Chicken canning is something you can do right in your own kitchen. It’s a great way to make sure you have food on hand in the case of a power outage or a different situation that leaves you needing to get creative for your meals.
Why Canning Chicken Recipes Are Ideal
Canning chicken is ideal for several reasons. One reason is that you always have it in case the power goes out. It’s also great for quick and easy meals.
If you keep a lot of food in the freezer, canning chickens also saves some space.
Canned chicken is a great source of lean protein, vitamin B, vitamin D, calcium, zinc, and iron. Canning chicken also keeps the chicken healthy and tasty.
There are also plenty of different spice blends to choose from to pre-flavor the meat so that it has some extra flavor.
Types Of Chicken For Canning
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts.
- Boneless chicken thighs.
- Chicken thighs with bones. Bone-in thighs tend to be cheaper than boneless thighs.
How To Can Chicken Step-By-Step Guide
Canning Chicken Supplies
Before you start canning chicken, you need to make sure you have a pressure canner. You also want to have canning jars, lids, and rings close by.
Next, you want to make sure that you have the necessary canning utensils before you begin the canning chicken process.
Lastly, you need the chicken. If you want to add in flavor, salt is a good option as well.
For the jars, you can use either pints or quarts based on the amount of canned chicken you want. If you don’t want leftover chicken and only need the chicken for one meal, pint-sized jars are your best option.
Steps/Instructions
Step One: Prepare the Chicken
There are two ways you can prepare the chicken. You can do the raw pack method, where you put the raw chicken into a jar and process it.
You can also use the hot pack method, where you cook the chicken a little bit and then pack it into jars with some liquid.
You also need to decide if you want to keep the bones in the chicken or take the bones out. This depends on the kind of chicken you are planning on canning.
If you decide to keep the bones in, you need to cut the chicken into pieces in order to make sure those pieces fit into jars. If you use boneless chicken breasts or thighs, you can cut the chicken into cubes before putting the chicken into jars.
Step Two: Prepare Your Pressure Canner.
Fill your pressure canner with several inches of water and turn your stove on low so that the water begins to heat.
Step Three: Pack The Chicken Into Jars.
If you are using the raw pack method, fill the jars with the pieces of chicken and add salt if you want the added flavor. After, top it off with water or hot broth, and make sure to leave 1 inch of headspace at the top.
If you are using the hot pack method, you need to boil, bake or steam the chicken until it is about ⅔ of the way done. Next, you need to fill the jars with the chicken and add salt if desired.
If you are using pint-sized jars, use ½ of a teaspoon of fine sea salt, and if you are using quart-sized jars, 1 teaspoon of salt is needed.
Step Four: Remove Air Bubbles.
Once the chicken is packed into jars, take a plastic knife, butter knife, or a canning utensil to remove any air bubbles in the jars.
Step Five: Affix The Lids.
Once you are reading to put lids on the jars, make sure to wipe the rims of the jars in order to remove any residue. You also want to adjust the lids or rings and process them in a pressure canner.
For jars without bones left in the chicken, you need to process pints for 75 minutes. If you use quart-sized jars, the processing process takes 90 minutes.
For jars with bones left in the chicken, you need to process pints for 65 minutes. If you have quart-sized jars, the processing takes 75 minutes.
For dial-gauge pressure canners, process the jars with 11 pounds of pressure. If you are above 2,000 feet in elevation, use 12 pounds of pressure.
For weighted gauge pressure canners, process jars at 10 pounds pressure. If you are above 1,000 feet in elevation, use 15 pounds of pressure.
20 Chicken Canning Recipes
1. Chicken Noodle Casserole
With your canned chicken you have stored, you can use it to make a chicken noodle casserole dish. The Lazy Dish provides its recipe for making this easy chicken noodle casserole dish.
2. Salsa Ranch Chicken Wrap
If you are looking for something with a bit of a kick, these salsa ranch chicken wraps are filled with flavor and a classic Tex-Mex Taste. Thrifty Frugal Mom provides its recipe for making this simple lunch or snack.
3. Barbeque Chicken Pizza
If you love pizza, you can use canned chicken for this barbeque chicken pizza. You can check out Around The Family Table for the recipe and instructions.
4. Greek Chicken
As you prepare your canned chicken, you can add different ingredients such as dried oregano, dijon mustard, lemon pepper, garlic, salt, and lemon juice to get greek chicken before you put on the lid. Jeni Gough shares her recipe.
5. Chicken Macaroni Salad
If you love chicken salad, trying this chicken macaroni salad is a must. Made with shredded canned chicken, elbow macaroni, celery, mayonnaise, and more.
This Ole Mom shares its recipe for making this delicious and simple chicken pasta salad.
6. Chicken Taco Soup
Swap your usual taco soup recipe for this chicken taco soup. Together As Family provides its recipe for making this 7-can chicken taco soup that’s served with tortilla chips, cheese, and sour cream.
7. Mini Chicken Pot Pies
Chicken pot pies are something that many people enjoy. You can make these yourself with the canned chicken you have stored.
The Lazy Dish provides its recipe for making this classic comfort food.
8. Chicken Enchilada Skillet
If you love one-pot recipes, this chicken enchilada leaves minimal clean-up and results in a dish that bursts with flavor. The Weary Chef provides its recipe for making this quick and easy meal.
9. Chicken Flautas
If you enjoy taquitos, this chicken flautas recipe is one everyone will love. Together As Family provides its recipe for making this chicken flautas dish with shredded lettuce, pico de gallo, and sour cream.
10. Canned Chicken Salad
For a quick and easy meal option, canned chicken salad is a great way to put your canned chicken to use. Honest & Truly provides its recipe for making this dish.
11. Cheesy Chicken Pasta
With red pepper and garlic, shredded cheese, and canned chicken, this cheesy chicken pasta is easy to make and great for when you are running low on time. Inside Bru Crew Life provides its recipe for making this easy pasta that is delicious and tasty.
12. Chicken and Gravy Dinner
With your canned chicken and gravy you made on the stove, you put together a chicken and gravy dinner. Healthy Canning shares its recipe that will leave your home smelling wonderful.
13. Chicken Fried Rice
This chicken fried rice is packed with veggies and full of flavor. It’s also a great way to use some of the items in your fridge or pantry that haven’t been touched in a while.
Mad About Food provides its recipe to make this delicious, comfort food dish.
14. Chicken Quesadilla
If you enjoy a good chicken quesadilla every once in a while, Valentina’s Corner offers us this chicken quesadilla recipe that is not only easy to make but also is made in a different way.
15. Chicken Noodle Soup
You can add your canned chicken to your favorite chicken soup recipe. Around The Family Table provides its recipe and instructions to make this tasty and packed full of flavor chicken noodle soup.
16. Chicken Patties
With your canned chicken and some creamy deal and parmesan batter, you can make these chicken patties that your family will love. Natasha’s Kitchen shares its recipe for making these easy chicken patties or cakes.
17. Cheesy Baked Chicken Nuggets
These low-carb chicken nuggets are healthier than store-bought chicken nuggets and your kids will love them. The Lazy Dish gives its recipe for making this favorite food.
18. Crescent Chicken Roll-Ups
These crescent chicken roll-ups are buttery, flaky, and filled with a savory chicken filling. Favorite Family Recipes provides its recipe for making this quick and easy meal that will leave everyone warning more.
19. Chicken Spaghetti
Chicken spaghetti is a great way you can put your canned chicken to use. A Reinvented Mom shares its recipe for making this easy chicken spaghetti dish that your family and friends will definitely enjoy.
20. Chicken Nacho Dip
If you’re looking for a dip to pair with the bag of chips sitting in your pantry, this chicken nacho dip recipe is a quick and easy way to use some of your canned chicken. Recipes that Crock shares its recipe for making this nacho-inspired appetizer full of flavors.
Chicken Canning Tips
You should pull off the skin and some fat before packing the chicken meat into the jars. The skin can add much more fat to canned meat. Some find that using chicken thighs that still have the bone has much more flavor.
If you worry about the safety of pressure canners, you can look for ones with added safety features. In fact, if you use the Presto Pressure Canner, the canner has a safety feature where if the pressure gets too high.
The vent will start to jiggle signaling that you need to take a look at the canner. There is also a small overpressure plug that will pop out if the pressure ever gets too high.
Can You Use A Water Bath Canner For Canning Chicken?
You do not want to use a water bath canner for canning chicken. Because chicken is a low-acid food, it is necessary that you use a pressure canner for canning chicken.
Using a water bath canner is unsafe.
Can You Eat Raw Chicken?
Canning raw chicken is perfectly safe as long as you follow an approved recipe. You can do it right in your kitchen and if you cook the chicken correctly, it can last for up to a year.
The USDA also requires that any canned chicken is completely cooked so if you’re eating cold-packed or hot-packed chicken, it is fully safe to eat since it's cooked.
Do You Have To Remove The Skin When Canning Chicken?
It is not required to remove the skin of chicken during canning, but it is fine to do so. With chicken legs and wings, it’s especially recommended to not peel the skin.
When it comes to canning chicken breasts and thighs, it is fine to remove the skin from the chicken breasts as it’s not ideal to leave the skin on when canned whole. The breasts could be too big to fit into a jar.
If you have smaller chicken breasts or smaller breast pieces, you might have luck with leaving the skin on and browning it once you take the chicken out of the jar.
How To Store Canned Chicken Recipes
To store canned chicken recipes, keep the chicken in a clean and dry area where the temperature is kept at 75 degrees F or below. You also want to make sure the food is stored away from any chemicals like cleaning supplies or other toxins.
How Long Will Canned Chicken Recipes Last?
If the canned chicken recipe is properly sealed, it can maintain its quality on the shelf for 12 to 18 months for hot packs. On the other hand, if the chicken is raw, the chicken will lose quality in about 6 to 8 months.
You also want to store the jars in a cool and dark location as they can last for a longer period of time.
While the quality of chicken can degrade over time, properly sealed jars of canned chicken that remain sealed will not spoil. It’s recommended to eat any home-canned meat within about a year for the best quality.
How To Tell If Canned Chicken Is Bad Or Spoiled?
The best way to tell if the canned chicken is bad or spoiled is by making observations. You should smell and look at the canned chicken.
If you notice an odd odor, flavor, or appearance, it should be thrown out. In addition, if you notice any mold, the canned chicken should be discarded.
Furthermore, if you see that the cans or pouches are leaking and rusting or the cans are bulging and severely dented, the canned chicken should be thrown out.
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