Calculator
Raw chicken to cooked weight calculator
200 g raw chicken breast becomes about 150 g cooked (~75% yield). Convert meat, rice, or pasta both ways.
What this tool does
Pick a food, the direction (raw → cooked or cooked → raw), and the grams you have. The calculator applies a typical kitchen yield factor so you can log the state you did not weigh.
How it works
Meat loses water (and some fat) in the pan — chicken breast uses ×0.75, thigh ×0.70, ground beef ×0.70, steak ×0.73. Grains absorb water — rice dry → cooked uses ×3.0, pasta ×2.25, beans and oats ×2.5. Reverse the factor to go cooked → raw.
Formula and methodology
cooked weight ≈ raw weight × yield factor. raw weight ≈ cooked weight ÷ yield factor. Factors are typical averages, not your exact skillet.
How to interpret the result
If the pack said 200 g raw chicken and you log 200 g cooked in MyFitnessPal or Cronometer, you over-count. Convert first, or pick the database row that matches what you weighed.
Example
200 g raw chicken breast → about 150 g cooked. 150 g cooked breast → about 200 g raw. 75 g dry rice → about 225 g cooked.
Common mistakes
- Using a chicken yield on rice, or a rice factor on meat.
- Assuming every cut loses exactly 25% — thigh and ground beef shrink more than breast.
- Weighing after sauce or breading and calling it plain chicken grams.
- Switching between raw and cooked rows meal to meal for the same food.
When this estimate may be off
- Breaded, battered, or heavily sauced meats.
- Pasta cooked to mush or still chalky — water uptake varies.
- Slow-cooked roasts that render more fat than a quick pan sear.
Frequently asked questions
How much does raw chicken weigh after cooking?
Boneless skinless breast typically yields about 75% — 200 g raw becomes roughly 150 g cooked. Thigh is closer to 70%. Your pan, heat, and cook time shift the number.
What is the raw to cooked ratio for chicken breast?
About 0.75. Multiply raw grams by 0.75 to get cooked weight, or divide cooked grams by 0.75 to estimate raw. Calories stay the same; only water left.
Should I log calories using raw or cooked weight?
Either works — as long as the food database row matches what you weighed. USDA rows exist for both states. Consistency beats switching every meal.
How do I convert cooked chicken back to raw weight?
Divide cooked grams by the yield factor. 150 g cooked breast ÷ 0.75 ≈ 200 g raw. Select “Cooked → raw / dry” in the calculator above.
Does cooking change the calories in meat?
No — water leaves, so cooked meat weighs less but total calories stay about the same. Calorie density per gram goes up because there is less water.
How much does dry rice weigh when cooked?
White rice often triples — 75 g dry becomes about 225 g cooked (×3.0). Sticky pots hold more water; drier pilaf holds less. Weigh your own pot once for a personal factor.
Is ground beef yield the same as chicken breast?
No. Ground beef uses about ×0.70 because fat renders out. Chicken breast is ×0.75. Steak sits near ×0.73. Pick the food that matches what you cooked.
How Protealpes calculates
