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The turkey eats, and the chicken clucks. They also look very different, although these two heavy-bodied land-eating birds belong to the same order, Galliformes, and to the same Phasianidae family. But as long as the turkey is of the kind Meleagris, a hen of the genus Gaulwhich includes all jungle birds.
What about eating them? Which meat is more nutritious? When are they interchangeable in food and when not? Why do we eat chicken eggs and not turkeys? We’ll look at the details below!
Comparison of turkey and chicken
| Chicken | Turkey | |
|---|---|---|
| Size and weight | Up to 2.3 ft L, 5.5 lb | 3.3-4.1 ft L, 24 lbs |
| The emergence | Colorful has a wattle and scallop | The dark color has a bright wattle, leash, head and neck without feathers. |
| Source | Southeast Asia | Mexico, North America |
| Taxonomy | Genus Gaul; variety G. gallus domesticus & 5 wild species; 53 recognized breeds and 39 varieties | Genus Meleagris; variety Meleagris gallopavo; 6 wild types of turkey; many varieties, including 9 traditional |
| Flavor and texture | Intense, mild taste, accepting spices well; easy to digest | Dark, juicy, rich taste and texture; unsweetened, lean protein; harder to digest |
| Nutrients | Protein, fat, potassium, calcium | Protein, vitamin B, zinc, selenium, phosphorus |
| Costs | 50 cents per pound live weight | 73 c / lb live weight |
| Commercial use | Cooked in different ways; salads, broths, stews, soups, casseroles, sandwiches, deli meats, minced chicken, alternative to beef burgers | Fried or deep-fried for Thanksgiving and Christmas; delicacies, minced meat, alternative to bacon |
7 main differences between turkey and chicken
Turkey vs chicken: physical characteristics
Turkey and chicken are complete opposites in almost every respect, the main similarity is that they both have earrings with which they remove excess heat. The turkey has dark feathers, a featherless head and neck, and a headband. The chicken has multi-colored feathers, and the male has even more colorful feathers. And when it comes to size, even the smallest turkey easily weighs 10-15 pounds more than even the largest chicken.
Turkey vs chicken: origins
Both of these birds were domesticated and introduced to America, but they originated from countries overseas. The chicken was first domesticated from jungle bird species in Mexico, and the turkey was first domesticated from its forest ancestors in Southeast Asia.
Turkey vs Chicken: Taxonomy
Both feathered creatures have the same order and family, being terrestrial birds with a heavy body. But chicken has been domesticated for much longer and in several countries more than turkey, so Meleagris gallopavo’s the common name is domesticated or wild turkey, and Gallus gallus domesticus this is the scientific name for domesticated chicken only.
Turkey vs chicken: flavor and texture
Differences in taste and texture of the two birds are difficult to describe. However, turkey definitely has a more unique flavor, especially when you consider that it has been less tamed than chicken. There is also the fact that the taste of chicken depends on the breed. While what you find in a typical grocery store will be pretty much everywhere, small farmers have different breeds than large commercial farmers. There are several varieties in Turkey, most of which are classified as traditional, but they are also more common among smallholder farmers. Both breeds changed their main popular commercial type from time to time by substitution or crossbreeding with other breeds.
Turkey vs Chicken: Nutrients
Of the two, turkey is always the leaner white meat, making it a good lean alternative to red meat. Both are high in protein and in roughly equal amounts, and both contain all the essential amino acids. Chicken is slightly higher in calories, fat and cholesterol, but is a good source of B vitamins, phosphorus, niacin, and selenium. Turkey also has it all, plus iron, zinc and riboflavin. Chicken has slightly more potassium and iron, and turkey has slightly more magnesium and phosphorus.
Turkey vs chicken: cost
When comparing the price per pound of poultry in live weight, chicken is 50 cents and turkey is 73 cents. When it comes to shopping at the grocery store, both breasts will always be more expensive than thighs or drumsticks. In addition, turkeys are much larger than chickens, so you will pay more for a whole turkey than for a whole chicken based on both the price difference per pound and because the turkey is heavier than the chicken.
Turkey versus chicken: commercial use
Of course, in some dishes, turkey and chicken can be used interchangeably. But while chicken is ubiquitous, turkey is for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Both go great with savory seasonings, but chicken can take on many other flavors as well. The turkey also takes up more space and feed for raising turkeys than chickens.
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