However, chicken thighs are not a bad choice, because they still provide high-quality protein and many micronutrients. More important is the total amount of protein in the day and the strength training program.
Chicken breast, especially the skinless part, has long been considered a familiar food in the diet of gym enthusiasts.
For people who want to gain muscle but at the same time limit fat gain, chicken breast is therefore often a convenient choice.
It can be processed by boiling, steaming, pan-frying or grilling with a moderate amount of oil, combined with vegetables and suitable starch sources.
Compared to breast, chicken thighs have a higher percentage of fat, especially if eaten with the skin. This increases calories, but also helps the meat become softer, more fragrant and easier to eat.
Chicken thighs still provide high-quality protein, along with micronutrients such as iron and zinc.
Therefore, if the exerciser has difficulty maintaining a chicken breast diet every day due to a dry or monotonous feeling, replacing some meals with skinless chicken thighs can help the diet be more diverse and easier to maintain.
The point to note is that muscle gain ability should not be assessed based only on one type of meat. Muscles develop when the body receives stimulation from strength training and has enough energy, protein and essential amino acids for recovery.
Regular exercisers need more protein than less active people. For the majority of exercisers, a level of about 1.4-2.0 g of protein/kg of body weight/day is considered sufficient to support muscle mass gain and maintenance.
If the main goal is to gain muscle but maintain a slim figure and control fat, chicken breast without skin has a clear advantage because it easily provides more protein with lower calories.
Conversely, if the exerciser is struggling to get enough energy, has a need to eat better or does not need to control calories too tightly, skinless chicken thighs can be included in the menu. It is not necessary to completely eliminate fat because fat is also a necessary component of a balanced diet.
Therefore, if you have to choose one answer, chicken breast is a slightly better choice for people who want to gain muscle and control fat. But chicken thighs are still perfectly suitable if skin removed, portion control and healthy processing.
In the end, muscles do not increase thanks to breasts or chicken thighs alone, but thanks to the combination of progressive strength training, sufficient total protein, balanced diet, sleep and reasonable recovery.
