In recent years there has been a fluctuation in the price of chicken due to changing demand from restaurants and consumers. That demand has started to rectify and should be back to normal by the middle of the year.
However, many consumers may be wondering about the current price of chicken breast per pound and whether it’s still the best option for their grocery lists.
Average Price Of Chicken Breast ($3.81)
The average price of chicken breast per pound in the US is $3.81, which is an increase of 17% from the previous year, when the average price was $3.23 per pound.
The average price does not take into consideration the location you’re in, the store you’re buying from, or anything special about the chicken breast, such as being organic or seasoned.
A better indication of the price of chicken breast per pound is to look at various large grocery stores that you’re actually buying chicken from to see what the prices are for a regular consumer.
Chicken Breast Price by Country
The price of chicken breast per pound in the United States is in the medium range compared with other countries worldwide.
It’s interesting that Canada, the northern neighbor of the US, has much higher prices for chicken breast per pound and ranks higher than all other compared countries on the list.
| Country | Average Price Per LB |
| United States | $3.81 |
| Canada | $5.71 |
| United Kingdom | $3.10 |
| Australia | $4.15 |
| New Zealand | $3.08 |
Types of Chicken Breast Price
Each store you buy chicken breast will have varying options; you have fresh chicken breast, frozen chicken breast, chicken breast with rib meat.
All variations and handling of the chicken breast factor into the price; in general, the cheapest chicken breast per pound you’ll get will be larger amounts of pre-packed frozen chicken.
| Types of Chicken Breast | Walmart Price |
| Frozen Chicken Breast | $2.66 |
| Fresh Chicken Breast | $3.28 |
| Breaded Chicken Breast | $3.99 |
| Organic Chicken Breast | $4.72 |
Fresh Chicken Breast Price
The cheapest fresh chicken breast per pound will often be a split breast with some rib still attached; the price is lower because there is less handling on the meat.
| Store | Per LB |
| Walmart | $3.28 |
| Kroger | $2.49 |
| Safeway | $3.99 |
| Wegmans | $3.60 |
| Meijer | $2.09 |
| Albertsons | $1.99 |
Frozen Chicken Breast Price
Frozen chicken breast is often the most convenient way to buy larger amounts of chicken, and the costs are often very low. You also get a lower price on the chicken breast without dealing with any bone most of the time.
| Store | Per LB | Per 3 LB | Per 5 LB | Per 10 LB |
| Walmart | $2.66 | $7.97 | $13.24 | $24.78 |
| Kroger | $3.40 | $9.99 | N/A | N/A |
| Safeway | $3.99 | N/A | $8.96 | N/A |
| Wegmans | $3.60 | $8.99 | $14.49 | N/A |
| Meijer | $3.79 | $8.99 | $12.99 | N/A |
| Albertsons | $2.99 | N/A | $7.49 | N/A |
Breaded Chicken Breast Price
In almost all cases, the price of chicken breast per pound will be much higher when you bread the chicken breast as there is much more preparation and waste.
It can often be cheaper to buy chicken breast and bread it yourself unless the higher cost doesn’t impact your budget.
You also need to check the brand and the store you’re buying; as you can see from the table below, the difference between the cheapest options at different stores is wildly different.
| Store | Per LB | Per 3 LB |
| Walmart | $3.99 | $11.97 |
| Kroger | $8.99 | $17.98 |
| Safeway | $10.49 | $23.98 |
| Wegmans | $15.00 | $35.00 |
| Meijer | $8.69 | $26.07 |
| Albertsons | $3.99 | $14.38 |
Organic Chicken Breast Price
The price of organic chicken breast per pound would generally be much higher than other types of chicken breast, and that is seen at most stores. However, Walmart and Meijer have extremely cheap organic chicken breast options available.
| Store | Per LB | Per 3 LB |
| Walmart | $4.72 | $14.16 |
| Kroger | $7.99 | $23.97 |
| Safeway | $8.49 | $26.52 |
| Wegmans | $7.99 | $23.97 |
| Meijer | $3.99 | $9.99 |
| Albertsons | $8.49 | $25.50 |
Price Increase Of Chicken Breast Per Pound By Year
The price of chicken breast per pound historically has been stable and was actually on the decline prior to 2020. Once the pandemic kicked in, the price per pound started to increase, and as of 2022, with supply chain shortages getting worse, the price has hit an all-time high.
Expectations are that by the end of the year, the supply of chicken breasts will be increased, but the supply chain issues may still keep the price of chicken higher than before.
| Year | Average Price Per LB |
| 2006 | $3.30 |
| 2007 | $3.27 |
| 2008 | $3.39 |
| 2009 | $3.29 |
| 2010 | $3.25 |
| 2015 | $3.43 |
| 2018 | $3.07 |
| 2019 | $3.06 |
| 2020 | $3.05 |
| 2021 | $3.23 |
| 2022 | $3.81 |
Chicken Breast Coat Vs Other Meat
The price of chicken breast per pound has seen a higher increase in price recently, but bacon which is a much more processed meat option has seen significant price increases in 2022.
Overall, the price of chicken breast per pound still makes it one of the cheapest meat options that gives you the most bang for your buck as a protein source that is healthy and still readily available.
| Price Per Pound In 2021 | Price Per Pound In 2022 | |
| Chicken Breast | $3.23 | $3.81 |
| Whole Chicken | $1.62 | $1.63 |
| Chicken Leg | $1.73 | $1.79 |
| Bacon | $5.83 | $7.22 |
| Ground Beef | $5.17 | $5.19 |
| Beef Roasts | $6.84 | $6.89 |
| Pork Chops | $4.01 | $4.03 |
