Quail eggs and chicken eggs - what is the difference?

Quail eggs are becoming more and more popular and have gone from haute cuisine kitchens to your home of a lifetime. But what exactly are they? Other than that, obviously, they come from quail.

How do quail eggs compare to regular chicken eggs? That’s an excellent question (sorry! We had to make a pun on eggs). But it’s a very good question. Are these eggs worth it?

What is the difference between quail eggs and chicken eggs? Quail eggs and chicken eggs basically taste the same, have the same texture, and can be prepared and cooked in virtually the same ways. The biggest difference and what makes quail eggs so “special” is their size. Quail eggs are much smaller and much more visually interesting.

Today we will look at all the differences between quail eggs and good old chicken eggs.

We will not only talk about their physical characteristics, but we will also see how they are prepared, how they work in the kitchen, where you can use them, and we will even compare their nutritional content!

Have you been excited about eggs yet? Sorry, it’s the last one, we promise!

What is a quail egg?

Quail eggs are laid by quail, a small type of game bird that belongs to the pheasant family.

There are more than 15 species of quail, the most common being the European quail (also called the common quail). This particular quail is the most used to produce quail eggs.

You can find quail eggs of specific species; however, it is very difficult and will also cost quite a bit of money.

The quail eggs you find in the store (if any) are most likely labeled as European quail eggs or simply quail eggs . You may find Japanese quail eggs, which are becoming more and more popular.

Characteristics of quail eggs

The eggs produced by quail are naturally very small (considering that the bird itself is also small in stature).

Eggs average about 35 mm in length and 27 mm in diameter. Unlike chicken eggs, the quail egg industry has not yet reached a point where eggs are graded by size.

Right now, when a recipe calls for a quail egg, it usually means any quail egg of any shape or size.

The eggs vary in color, but are usually some shade of white , brown, or even gray. All quail eggs are speckled, making them immediately and easily recognizable.

As for the taste and texture of quail eggs, they are pretty much the same as regular chicken eggs.

In their raw form, they are made up of egg yolk and white that can be used in a similar way to normal chicken eggs.

When cooked, the yolk and white solidify and are eaten in the same way. What is noticeably different is, again, the size of the eggs. Because they are smaller, people tend to consume many more quail eggs at one time.

Preparation of quail eggs

Luckily, quail eggs work pretty much the same as regular chicken eggs, only they’re much smaller. However, there is one thing that makes them more difficult to use, and that is their shell, which is very small and very fragile.

Now, obviously, if you plan to boil the eggs, you don’t have to worry too much about the shell cracking and breaking into little pieces.

However, if you only want to use the inside to make fried eggs or in a recipe, you’ll need to be more careful when opening them.

We have found that the best way to crack a quail egg without breaking it completely is to use a sharp, serrated knife and gently “saw” the side of the shell.

This will help you get a clean cut and prevent any bits of shell from falling into the eggs.

You can also get tiny quail egg scissors that apply pressure to a point that allows you to make a clean cut or tear. These scissors are also sometimes called pigeon egg (another type of tiny egg) scissors.

Quail egg cooking techniques

Quail eggs are surprisingly versatile, but again, their size drastically limits their use. Everything you can do with regular eggs you can do with quail eggs, you just need a lot more!

If you’re looking for ways to use quail eggs as is, you can boil them, pan fry them, scramble quail eggs, and even poach them.

And, just like with chicken eggs, you can also control the degree of doneness. If you want to make soft poached quail eggs, just poach them for less time. The same goes for soft, medium, or hard-boiled eggs.

Not cooking them at all is also a very popular way to use these little eggs, even more popular than raw chicken eggs.

This is because, for once, your size counts in your favor. They are a great complement to tiny steak tartare or sushi, as there is less chance of salmonella being present on the eggs themselves.

You can also make pickled eggs, which involves placing boiled quail eggs into a vinegar solution and letting them cure for a couple of days. This is considered a delicacy in some countries.

And last but not least, quail eggs can also be used in the pastry kitchen. You can beat the egg whites for cakes, batters, or to make meringue. You can use the yolk as part of the egg wash to help add color to pies and crusts.

And you can incorporate whole quail eggs into recipes to act as enriching and binding ingredients.

Quail Egg Nutrition

Nutrition, especially when it comes to a protein source like eggs, is very important and a great way to determine if these little eggs fit into your diet.

Naturally, it is difficult to compare a tiny quail egg with a (much larger) chicken egg. So the best way to do this is to compare nutrition information based on an equal amount of each by weight.

We’ve included a table below to better show how quail eggs compare to regular chicken eggs.

First of all, quail eggs are slightly more caloric than chicken ones. And, to be short and not so boring, they are basically higher in everything compared to chicken eggs.

This includes that they are slightly higher in protein, fat, cholesterol, vitamins and minerals.

They are definitely more nutritious options, but since the changes are almost minute, the only way you can make a long-term difference is if you eat quail eggs instead of chicken eggs exclusively.

And with that being said, the amount of quail eggs you need to consume and the price you’re going to pay for them is hardly worth it. We would say quail eggs are definitely more of a specialty ingredient than an everyday one.

Uses of quail eggs

We have already talked about some ways to cook and use quail eggs in the kitchen, but what dishes can actually be made with quail eggs? Here are some traditional and very popular quail egg dishes that you must try.

• Kwek-kwek is a very popular quail egg dish in the Philippines. It is made with a boiled egg dipped in an orange-colored batter, which is then skewered and deep-fried.
• Serve the raw quail egg on top of the sushi (preferably raw fish like tuna or salmon).
• Scottish quail eggs
• Grilled quail eggs
• Pickled or smoked quail eggs
• Quail Egg Wontons

What is a chicken egg?

Obviously, everyone is more familiar with chicken eggs, but we might have a fact or two that you might like!

Chicken eggs are laid by, you guessed it, chickens. It’s impossible to say exactly which type of hen is most often used to produce chicken eggs, and it totally depends on where you are in the world.

What we can say is that some of these breeds are the white leghorns, the golden or hybrid lines, the Sussexes and the Plymouth Rocks.

In the UK alone, over 34 million eggs are used every day! It’s crazy, right? Some breeds of chickens can produce more than 300 eggs per year (per hen).

Characteristics of chicken eggs

Chicken eggs are almost always brown (or a shade of brown), but some species produce white eggs.

In any case, since chicken eggs are the most produced and consumed worldwide, there are various standardized sizes available on the market.

The size is mainly determined by the breed of the hen, the diet of the hen and even the living conditions.

These are the most common sizes of chicken eggs that you will find on the market. These weights are the minimum a dozen eggs of that size (combined) should weigh.

• Peewee Eggs; 15 ounces
• small eggs; 18 ounces
• Medium eggs; 21 ounces
• Big eggs; 24 ounces
• Extra large eggs; 27 ounces
• jumbo eggs; 30 ounces

As for the taste of eggs, well, we all know what eggs taste like. But, to put it in perspective, they taste slightly more eggy than quail eggs, but less intense than duck eggs.

Preparation of chicken eggs

The preparation of chicken eggs is much easier than that of quail eggs. Its shell is much harder and does not break as easily.

It also doesn’t break into a million little pieces, so even if you have to fish a piece or two out of a bowl, it won’t take long.

Chicken eggs can be boiled whole with the shell. After boiling, the skin can be removed and discarded.

A good trick for peeling a boiled egg is to tap the top and bottom of the egg to break it, and use a spoon to help peel the entire shell in one go.

You can also break the shell using a sharp edge like a table, the corner of a bowl, or even a knife.

We like to crack the eggs by hitting two of them against each other. Only one is broken at a time, allowing you to work with less material on the table.

How to use chicken eggs in the kitchen

There are a thousand ways to cook an egg, and then you can add a thousand more! Chicken eggs have arguably paved the way for every other egg cooking technique.

And because they are larger, they also have other very useful functions.

Some special uses for eggs are to act as binding ingredients. This is true when they are used to help break up foods, or when incorporated into doughs, cakes, and other baked goods.

Eggs also help enrich products and add colour, flavor and nutrients that few other ingredients can compete with. Plus, you can easily add them to smoothies for an extra protein boost!

Chicken Egg Nutrition

As we have mentioned before, quail eggs are much more nutritious than chicken eggs. But the only advantage we think chicken eggs have over quail eggs is their size.

You need far fewer chicken eggs (in number) to get the same amount of nutrients that nearly 5 quail eggs provide.

Plus, chicken eggs are cheaper, making them an easy choice when you have quantity to consider.

Chicken eggs remain an excellent source of protein, fat, vitamins and minerals.

What is the difference?

Although the differences are quite obvious, to summarize again, the size and appearance is the most noticeable difference between quail and chicken eggs. Chicken eggs are about 3 times larger than a quail egg.

A large chicken egg (which is the standard for recipes) measures 62mm in length and 43mm in diameter. This compares to a quail egg measuring 35mm in length and 27mm in diameter. 

Chicken eggs also have some shade of brown and can also be found in white. Quail eggs are shades of brown, white, and gray, with noticeable dark flecks.

In terms of nutrition by weight, 100 grams of quail eggs are more nutritious than 100 grams of chicken eggs. However, since quail eggs are smaller, you would need many more to get the same amount of nutrients.

And because they’re rarer, they cost more, making them more suitable as a special ingredient than an everyday ingredient.

Both eggs can be prepared in the same way, but quail eggs have more fragile shells and require care when opening them.

You can buy pigeon or quail egg scissors to help you, or use a serrated knife to open them without breaking the shell.

And lastly, when it comes to using these eggs, it all comes down to whether you’re willing to put in the money and effort.

Preparing a hundred quail eggs to make meringue is going to take a considerable amount of time compared to cracking a few chicken eggs.

Other than that, they are pretty much the same in terms of texture, flavor, function, and how to cook them.