Chicken tikka vs tandoori chicken: calories and protein compared
Short answer: for fat loss pick chicken tikka; for muscle gain tandoori chicken does more. The numbers are per usual serving, so check the serving sizes in the table.
| Per serving | Chicken tikka | Tandoori chicken |
|---|---|---|
| Serving | 6 pieces · 150 g | 2 leg pieces |
| Calories | 243 kcal | 423 kcal |
| Protein | 35 g | 39 g |
| Carbs | 2 g | 2 g |
| Fat | 10 g | 30 g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 14.6 g | 9.2 g |
| Calories from fat | 39% | 64% |
What the numbers say
- Tandoori chicken has 180 kcal more a serving than chicken tikka. One serving of tandoori chicken has the calories of about 1.7 servings of chicken tikka.
- Tandoori chicken has more protein: 39 g vs 35 g.
- For protein per calorie, chicken tikka wins with 14.6 g per 100 kcal.
Which to pick
- Losing fat: Chicken tikka, because it gives more protein for each calorie, which keeps you full and protects muscle.
- Building muscle: Tandoori chicken, because it brings more protein a serving.
- Either way: the cooking fat moves both numbers most. Halving the oil or ghee is the easiest cut.