Why the protein boom is chicken’s biggest opportunity
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The convergence of aging demographics, fitness culture and GLP-1 weight loss drugs is fueling a surge in high-protein eating, and chicken stands to benefit more than any other protein.
"It feels a little bit almost like the Atkins diet of 20 or 30 years ago," said Hinda Mitchell, president and founder of communications and marketing firm Inspire. "But it's a combination of factors. There are different segments, different audiences that are thinking about protein."
Chicken is uniquely positioned to lead this shift. Affordability, versatility and near-universal cultural acceptance give it advantages that other proteins simply cannot match, Mitchell said.
"There aren't dietary barriers. There aren't cultural barriers," she added. "Whether you're cooking for your senior citizen grandmother or your 2-year-old, chicken fits a lot of diets and a lot of lifestyles."
The Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement adds further tailwind. Its emphasis on real, minimally processed food aligns naturally with chicken's clean-label profile. In January 2026, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. released new Dietary Guidelines for Americans that prioritizes protein at every meal.
"We're seeing so much emphasis through MAHA on the 'eat real food' movement. As you think about eating real food and you think about the spaces where protein is starting to elevate, animal products like chicken are a great solution if that is your commitment to clean eating and real food eating," Mitchell said.
Growing GLP-1 drug use is another driver of demand for nutrient-dense, high-protein foods. People using GLP-1 medications for weight management face side effects including muscle mass loss and hair loss, making adequate protein intake particularly important for that population.
Foodservice operators have been quickest to capitalize on the protein moment.
Chipotle's branded high-protein menu, McDonald's return of its low-carb snack wraps and Subway's protein-focused menu additions are all examples of chains leveraging chicken they already had on the menu.
Retail is rapidly catching up, particularly in the snacking category. New products, such as bacon-maple flavored chicken sticks marketed as grab-and-go breakfast items, are evidence that chicken is expanding into new dayparts and consumption occasions.
"Opportunity is just really booming with the new innovations that are happening. With snack and convenience, but chicken again has always been such an approachable item. I think this is chicken's time to shine," she said.
Despite the opportunity, Mitchell cautioned the industry against overprocessing new product formats. She described an emerging risk she calls "protein washing," a parallel to greenwashing, where heavily processed products undermine the clean-label credibility that makes chicken compelling in the first place.