How much chicken you need to eat for muscle growth is a question that comes up a lot. That’s because so many people love eating it, finding it more palatable than other sources of protein.
Chicken is a good meat for muscle growth because it contains a high concentration of BCAAs or “branched-chain amino acids.” These seem to be potent activators of the body’s growth pathways, encouraging more muscle deposition.
The current recommendation to switch your body into growth mode is around 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight. That means you’ll want to consume anywhere between 120 and 250 pounds, depending on your mass.
Generally, a cooked chicken breast contains around 30 grams of protein. That means you’ll want to consume around 4 to 6 of these a day if you’re in a bulking or mass-building phase.
As stated above, not all your protein needs to come from chicken. However, it is unlikely you will notice any negative nutritional consequences even if it does. That’s because most meats contain roughly the same nutritional properties, with the exception of oily fish.
The cool thing about chicken is that it’s available pretty much anywhere. And you can eat it in bulk.
Montana restaurant Hop Lounge says that customers regularly order large servings of chicken. It, like other eateries, offers quarter and half-chicken portions, providing plenty of protein in a single sitting.
Plus, when you go out for chicken, you avoid the dull flavors that often come with it when you cook and eat at home. It’s hard to get flavor into the meat without a proper rotisserie, but that’s not a problem when you go out.
Meal Ideas
So what meal ideas involving chicken can you use for breakfast, lunch, and dinner?
For breakfast, you could cook a full English, but replace the sausages and bacon with chicken. It goes well with cooked potatoes, tomato, and mushrooms.
For lunch, you could have a chicken salad with plenty of fresh rocket and a light vinaigrette. And for dinner, you could treat yourself to roasted or marinated spicy chicken, rice, and char-grilled veggies.
How Long Should You Eat Chicken For Muscle Growth?
You’ll want to cycle on and off chicken periodically to maximize muscle growth. Try eating chicken in bulk for a couple of weeks and then cycling off to explore other foods.
If you’re cutting down, skip the dressings and fat and roast or broil more. You can also shred chicken and mix it with herbs, spices, and vinegar to make it into a taste filling.
Can You Eat Too Much Chicken?
It’s unlikely you’ll be able to eat too much chicken for fitness. However, you might overdo it if you have kidney problems.
If you are worried, focus on getting your protein from plant sources, like beans. These have negligible impact on the kidneys and are even safe for people on dialysis.
You might also notice beans help you become leaner faster than chicken. Switching to them before a competition could help you feel your best.