Is Shrimp High in Protein?

Yes. Shrimp carries about 20g of protein per 3 oz cooked, and it does that with very little fat or carbohydrate alongside it, which is most of why it shows up so often in low-carb, high-protein cooking.

The actual numbers

Per 3 oz cooked, shrimp runs about 20g of protein for around 85 calories, most of that calorie count coming from protein itself rather than fat. That’s a leaner profile than most cuts of chicken or beef, even though the total protein number is a bit lower.

Where it shows up in real cooking

Shrimp cooks fast and takes on flavor well, which is most of what this site’s shrimp recipes lean on: the grilled shrimp skewers and the shrimp and cauliflower rice stir-fry both use it as the main protein, not a garnish.

FAQ

Does shrimp have more protein than chicken?

Per serving, no. Chicken breast runs about 26g of protein per 3 oz cooked against shrimp’s 20g. Per calorie it goes the other way: the chicken costs about 140 calories to shrimp’s 85, which works out to roughly 24g of protein per 100 calories for shrimp and 19g for chicken breast.

Does the size of the shrimp change the protein number?

Not meaningfully. Jumbo, large, or medium shrimp all carry a similar protein density by weight, the size just changes how many shrimp make up a 3 oz serving.

See everything tagged seafood, or browse the full Foods High in Protein reference list for how it stacks up against other options.