 oz (85 g)
    26g52% DV · 31 g per 100 g · 32 g per 200 calories
  47. 47
    Beef skirt
    Beef, plate steak, boneless, inside skirt, separable lean only, trimmed to 0" fat, select, cooked, grilled · 3 oz (85 g)
    26g52% DV · 31 g per 100 g · 27 g per 200 calories
  48. 48
    26g52% DV · 31 g per 100 g · 28 g per 200 calories
  49. 49
    Pork ham
    Pork, cured, ham, whole, separable lean and fat, unheated · 1 cup (140 g)
    26g52% DV · 18 g per 100 g · 15 g per 200 calories
  50. 50
    Veal breast
    Veal, breast, whole, boneless, separable lean only, cooked, braised · 3 oz (85 g)
    26g52% DV · 30 g per 100 g · 28 g per 200 calories

Source: USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy, Foundation, Survey), April 30, 2026 release; typical portions are USDA's NLEA servings or the household measure nearest FDA's reference amount; Daily Value: 21 CFR 101.9.

Per 100 g, the list starts elsewhere

The portion ranking compares everyday foods at the portion FDA's reference amounts describe (USDA's NLEA serving where it lists one). Seasonings, sauces, powders, dried and concentrated forms, raw meat and fish, uncooked grains and dry beans, restaurant items and foods without a household measure near that portion are ranked per 100 g only: nobody eats a cup of dried thyme. Per 100 g, these lead:

FoodProtein per 100 gIn the portion ranking
Pork, cured, bacon, cooked, broiled, pan-fried or roasted, reduced sodium37 granked 16
Veal, leg (top round), separable lean only, cooked, braised37 granked 17
Game meat, deer, shoulder clod, separable lean only, cooked, braised36 gnot an everyday portion (rule above)
Beef, round, top round, separable lean only, trimmed to 0" fat, choice, cooked, braised36 granked 18
Veal, shoulder, arm, separable lean only, cooked, braised36 granked 20
Lamb, shoulder, arm, separable lean only, trimmed to 1/4" fat, choice, cooked, braised36 granked 22
Veal, cubed for stew (leg and shoulder), separable lean only, cooked, braised35 granked 23
Game meat, beaver, cooked, roasted35 gnot an everyday portion (rule above)

Source: USDA FoodData Central, April 30, 2026 release.

Every food high in protein

Protein: the Daily Value and where it comes from

Download: this list as CSV (CC BY 4.0).

Sources for this page
USDA FoodData Central
the food and product records, April 30, 2026 release. fdc.nal.usda.gov
USDA Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies
the survey foods and their portions. ars.usda.gov
21 CFR 101.9, Nutrition labeling of food
the label format, rounding and Daily Values. ecfr.gov
21 CFR 101.12, Reference amounts customarily consumed
the serving each kind of food is labeled by. ecfr.gov
FDA, Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels
the Daily Values in a table. fda.gov