Quick Answer
2 cups of chopped, cooked chicken is approximately 16 ounces. A standard US cup holds 8 fluid ounces. Since there are 16 fluid ounces in 1 pound, 2 cups of chicken equates to about 1 pound or 16 ounces.
How Many Ounces are in a Cup?
Before diving into how many ounces 2 cups of chicken is, it’s important to understand how many ounces are in a standard US cup.
A cup is a unit of volume used widely in cooking and baking. In the US customary system, a standard cup holds exactly 8 fluid ounces.
This means:
- 1 cup = 8 fluid ounces
- 1/2 cup = 4 fluid ounces
- 1/4 cup = 2 fluid ounces
So a single cup, no matter what ingredient you are measuring, will always contain 8 fluid ounces.
How Many Ounces in a Pound?
Now that we know there are 8 ounces per cup, the next key piece of information is the number of ounces in a pound.
In the US customary system:
- 1 pound (lb) = 16 ounces (oz)
So if you have 1 pound of any ingredient, it will contain 16 fluid ounces.
This conversion is easy to remember because there are 2 cups in 1 pound. Since each cup has 8 ounces, 2 cups x 8 ounces = 16 ounces.
How Many Ounces is 2 Cups of Chicken?
Armed with the knowledge that:
- 1 cup = 8 fluid ounces
- 1 pound = 16 ounces
We can now easily calculate how many ounces are in 2 cups of chicken:
- 1 cup chicken = 8 ounces
- 2 cups chicken = 2 x 8 ounces = 16 ounces
Therefore, 2 cups of chopped, cooked chicken is approximately 16 ounces.
Summary
- There are 8 fluid ounces in 1 standard US cup
- There are 16 ounces in 1 pound
- Since there are 2 cups in 1 pound, 2 cups of chicken = about 16 ounces
So when a recipe calls for 2 cups of cooked, chopped chicken, you can plan on that equating to roughly 1 pound or 16 ounces of chicken.
Visual Representation
Here is a visual summary of the key measurements:
| Measurement | Ounces |
|---|---|
| 1 cup | 8 oz |
| 1 pound | 16 oz |
| 2 cups | 16 oz |
This table highlights the relationships:
- 1 cup = 8 fluid ounces
- 1 pound = 16 ounces
- 2 cups (being 1 pound) = 16 ounces
Does Cooking Impact the Ounces?
The above calculations are based on chopped, cooked chicken. You may be wondering – does cooking impact the number of ounces?
In short, cooking does slightly reduce the weight of chicken due to water loss. However, this reduction is minimal.
Let’s look at some numbers:
| State | Weight (ounces) |
|---|---|
| Raw chicken | 16 oz |
| Cooked chicken | 15-16 oz |
As you can see, raw chicken weighs about 16 ounces per pound. Once cooked, a pound of chicken may be reduced to 15-16 ounces due to moisture loss during cooking.
However, the difference is slight. So we can generally consider 2 cups of chopped, cooked chicken to be approximately 16 ounces for practical purposes.
Cup Size Matters
One more note – in these calculations we assumed a standard US cup size of 8 fluid ounces.
However, there can be some variation in cup sizes across different countries.
For example:
| Country | Cup Size |
|---|---|
| United States | 8 fluid ounces |
| Canada | 8 fluid ounces |
| Australia | 250 ml (8.5 oz) |
| Japan | 200 ml (6.8 oz) |
| UK | 284 ml (9.6 oz) |
As shown, a cup in the UK contains 9.6 fluid ounces, compared to 8 fluid ounces in the US.
So always be sure to check the exact cup capacity being used in any recipe or measurement. Standard US cups of 8 fluid ounces were assumed in all the calculations in this article.
Converting Grams to Ounces
When buying chicken, you may also see weights listed in grams instead of ounces.
It’s easy to convert grams to ounces using the following conversion:
- 1 ounce = 28 grams
So if you know the weight of chicken in grams, you can calculate the ounces:
Ounces = Grams / 28
For example:
- 450 grams of chicken / 28 = 16 ounces
- 340 grams of chicken / 28 = 12 ounces
Just divide the grams by 28 to convert to ounces.
Grams to Ounces Conversion Table
Use this quick reference table to see common chicken weights in both grams and ounces:
| Grams | Ounces |
|---|---|
| 454g | 16 oz |
| 340g | 12 oz |
| 227g | 8 oz |
| 113g | 4 oz |
As you can see, you can easily cross reference chicken weights in grams and ounces for convenient conversion.
Chicken Ounces by Part
Chicken parts can vary in size, which impacts their weight in ounces.
Here are typical ounce weights for different chicken pieces:
| Chicken Part | Ounces |
|---|---|
| Chicken breast | 4-8 oz |
| Chicken thigh | 2-5 oz |
| Chicken drumstick | 1.5-3 oz |
| Chicken wing | 1-2 oz |
So while a chicken breast may weigh 6-8 ounces, a drumstick is likely only 2-3 ounces.
Knowing the typical ounce weight for different chicken parts can help guide recipe planning and portions.
Average Whole Chicken Weights
For whole chickens, these are typical weight ranges:
| Chicken Size | Weight Range |
|---|---|
| Cornish hen | 18-40 oz |
| Broiler chicken | 2.5-4 lbs (40-64 oz) |
| Roaster chicken | 5-7 lbs (80-112 oz) |
A small Cornish hen may weigh just 18-40 ounces, while a large roaster chicken could weigh over 100 ounces.
This gives you an idea of whole chicken sizes in ounces. A roaster would provide significantly more chopped, cooked chicken compared to a broiler chicken.
Ounces in a Rotisserie Chicken
Many grocery stores sell ready-to-eat rotisserie chickens. But how many ounces of meat can you expect to get?
Here are typical yields for rotisserie chickens:
| Size | Total Weight | Meat Only |
|---|---|---|
| Small | 26-32 oz | 12-16 oz |
| Medium | 44-48 oz | 24-28 oz |
| Large | 56-64 oz | 36-40 oz |
*Meat only excludes bones and skin
As you can see, a typical medium rotisserie chicken weighing 44-48 oz total will yield approximately 24-28 oz of chopped, cooked chicken meat when bones and skin are removed.
So you can expect about half the total weight in edible chicken meat.
Rotisserie Chicken Approximate Yields
In summary, for rotisserie chickens:
- A medium whole chicken weighs 44-48 oz total
- This yields 24-28 oz chopped, cooked chicken meat
- The edible meat is about half the total weight
Knowing this helps when purchasing rotisserie chickens so you can estimate how many ounces of cooked chicken meat it will provide.
Chicken Meat Nutrition Facts
Now that we know how many ounces are in cups of cooked chicken, let’s look at the nutrition facts.
Here are the key nutrients found in 4 ounces (113g) of chopped, cooked chicken breast meat without skin:
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 116 |
| Protein | 25g |
| Fat | 2g |
| Saturated Fat | 0.5g |
| Carbohydrates | 0g |
| Sodium | 65mg |
Chicken breast is high in protein, with 25 grams per 4 ounce serving. It’s also relatively low in fat and calories when skinless.
Cooked dark meat with skin will contain a bit more fat and calories compared to skinless white breast meat. But both make excellent sources of lean protein.
Ounces to Grams Conversion
Looking at the nutrition information, you may notice grams are listed along with ounces.
Here is the ounce to gram conversion for reference:
- 1 ounce = 28 grams
- 4 ounces = 113 grams
So when you see nutrition info for chicken listed in grams, you can easily convert to ounces.
Cost Per Ounce of Chicken
When comparing prices on chicken, it’s useful to calculate cost per ounce. This gives you a standard unit price for budgeting purposes.
Let’s look at some examples:
| Package | Price | Ounces | Cost Per Ounce |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 lbs chicken breasts | $6 | 32 oz | $0.19 |
| Rotisserie chicken | $8 | 26 oz | $0.31 |
| 5 lbs bag frozen breasts | $16 | 80 oz | $0.20 |
To calculate cost per ounce:
- Take total price and divide by total ounces
This allows you to easily compare chicken costs on a per ounce basis rather than just package price. Buying in bulk quantities often provides a lower per ounce cost.
Comparing Chicken Prices by Ounce Helps Save Money
Calculating cost per ounce when shopping for chicken helps identify the best deals. Packages with the lowest cost per ounce offer more value in the long run.
Buying larger bulk packages will generally provide a lower per ounce price compared to smaller quantities.
However, be sure to only purchase amounts you can reasonably use before any spoilage. Finding the optimal package size for your household will provide maximum savings.
Common Questions
How many chicken breasts in a pound?
Typically there are 3-4 chicken breasts in one pound, depending on thickness. A pound of chicken breasts is usually between 1.25 – 1.5 pounds when raw.
How many chicken thighs in a pound?
You can expect around 4-6 chicken thighs per pound. Thigh portions tend to vary more in size compared to chicken breasts.
How much shredded chicken in a cup?
One cup of shredded chicken is about 3-4 ounces. As a general rule, plan on 1/2 pound or 8 ounces of chicken to yield 2 heaping cups shredded.
How many cups in an average chicken breast?
A whole raw chicken breast averages around 1 cup chopped or shredded. Boneless skinless breasts are typically 6-8 ounces each.
How many cups of chicken in a rotisserie chicken?
A whole medium rotisserie chicken weighing 44-48 ounces will yield around 3-4 cups of chopped cooked chicken without skin and bones.
Conclusion
To summarize, 2 cups of cooked, chopped chicken will be approximately 16 ounces. This is based on a US cup size of 8 fluid ounces.
The number of ounces can vary slightly depending on factors like cooking method and chicken part. But a rough estimate is:
- 1 cup chicken = 8 ounces
- 2 cups chicken = 16 ounces
Knowing the number of ounces in chicken can help with recipe planning, portions, and comparing prices. Calculations will always depend on the exact cup size, so be sure to verify the capacity if using cups from outside the US.
Understanding chicken weights in both ounces and grams makes it easy to work with recipes and packaging using either unit.