Chicken Per Person Calculator
Choose whole chicken or boneless, then tell us how many people are eating.
Answer
1.4 kg of chicken on the bone
The detail
A 1.5kg chicken feeds four; a 2kg bird feeds four generously or five at a push.
Reference and detail
What size bird feeds how many
A 1.2kg chicken feeds two to three, a 1.5kg bird three to four, a 1.8kg bird four to five, and a 2.2kg bird five to six. Those are for a roast with sides and no great pile of leftovers. If you want cold chicken and sandwiches tomorrow, go up one size.
On the bone or off
Allow around 300g per adult of chicken on the bone, or 200g of boneless meat. Roughly a third of a whole bird's weight is bone and carcass, which is why the two figures differ so much.
Keep the carcass
Once you have carved, simmer the bones with an onion, a carrot and a bay leaf for a couple of hours and you have stock for the next meal. Cool it quickly and it keeps three days in the fridge or three months in the freezer.
Questions and answers
Questions about chicken portion sizes
What size whole chicken do I need to buy for a group?
It depends on how many people you're feeding and whether you want leftovers. Enter your numbers above rather than relying on a single "one chicken feeds four" rule, since bird sizes vary and bone content is significant.
Is a chicken breast the same as one portion?
Roughly, yes, for boneless chicken. One average raw chicken breast is close to a standard boneless portion, but thighs, drumsticks and wings vary more, so weigh mixed cuts rather than counting pieces.
Do I need more chicken per person if I'm buying it on the bone?
Yes. A whole bird or bone-in joints need noticeably more raw weight per person than boneless breast or thigh fillets, because bone and skin aren't eaten. Choose the on-the-bone or boneless option above rather than adjusting one figure yourself.
How do I know if my chicken will feed everyone with enough left for sandwiches?
Size it up for a generous portion rather than a standard one, since leftover chicken for sandwiches or a curry the next day needs meat left on the carcass after the meal itself. Check the roasting time for the size of bird you land on.
Guidance
Read the full guide
- How to Roast a ChickenBuying the right size bird, the oven temperature to use, how long it needs, how to tell it is done, and what to do with what is left.