I still think having Nutrient rich Blood while the Target Muscle is Pumped accelerates growth and recovery....
Save your chicken for 2 hours later! IMO
The lone exception being protein being necessary post workout if your last meal was 4 or more hours ago.
As far as post cardio goes, I'd still opt for protein. The research shows that the source of protein has very minimal impact on body composition, so if you want chicken instead of whey, go for it.
At the end of the day, total daily calories is the most important thing.