Turkey has slightly more protein than chicken. Comparing the same cuts and serving sizes, turkey consistently edges out chicken by about 1 gram of protein per ounce of meat. The difference is small enough that both birds are excellent protein sources, but if you’re optimizing every gram, turkey wins.
Protein by Cut: Thigh to Thigh
The clearest comparison comes from USDA data on matching cuts. In a 3-ounce serving of roasted thigh meat, turkey delivers 23 grams of protein while chicken provides 20 grams. That 3-gram gap per serving adds up if you’re eating poultry daily.
Turkey thighs are also leaner. The same 3-ounce serving of turkey thigh contains 9 grams of fat, compared to 13 grams in chicken thigh. So turkey dark meat gives you more protein and less fat, a combination that matters if you’re tracking macros or cutting calories.
Protein Per Calorie
Because turkey thighs carry less fat than chicken thighs, they pack more protein per calorie. Fat has 9 calories per gram versus 4 for protein, so the extra fat in chicken thighs inflates the calorie count without adding any protein. If you’re eating in a calorie deficit and want to maximize protein intake, turkey dark meat is the more efficient choice.
For white meat, the gap narrows. Both chicken breast and turkey breast are very lean, so the protein-per-calorie difference between them is minimal. Either one is a top-tier protein source at roughly 7 to 8 grams of protein per ounce.
Beyond Protein: Other Nutritional Differences
Turkey and chicken share a similar overall nutrition profile, but turkey pulls ahead in several micronutrients. A 3-ounce serving of turkey breast provides nearly double the zinc of chicken breast (13.3% of your daily value versus 6.9%), and more than twice the B12 (13.7% versus 6.25%). Turkey breast also delivers more niacin (B3), covering about 63% of your daily needs compared to 54% from chicken.
Chicken breast does have a slight edge in vitamin B6, providing 42% of the daily value versus 40% from turkey. Both birds are excellent sources of selenium, nearly tied at around 46% of the daily value per serving.
Turkey is also notably higher in tryptophan, an amino acid your body uses to produce serotonin and melatonin. A 3-ounce serving of turkey contains 273 milligrams of tryptophan, compared to just 77 milligrams in the same amount of chicken breast. This is why turkey has its reputation for making people sleepy after Thanksgiving dinner, though the effect has more to do with meal size than the tryptophan alone.
Which Should You Choose?
If your main goal is maximizing protein, turkey is the better pick, especially when comparing dark meat cuts. Turkey thighs give you 15% more protein and 30% less fat than chicken thighs. For white meat, the protein difference is smaller but still favors turkey.
That said, chicken is more widely available, often cheaper per pound, and works in a broader range of recipes. The protein difference between turkey breast and chicken breast is roughly 1 gram per ounce. For most people eating a varied diet, that gap is easy to make up elsewhere. If you enjoy chicken more and eat it consistently, that consistency matters more than a marginal protein advantage.
Where turkey really shines is when you prefer dark meat. Choosing turkey thighs over chicken thighs gives you a meaningful protein boost while cutting fat, making it one of the simplest swaps for improving your overall macro balance without changing how you cook or eat.