Cooking Guide

The Ultimate Showdown: Bean Vs Chicken – Find Out Which One Is The Winner!

Chicken and beans have always been known as great sources of protein as well as other vitamins and minerals.

Why trust me?

I'm an experienced food writer and passionate cook. My website, Cookindocs.com, features accessible, informative, and engaging content with quality recipes and articles that are thoroughly researched and enjoyable to read. You can trust my expertise with 8 years of experience in the field. Learn more about me and my work on this website, and check out my featured articles on TastingTable, Mashed, and 5-Minute Crafts. Read more about me HERE.

However, it is obvious that they are completely different from each other as one is meat and the other is a vegan ingredient.

So what will be a better choice for you and can we interchange them in cooking?

Let’s unravel these questions by reading our article below.

What are beans?

[amazon fields=”B09BD7LN1M” value=”thumb” image=”1″ image_size=”large” image_align=”center”]

[amazon fields=”B09BD7LN1M” value=”button”]

Beans belong to the family Fabaceae which also includes other plants like peas or peanuts that produce seeds inside pods.

They are a type of legume vegetables that are a staple in many traditional cuisines all over the world.

Beans are one of the oldest cultivated crops, dating back thousands of years ago.

They provide a rich source of vegan protein and nutrition at a low cost and don’t require much water or fertilizer like corn or soybeans.

Beans are great to add to your diet, especially those who want to lose some weight because they still offer you sufficient energy, fiber, iron, and vitamins while being low in fat and contain no cholesterol.

They also reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke, cancer, or kidney stones.

The taste of beans varies slightly between each kind of bean (red beans, black beans, black-eyed peas, kidney beans, lima beans, or pinto beans).

However, in general, they have a mildly sweet, nutty, and rich taste.

What is chicken?

[amazon fields=”B07D76JTF4″ value=”thumb” image=”1″ image_size=”large” image_align=”center”]

[amazon fields=”B07D76JTF4″ value=”button”]

Chicken is a popular food and one of the top choices of meat in many cuisines.

Chicken can come from any breed of poultry with a slight difference in their tastes and textures.

However, chicken is generally tender and mildly sweet.

One of the reasons why people tend to prefer chicken over red meat is that poultry meat contains less saturated fat and cholesterol.

Which are the main enemy of our heart disease, stroke, diabetes, or even cancer.

While still provide us with sufficient protein and many essential nutrients like phosphorus, potassium, folate, selenium, vitamin B12, vitamin B6, iron, zinc, copper, and niacin.

Chicken is also favored because of its versatility.

It can be cooked in different ways, such as deep-frying, baking, grilling, roasting, broiling, steaming, braising, or boiling.

The resulting dish works well with different kinds of side dishes like salads, rice, pasta, or toast and sauces like chili sauce, cheese sauce, mayo, or ketchup.

What are the differences between beans vs chicken?

Beans and chicken are obviously two separated things with numerous differences in many criteria.

The comparison table below will break down these differences into pieces so that you can easily compare these two staple ingredients:

 ComparisonBeansChicken
TypeThe seeds of flowering plant family FabaceaeThe meat of any breed of chicken
AppearanceSmall (about three to eight inches), flat or round, various colors (green, red, yellow, purple, black)Mostly light pink flesh, bright yellow skin (except for black chicken that is solid black from the inside out)
TextureGrainy, hard when raw, and soft when cookedSoft when touched, tender if properly cooked
TasteNutty, earthyMeaty, mildly sweet
Nutrient valueHigher in fiber, have no fat, sodium, and cholesterolHigher in protein
Common useSimmered, fried, bakedFried, baked, roasted, grilled, boiled, steamed, braised, broiled
Cooking timeLongerShorter
CostCheaperMore expensive

What are the similarities between beans vs chicken?

Despite many differences between beans and chicken, these two cooking ingredients also share many similarities, as listed below:

1.    Beans and chicken are rich sources of protein and nutrients

Beans and chicken are both healthy for us.

They are rich sources of protein and many essential nutrients like potassium, B-vitamins, folate, magnesium, and phosphorus.

These substances can benefit our health in many ways and are especially good for our heart health.

2.    Beans and chicken are both versatile

Another similarity between chicken and beans is that they are both versatile ingredients.

That means you can cook them in different ways, such as boiling, baking, or frying.

3.    Beans and chicken are staples in many cuisines

Beans and chicken also share the popularity.

They are staple ingredients in many kitchens all over the world.

For example, beans and chicken are prominent in South Asian cooking like Indian because pork and beef are forbidden here, Middle Eastern, American, or Mediterranean cuisines.

Which one is better?

Product Comparison[amazon fields=”B07D76JTF4″ value=”title”][amazon fields=”B09BD7LN1M” value=”title”]
Product Image[amazon fields=”B07D76JTF4″ value=”thumb”][amazon fields=”B09BD7LN1M” value=”thumb”]
Latest Price[amazon fields=”B07D76JTF4″ value=”button”][amazon fields=”B09BD7LN1M” value=”button”]

There are many people who prefer to be vegan and they should not feel like their only option for protein is meat.

Beans offer a great alternative that also provides plenty of other vitamins and minerals besides vegan protein while being an affordable food.

So if you’re looking for something different in your diet, beans may be worth considering the next time you go grocery shopping.

You can combine with a lean cut of chicken that is baked or grilled instead of being deep-fried to have a more flavorful meal without sacrificing your health.

Emily W.

Emily Wong is an Asian-American food writer the founder of Cookindocs.com. With nearly 8 years of experience, she has a passion for making cooking accessible to everyone and sharing her personal experiences with food. Emily's vision for Cookindocs.com is to create a community of food lovers who are passionate about cooking, eating, and sharing their experiences with others. Read my story
Back to top button