The Difference Between Mutton And Chicken: A Comprehensive Guide

Every home cook is always on the hunt for a new recipe so that their families won’t get bored of the same dish.

In this article, we are going to compare mutton and chicken which are the two popular types of meat to see how they differ from each other and which one is the best for your family meal.

Let’s get started!

What is mutton?

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Many people often confuse the three terms mutton, lamb, or hogget because they all refer to sheep meat.

In fact, lamb comes from a sheep that is younger than one year old, hogget means sheep meat in its second year, and mutton is the meat from the older sheep (more than two years old).

In some parts like South Asia and the Caribbean, mutton is actually considered goat meat.

However, in this case, we would like to talk about mutton meat from more than two-year-old sheep.

The older the animal is, the tougher the meat is.

Therefore, mutton is typically chewier than tender lamb.

Mutton is considered a type of red meat, like beef or pork, therefore, it is relatively high in saturated fat, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fats.

It is also an excellent source of protein, iron, zinc, and vitamin B12.

Mutton has a taste that resembles beef, pork, and duck.

It is stronger in flavor when the sheep gets older and usually gamey.

To tenderize mutton, it is usually stewed, or slow-roasted in an oven with wine or broth.

Mutton goes great in pies, curries, soups, stews, and more.

What is chicken?

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Chicken is meat from a species of poultry.

However, it can come from any kind of chicken breed, such as Plymouth Rock, Leghorn, Orpington, Brahma, or Indian Game to name a few.

The taste and texture of chicken can vary depending on the breed and how it is raised, but not significantly different.

Chicken is considered white meat, which is a healthier alternative for red meat because it is lower in saturated fat and cholesterol.

It also provides us with other essential nutrients like vitamin B6, vitamin B12, phosphorus, selenium, magnesium, folate, fatty acids, copper, and zinc.

Chicken is a versatile type of meat that can be cooked in plenty of ways depending on what cut you have.

For example, individual cuts like chicken wings, chicken breasts, chicken thighs, or chicken drumsticks can be grilled, baked, or breaded and deep-fried.

Meanwhile, the whole chicken is perfect for stuffing and roasting.

What are the differences between mutton vs chicken?

It is obvious that mutton and chicken are two different things, but how different are they? Let’s figure it out in the comparison table below:

Comparison	Mutton	Chicken
Where it comes from	A sheep that is older than two years old	Any breed of chicken at any age
Type	Red meat	White meat
Nutritional content	Richer in iron, zinc, vitamin B12 Higher in saturated fat	Richer in phosphorus, magnesium, selenium, folate, amino acids Lower in fat
Texture	Tougher	Softer
Flavor	Cross between beef and pork, stronger, gamey	Milder, nutty-sweet
Common use	Slow-cooked to tenderize the meat (stewed, slow-roasted)	Baked, roasted, grilled, deep-fried, sauteed, boiled, steamed, broiled,…
Popularity	Less popular, mostly in the Middle East, New Zealand, Australia, India, Africa, and the Caribbean	More popular, can be found in any part of the world

What are the similarities between mutton vs chicken?

Mutton and chicken are two kinds of meat with many differences.

However, there are also some similarities between mutton and chicken, as listed below:

1. Mutton and chicken are nutritious

Mutton and chicken are rich sources of protein and many other essential nutrients like B-vitamins, phosphorus, iron, zinc, and magnesium.

These vitamins and minerals can benefit our health in many ways.

2. They are both delicious in their own ways

Despite the complete difference in the taste of chicken and mutton, both are delicious in their own ways.

You can cook them in numerous dishes, accompanied with rice and vegetables to make your meal more flavorful and nutritious.

Which one is better?

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Hopefully, our analysis has helped you make an informed decision about which type of meat will suit your family best.

In the end, mutton and chicken are both great, in terms of flavor and nutrient value, but they will be even better if you have a proper diet.

We recommend having both kinds of meat occasionally so that your meals won’t be boring and nutritious from different kinds of meat like mutton and chicken.