Chicken price: Cheapest way to buy chicken
While price rises for meat have eased from their peak, chicken prices are still under pressure from higher feed, energy and transport costs, and remain noticeably more expensive than they were just a few years ago.
According to NimbleFins’ analysis of the average UK household food bill, a typical household spends around £3,877 a year on groceries – £320 a month.
With staple foods like milk, eggs and chicken bought week in, week out, even saving £1–£2 per shop by choosing cheaper cuts or larger packs can add up to £50–£100 a year on food costs alone.
Like milk and eggs, chicken is also a key price-competition product for supermarkets. NimbleFins’ analysis of Tesco vs Asda pricing shows that while headline prices are often very similar across retailers, how you buy matters far more than where you shop.
This analysis focuses on Tesco’s chicken range — both fresh and frozen — to answer a common question many shoppers ask in the meat aisle: What’s the cheapest way to buy chicken?
Comparing the cost of chicken
Chicken comes in many forms: whole birds, thighs, drumsticks, wings, fillets, diced packs and mince — sold fresh or frozen, in sizes ranging from single meals to family packs.
Smaller packs and convenience cuts often look affordable, but once you compare price per gram, the difference between options can be dramatic. In many cases, shoppers end up paying two to four times more per gram for chicken breast or diced chicken compared with bone-in cuts.
Frozen chicken adds another layer of complexity. Many shoppers assume frozen is always cheaper - but that isn’t always the case.
Chicken price per gram, cheapest first
| Chicken type | Fresh or frozen | Pack size | Price | Cost per gram |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken drumsticks (bone-in) | Fresh | 2kg | £4.20 | £0.21 |
| Chicken drumsticks (bone-in) | Fresh | 1kg | £2.15 | £0.22 |
| Chicken wings (bone-in) | Fresh | 1kg | £2.19 | £0.22 |
| Chicken thighs (bone-in) | Fresh | 2kg | £5.50 | £0.28 |
| Chicken wings (bone-in) | Frozen | 1.5kg | £4.20 | £0.28 |
| Whole chicken (bone-in, medium) | Fresh | 1.3–1.7kg | £3.95 | £0.30 |
| Whole chicken (bone-in, large) | Fresh | 1.7–2.1kg | £5.15 | £0.30 |
| Whole chicken (bone-in, extra large) | Fresh | 2.1–2.6kg | £6.35 | £0.30 |
| Chicken thighs (bone-in) | Fresh | 1kg | £2.99 | £0.30 |
| Chicken drumsticks (bone-in) | Frozen | 1.5kg | £4.75 | £0.32 |
| Chicken thighs (bone-in) | Frozen | 1.5kg | £5.50 | £0.37 |
| Chicken mince 5% fat (boneless) | Fresh | 500g | £2.49 | £0.50 |
| Chicken breast fillets (boneless) | Fresh | 950g | £6.50 | £0.68 |
| Chicken breast fillets (boneless) | Frozen | 1kg | £7.00 | £0.70 |
| Chicken breast fillets (boneless) | Fresh | 320g | £2.23 | £0.70 |
| Boneless chicken thighs | Frozen | 500g | £3.55 | £0.71 |
| Chicken breast fillets (boneless) | Fresh | 650g | £4.65 | £0.72 |
| Diced chicken breast (boneless) | Fresh | 650g | £5.10 | £0.78 |
| Chicken breast mini fillets (boneless) | Frozen | 500g | £4.10 | £0.82 |
| Diced chicken breast (boneless) | Frozen | 640g | £5.40 | £0.84 |
| Diced chicken breast (boneless) | Fresh | 400g | £3.85 | £0.96 |
Prices based on Tesco listings on January 12 2026. Cost per gram rounded.
It’s worth noting that the prices shown here are calculated using the total pack weight, which means the cost per gram includes the weight of bones where the cut is bone-in.
While bones do reduce the amount of usable meat slightly, bone-in cuts still can come out significantly cheaper than boneless options. In practice, many bone-in cuts also deliver better value through flavour, cooking versatility and leftovers (such as using bones for stock), which can further stretch food budgets.
Is frozen chicken cheaper than fresh?
Not exactly! While frozen chicken is often assumed to be better value, a like-for-like comparison shows that it is rarely cheaper than fresh once you compare the same cuts by price per gram.
Looking at Tesco’s range, fresh chicken consistently undercuts frozen across key cuts including chicken breast fillets, diced breast, thighs, drumsticks and wings. In some cases, fresh chicken is only marginally cheaper, but for bone-in cuts the difference can be significant — with frozen versions costing 5–11p more per gram than fresh.
The reason is less about quality and more about processing. Frozen chicken often involves additional steps such as portioning, freezing, packaging and long-term cold storage, all of which add to the final cost. By contrast, fresh whole chickens and bone-in cuts require less processing and allow retailers to sell more of the bird efficiently, keeping prices lower.
That doesn’t mean frozen chicken is poor value in all situations. Its longer shelf life can help reduce food waste, which may save money in practice for smaller households or those who don’t shop often. But in strict price terms, freezing does not automatically mean cheaper.
The table below shows a side-by-side comparison of fresh and frozen chicken prices for the same cuts, making it clear where the real savings - and misconceptions - lie.
Fresh vs frozen chicken: like-for-like price comparison
| Chicken cut | Fresh (p/gram) | Frozen (p/gram) | Cheaper option | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken breast fillets (boneless) | £0.68–£0.72 | £0.70 | Fresh | Fresh ~2–4p/g cheaper |
| Diced chicken breast (boneless) | £0.78–£0.96 | £0.84 | Fresh | Fresh ~6–12p/g cheaper |
| Chicken thighs (bone-in) | £0.28–£0.30 | £0.37 | Fresh | Fresh ~7–9p/g cheaper |
| Chicken drumsticks (bone-in) | £0.21–£0.22 | £0.32 | Fresh | Fresh ~10–11p/g cheaper |
| Chicken wings (bone-in) | £0.22 | £0.28 | Fresh | Fresh ~6p/g cheaper |
Prices based on Tesco listings at time of writing. Ranges reflect different pack sizes.
So what’s the cheapest way to buy chicken?
When you compare chicken by price per gram, some clear patterns emerge.
The cheapest options overall are:
- Drumsticks and wings (fresh or frozen), at around 21–28p per gram
- Chicken thighs, particularly larger packs
- Whole chickens, which consistently sit around 30p per gram
These options are significantly cheaper than breast meat — even before accounting for the fact that whole chickens can provide multiple meals.
By contrast:
- Chicken breast fillets typically cost more than double per gram
- Diced chicken breast is the most expensive option, reaching up to 96p per gram
- Smaller packs almost always cost more per gram than larger trays
Frozen breast fillets and diced chicken are often priced similarly — or even higher — than fresh equivalents. Frozen only delivers clear value when buying bone-in cuts or larger bags.
When paying more for chicken might make sense
Cheapest isn’t always best for every household. Smaller packs can reduce food waste if you’re cooking for one, and chicken breast suits specific diets.
That said, buying larger packs and freezing portions, or roasting a whole chicken and using leftovers, is one of the simplest ways to cut food costs without changing what you eat.
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