Is Chicken Thigh Acidic or Alkaline?
Chicken thigh (raw) is acid-forming: Positive PRAL: acid-forming after digestion.
Classification
At +8.0, raw chicken thigh sits below chicken breast. It contains more fat and skin, and fat adds no minerals to the balance, so the protein per 100 g is more diluted. After frying, it reaches +11.8, since water and fat escape during cooking. Like all meat, it stays acid-forming in every form.
In the Meat & Sausages category, chicken thigh (raw) ranks #17 of 67, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Beef mince (+7.9), Mixed mince (beef and pork) (+7.8), Pork neck (collar) (+7.7). More acid-forming are Smoked ham (+8.2), Bacon (+8.2), Veal (+8.3).
Acidic or alkaline: PRAL, not pH
On this site, acidic and alkaline refer to the PRAL (potential renal acid load). It estimates what a food leaves behind once it has been digested: a positive value is acid-forming, a negative value is alkalizing. That is different from the pH of the food itself: a lemon tastes sour, yet its PRAL is −4.0, so it is alkalizing. Your diet does not change your blood pH. It does change how much acid your kidneys have to deal with.
Chicken thigh: raw, prepared
Same food, different state. All values per 100 g.
| State | PRAL |
|---|---|
| raw | +8.0 |
| prepared | +11.8 |
What balances chicken thigh
A serving (125 g) of chicken thigh adds +10.0 to your daily balance. These three bring it back; the grams shown offset exactly this serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is chicken thigh acidic?
It depends on what you mean by acidic. The pH describes the food itself, for example how sour it tastes. The PRAL describes what it leaves behind after digestion: Chicken thigh (raw) has a PRAL of +8.0 per 100 g, so it counts as acid-forming in your daily acid-base balance.
How much kale offsets a serving (125 g) of chicken thigh?
A serving (125 g) of chicken thigh adds +10.0 to your daily balance. Kale (fresh) has −11.7 per 100 g, so about 90 g of kale offset this serving.
Do I have to avoid chicken thigh on an alkaline diet?
No. What counts is the balance of the whole day, not a single food. Chicken thigh is acid-forming; with enough vegetables, potatoes and fruit on the same plate, the meal stays balanced.
Chicken thigh, raw or prepared: which is more alkaline?
Chicken thigh (raw) is at +8.0, Chicken thigh (prepared) at +11.8. So the "raw" version is more alkaline. Differences come from water content, cooking water or concentration during drying.
Chicken Thigh logged, balance checked.
Basentracker adds up every meal automatically and shows whether your day is in the alkaline range. The same values as on this page, all 977 foods, photo scan, recipes.
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Compare all Meat & Sausages: Meat & Sausages table. Common questions are answered in Acidic or Alkaline?, and the PRAL calculator adds up a whole meal.
Source: Basentracker food database (PRAL according to Remer & Manz, calculated from protein, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and calcium per 100 g). This information does not replace medical advice.