FoodCanEat › Home › Chicken Cuts

Last reviewed: 2026-09-03 • Editorial Standards

Chicken Cuts Ranked by Purine Content

Evidence-based comparison — data from USDA+ODS-NIH PURINE DATABASE Release 2 (March 2025)

Lowest Purine Chicken Cuts

#1chicken, light meat, raw111.3 mg
#2chicken leg, raw118.2 mg
#3chicken skin, raw119.6 mg
#4chicken neck, raw122.9 mg
#5chicken wing, raw137.5 mg
#6Chicken Breast141.2 mg
#7chicken breast, raw141.3 mg
#8chicken thigh, raw141.7 mg
#9chicken gizzard, raw142.9 mg
#10chicken thigh, roasted148.9 mg

Highest Purine Chicken Cuts

#14chicken wing, raw137.5 mg
#13Chicken Breast141.2 mg
#12chicken breast, raw141.3 mg
#11chicken thigh, raw141.7 mg
#10chicken gizzard, raw142.9 mg
#9chicken thigh, roasted148.9 mg
#8chicken breast, roasted178.5 mg
#7chicken heart, raw224.0 mg
#6chicken, ground, raw235.6 mg
#5chicken liver, raw302.6 mg

Category Average: 161.9 mg/100g

The average across 14 Chicken Cuts foods with lab-measured data. Foods below this average are better-than-typical choices within this category.

How to Use This Ranking

The purine ranking is sorted from lowest to highest. Rank #1 is the lowest-purine food in the category. Foods in the top half (above median) should be consumed with more awareness of portion and frequency. The difference between adjacent ranks varies: in some categories, rank #5 and #10 might be only 10 mg apart; in others, the gap can be 100+ mg. Always check the actual milligram value, not just the position. Rankings do not account for fructose or alcohol — use individual food pages for a complete risk assessment.

ACR 2020 Guideline Context

The American College of Rheumatology recommends that gout patients focus on purine awareness rather than complete food group elimination. Within any category, there is a wide purine range. The goal is to shift toward lower-purine choices within categories you already eat, rather than eliminating entire food groups. This ranking helps you identify which specific items to prioritize and which to limit.

Japanese guidelines recommend under 400 mg of total dietary purines per day. Using this ranking, you can estimate how much of budget each food uses per typical serving.

How This Comparison Is Built

Each item here is scored by a three-factor risk engine covering purines, fructose, and alcohol. Purine values draw on the USDA+ODS-NIH PURINE DATABASE Release 2 (March 2025) and Kaneko et al. (Biol Pharm Bull 37(5):709-721, 2014, PMID: 24553148); fructose comes from USDA SR28 tables. Classification uses ACR 2020 thresholds — Safe under 50 mg purine and 2 g fructose with no alcohol, Moderate in between, Avoid above, or when alcohol is present. Each food page labels its data quality as T1 (lab-measured), T2 (measured plus consensus), or T3 (category estimate).

This comparison is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Individual tolerance to purines and fructose varies. Consult a healthcare professional for personalized dietary guidance. Last reviewed: 2026-09-03.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is chicken safe for gout?
Chicken is a moderate-purine protein that works well for gout in normal portions. Among 14 chicken cuts with measured values, the lowest options include chicken, light meat, raw at 111.3 mg/100g. Skinless breast is the best default; thigh and wing are fine a few times a week in moderate portions.
Which chicken cut is lowest in purines?
The lowest-purine chicken cuts in our database include chicken, light meat, raw at 111.3 mg/100g and chicken leg, raw at 118.2 mg/100g. White meat generally runs lower than dark meat, and organ meats like liver run much higher — treat those as occasional.
Is chicken breast or thigh better for gout?
Chicken breast is the better default — it measures lower in purines than thigh and is lower in fat. Thigh is still acceptable in normal portions a few times a week. The purine differences between cuts are modest, so portion size and the rest of the plate matter more than the cut.
About · Contact · Privacy · Terms of Use · Medical Disclaimer · Editorial Policy · Data Sources

References

• ACR 2020 Guideline for the Management of Gout
• USDA+ODS-NIH PURINE DATABASE Release 2, March 2025
• Kaneko K, et al. Biol Pharm Bull 37(5):709-721, 2014. PMID: 24553148

Medical Disclaimer: This website provides informational content only and does not constitute medical advice.
Last reviewed: 2026-09-03