Tyson vs Great Value Chicken Nuggets: Compared
Side-by-side on protein density, ingredient quality, and Labelgrade. Tyson scores B / 75; Great Value scores C+ / 66. The headline reason: soy protein concentrate as a chicken extender in the Great Value formulation.
The short answer
Tyson Chicken Nuggets contain 14 g of protein per 5-piece serving (15.6 g per 100 g) with a relatively clean wheat-flour breading. Great Value Chicken Nuggets contain 9 g of protein per 4-piece serving (12 g per 100 g) with soy protein concentrate added as an extender and several phosphate additives in the formulation. Both are reasonable convenience proteins; Tyson is more protein-dense and cleaner per serving, while Great Value is typically meaningfully cheaper per ounce.
Side-by-side
| Tyson 29 oz | Great Value 32 oz | |
|---|---|---|
| Labelgrade | B 75 / 100 | C+ 66 / 100 |
| Serving size | 5 pieces (90 g) | 4 pieces (75 g) |
| Protein per serving | 14 g | 9 g |
| Protein per 100 g | 15.6 g | 12.0 g |
| Calories per serving | 270 | 150 |
| Total fat | 17 g | 8 g |
| Sodium per serving | 470 mg | 430 mg |
| Added sugars | 0 g | 0 g |
| Total protein per package | ~126 g (29 oz) | ~108 g (32 oz) |
Where Tyson wins
- Higher protein density. 15.6 g/100 g vs 12.0 g/100 g — Tyson packs about 30% more protein per gram of nuggets.
- Cleaner ingredient list. No soy protein concentrate, no tricalcium phosphate, no sodium phosphate. Tyson's breading is straightforward wheat flour.
- More protein per serving. 14 g vs 9 g — a 55% advantage on per-serving terms.
Where Great Value wins
- Price per ounce. Great Value is typically Walmart's lowest-priced option in the category — usually 20–35% below Tyson on a per-ounce basis at retail.
- Lower calories per serving. 150 vs 270 (mostly because the Great Value serving is smaller).
- Slightly less sodium per serving. 430 mg vs 470 mg.
Who should buy which
Buy Tyson if you care about protein density per gram, want fewer additives, or feed nuggets to people who track macros precisely. The per-serving protein gap and the cleaner formulation matter more than the price difference for these use cases.
Buy Great Value if the per-dollar math dominates — feeding a large household on a tight budget, for example. You're getting less protein per gram, but more nuggets per dollar. The soy protein concentrate is the main concession.
Buy neither if protein efficiency is your only criterion. A pound of plain chicken breast at $4–6 retail delivers roughly 140 g of protein at 31 g/100 g — about double the density of either nugget, with no breading, no oil, no phosphate additives, and no sodium load. The nuggets are convenience foods; treat them that way.
How the Labelgrades were computed
Both scores come from the public formula at /methodology: protein density score (60%) + ingredient quality score (40%). Both products use USDA FoodData Central as the data source (Tyson FDC 2617888, Great Value FDC 2676531).
Frequently Asked Questions
Which has more protein per serving — Tyson or Great Value Chicken Nuggets?
Tyson Chicken Nuggets contain 14 g of protein per 5-piece (90 g) serving; Great Value Chicken Nuggets contain 9 g of protein per 4-piece (75 g) serving. Tyson has 55% more protein per serving.
Which has more protein per 100 g?
Tyson, at 15.6 g of protein per 100 g, versus 12 g per 100 g for Great Value — a 30% difference. The gap is mostly driven by Great Value using soy protein concentrate as a chicken extender, which dilutes the meat content.
Which has cleaner ingredients?
Tyson has a shorter and cleaner ingredient list: real chicken, water, salt, natural flavor, and a wheat-based breading. Great Value adds soy protein concentrate, tricalcium phosphate, and sodium phosphate — additives that don't appear in the Tyson formulation.
Which is cheaper?
Great Value is typically priced 20–35% below Tyson at Walmart on a per-ounce basis (we'll add verified per-gram-protein math once we sample current retail pricing). Even adjusted for the lower protein density, Great Value usually still wins on protein-per-dollar — at the cost of ingredient quality.
Which has more sodium?
Tyson is slightly higher: 470 mg per serving vs Great Value's 430 mg per serving. Per gram of nuggets, the difference is smaller because Great Value's serving is also smaller.
Which is better overall?
It depends on your priorities. Tyson scores higher on Labelgrade (75/100 vs 66/100) because of higher protein density and cleaner ingredients. Great Value scores higher on price-to-volume. For straight protein per dollar, Great Value often wins; for protein per dollar adjusted for ingredient quality, Tyson is the better buy.