Many diets tell you that you should eat a certain number of ounces of protein daily. But, many recipes tell you the amount of protein in cups instead. So how do you know how much chicken to use?
There are two ways to convert ounces into cups. But, Texas A&M discovered the average cups for one chicken breast to make things easy. They say on their website that one shredded chicken breast equals one cup.
There are other options available, though, if you need to be more accurate than just an average. Having lots of options for the conversion means you can use whatever method is easiest for you! But how do you do the measuring? Read on to find out!
Can You Convert Ounces To Cups?
Technically, yes, you can! But it’s a bit difficult. An ounce is a weight measurement, while a cup is a volume measurement. So the volume of the chicken can change depending on how you have cut it up. A whole chicken breast will have a different volume than shredded chicken.
Cooked chicken will also weigh less than raw chicken. This is because the raw chicken has more water. That water will add a small amount of weight. So when you measure and weigh your chicken, you need to make sure you do it with either raw or cooked meat. That way, the results will be consistent!
Is There An Average Weight to Volume Ratio?
Luckily, Texas A&M discovered an average correlation between the weight of a chicken breast and the number of cups it can make! They determined that, on average, 1 cup of cubed or shredded chicken weighs 5.25 oz. This is the same as around one chicken breast.
This method isn’t as accurate as the other methods on this list. But if you don’t need to be very accurate, this is a great place to start! This method can also be a great time saver too, especially if you’re at the grocery store. You can estimate how much chicken you need before you buy it!
Math Equation To Convert Ounces To Cups
There is a math equation that converts ounces to cups. The equation goes like this: 1 ounce equals approximately 0.25 cups. So, if you have 6 ounces, just multiply that by 0.25 to get the number of cups. Multiplying 0.25 by 6 gets us 1.5 cups!
This is the second-best method on this list. The math will help you calculate approximately how much you will get from your chicken breast. But there is another method on this list that will be more accurate!
How To Convert Ounces to Cups With A Scale
If math isn’t your best skill, then there’s another way to measure your chicken. You can use a kitchen scale! Let’s say you weigh out 6 oz of cubed chicken. You can then measure that chicken into cups. No math is needed!
There are a lot of great kitchen scales available on the market. Some are more expensive than others. Digital scales are typically more accurate and are easier to read. This one on Amazon can weigh up to 11 lbs of product! It should be able to handle anything you put on it in the kitchen!
This way will be the most accurate. It’s okay if you cook more chicken than you need for the recipe! Just take the extra that you cooked and store it away for later. You can add it to soup, tacos, or rice! It doesn’t have to go to waste.
Conclusion
Weighing and measuring your protein is the best way to get accurate results. But if you just need an estimate to know how much chicken to buy, then the Texas A&M information should work fine! If you don’t think you will use a scale often enough, then doing the math should suffice too.
Ultimately you should use the method that works best for you. Whether you just need an estimate or a definitive amount, any of these techniques will work! Just be sure that you use a consistent measuring point. Base your numbers off of either raw or cooked chicken, not both!
