High-Protein Foods That Aren't Chicken

There’s a moment in every protein-focused diet when you look at yet another plain chicken breast and think: I can’t do this again.

You start adding sauces to get it down. Sweet chilli. Peri-peri. Anything. The chicken becomes a vehicle for the sauce, and dinner becomes a duty.

If that sounds familiar, the good news is that chicken is far from the only way to hit your protein. Here’s how fifteen alternatives compare, at a glance.

Protein per 100g: how the swaps compare
Grilled chicken breast has around 32g of protein per 100g, which is why it’s so popular. Here’s how everything else stacks up.

Notice the bar at the top? We’ll come back to that.

The quick version, by food group

What 20g of protein actually looks like
Per 100g is useful, but nobody eats 100g of almonds. This is roughly how much of each food gives you 20g of protein, about what many people aim for in a meal.

Some foods need a big bowl to get there. Others need a spoonful. Which would you rather fit into a busy day?

The one you might not expect
One 10g tablespoon of Pure Beef contains 9.6g of protein. That’s 96% protein by weight. Gram for gram, that’s three times the protein of chicken breast, because the water has been removed.

As a top-up, it’s hard to beat: a spoonful in your coffee, a smoothie or a pasta sauce, and you’ve added nearly 10g of protein without eating another chicken breast.

A note on mince
A common misunderstanding: 500g of beef mince doesn’t contain 500g of protein. Raw meat is mostly water, plus some fat. Lean beef mince has around 20g of protein per 100g, so a 500g pack gives you roughly 100g of protein, shared across however many plates you serve.

Once you see it laid out, protein planning becomes much less of a guessing game.

If you’d rather skip meat altogether
Lots of people looking for protein are trying to eat less meat. Dairy, eggs, tofu, lentils, chickpeas and nuts will get you a long way, especially if you have a little protein at every meal rather than saving it all for dinner.

Five ways to break the chicken rut

• Rotate your proteins. Chicken Monday, fish Tuesday, lentils Wednesday. Variety keeps meals interesting.
• Cook with flavour, not just sauce. Cook rice and grains in Pure Chicken or Beef Marrow instead of water.
• Use tinned fish. Tuna, salmon and sardines are cheap, quick and protein-rich.
• Add, don’t replace. A spoonful of Pure Beef in your bolognese adds protein without changing the dish.
• Snack smarter. A mug of broth, a boiled egg or some cottage cheese bridges the gap between meals.

Questions people ask

What has more protein than chicken?
Gram for gram, our Pure Beef bone broth powder has three times the protein of chicken breast: 96% protein against around 32%. Lean beef, pork and lamb come close to chicken too.

What’s a good vegetarian alternative to chicken for protein?
Tofu, lentils, chickpeas, Greek yoghurt, cottage cheese and eggs are all good options.

Can bone broth replace meat?
It’s the easiest protein top-up there is, and it works brilliantly alongside meat, fish, eggs and pulses.

The easiest protein top-up
Pure Beef is 96% protein: 9.6g in every 10g tablespoon. It’s neutral in flavour, made from grass-fed beef and has no salt added, so it fits into almost anything you’re already cooking.

Shop Pure Beef →

Related Reading

• High-protein savoury snacks that aren’t another protein bar
• High-protein breakfast ideas without eggs
• How much protein do I need a day?

Sources & Further Reading

• British Nutrition Foundation: Protein
• NHS: The Eatwell Guide
• Mamerow et al. (2014). Dietary protein distribution positively influences 24-h muscle protein synthesis in healthy adults. Journal of Nutrition