Skinless chicken thighs are a tasty and economical choice for many meals, including slow-cooked dishes. The firmer and fattier meat stays tender and holds up in stews, casseroles and other meals. Chicken thighs are higher in fat and calories than chicken breasts, but they are also less apt to dry out in your favorite recipes.
Protein
A 3.5-ounce serving of boneless, skinless chicken thigh meat contains almost 26 grams of protein. According to the Centers for Disease Control, women need 46 grams of protein per day, and men need 56 grams daily. A single serving of skinless chicken thigh meat will provide more than half of the protein you need each day. Chicken thighs contain less protein than chicken breasts, which have 31 grams in an equivalent serving.
Fat and Cholesterol
Chicken thighs contain both saturated and unsaturated fats. They have a total fat count of nearly 11 grams per 3.5-ounce serving. More than 3 grams of the total fat are saturated fats, while 2.5 grams are polyunsaturated fats. The remaining fat is monounsaturated. The Cleveland Clinic suggests limiting your saturated fat intake to 7 percent of your total calories, or around 15.5 grams per day. You should limit your total fat intake to 25 percent to 35 percent of your daily calories, or between 50 and 70 grams daily. A serving of skinless chicken thigh meat provides 15 percent to 20 percent of your recommended fat for the day. This serving also has 95 mg of cholesterol -- almost half of your daily recommendation.
Calories
A 3.5-ounce serving of chicken thigh meat contains 209 calories, which is 40 calories more than a comparable serving of chicken breast. While larger pieces of chicken are common, a 3.5-ounce serving is approximately the size of a deck of cards. Misjudging serving sizes can dramatically alter the total calories in your portion of chicken. If you are on a calorie-restricted diet to lose weight, you may prefer the lower-calorie, higher-protein serving of chicken breast to a serving of chicken thighs.
Vitamins and Minerals
Chicken thighs are an excellent source of zinc and selenium. They provide more than a third of the zinc you need each day and more than half of your daily amount of selenium. A serving of chicken thigh meat also has 1.3 mg of iron, which will help you get the 6 to 8 mg you need each day. You'll also add riboflavin, thiamin, pantothenic acid and vitamins B-6 and B-12 to your diet when you eat skinless thigh meat.
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