I’m sure many of you had a reaction when reading the title “How to Can Chicken”.

For many folks, I’m sure you’re picturing something rubbery, tasteless (or weird tasting), and gelatinous. You’re probably picturing what canned meat from the grocery store looks like.

Canning chicken at home is quite different—and quite good.

Like any frugal millennial, I buy the clearance chicken. I look for the big family size trays of chicken that are on their last sell-by date that the store marks down to 50%. It’s even better if chicken happens to be on sale that week in addition to the 50% markdown, usually resulting in about a 75% discount off normal prices.

In the past, I’d go home, portion the chicken out into little baggies, and throw them all in the freezer. When I needed a chicken breast for dinner, I’d pull out the little baggie and thaw it. Or if I forgot to thaw it, which happened more often than not, I’d force a knife through the frozen chicken to dice it up and then throw it in the pan to cook it.

But as we got more and more into gardening and our freezer space became increasingly limited, it became quite a problem to store all this frozen chicken. And when I finally got a pressure canner, I had opened myself up to other options for food storage by canning chicken. I usually buy the occasional try of chicken I see on sale and throw it in the freezer until I either run out of freezer space or run out of canned chicken, then make it a project to can some more.

Canning chicken is remarkably easy with the proper equipment (namely, a pressure canner), and the result is a fully cooked jar of chicken that’s been marinating in its own juices, ready to throw into the pan for a quick and easy dinner.

While preserving chicken through canning was born out of necessity, it’s quickly become a preference. I only handle raw chicken once while canning them, dinner never takes more than 15 minutes to throw together, and I always have it on hand for when I need it.

The right supplies

While both chicken breasts and chicken thighs are suitable for canning, I’ve seen a handful of folks comment that canned chicken breast is somewhat lacking in flavour, but chicken thighs retain their flavour. As a result, I’ve always canned chicken thighs. Plus, chicken thighs are cheaper and I already mentioned I’m a frugal millennial.

There are also recipes for canning larger pieces of chicken with bones, if you happen to come into whole chickens that need to be preserved.

Beyond the meat, you’ll need canning jars, with lids and rings. My husband and I are not big meat eaters, so we find a half pint / one cup jar of chicken works well for the two of us. But if you’re bigger meat eaters or have a bigger family to feed, you can also can these in pint / two cup jars or quart / one litre jars.

You will need a pressure canner and there is no alternative. Meat cannot be canned in a water bath canner, despite what some may say. Water bath canners do not reach a high enough temperature to kill of botulism or other potentially harmful stuff; rebel canners will often say to boil jars of meat extra long, perhaps a few hours, but that doesn’t change the fact that it does not get hot enough to kill off potentially-deadly botulism. Also, a pressure cooker cannot be used in place of a pressure canner, as the pressure is not as tightly regulated.

If you’re new to pressure canning, this Canning 101 post should get you started. Canning chicken is quite an easy starter recipe.

How to can chicken

You can either hot pack or raw pack chicken. I quite like the raw pack method because there are fewer steps involved. (This recipe is only for the raw pack method of boneless skinless chicken; you are able to can chicken with bones but the process is a little different.)

To start, ensure your chicken is fully thawed. If any parts are frozen, it may prevent the jars from reaching the full necessary temperature. Cut the chicken into one-inch cubes or smaller, trimming off any fat and gristle.

Pack the chicken into jars, leaving a one-and-a-quarter-inch headspace. If you would like, you can also add water or chicken broth, keeping to that one-and-a-quarter-inch headspace. I generally do not, because the chicken releases juices to fill the jar.

Also optional, top off each jar with a bit of salt. If you’re watching your salt, you can definitely skip this. However, adding a bit of salt will help with the flavour of the final product.

When the chicken is in the jars, wipe the rims with a paper towel wetted with vinegar. Then screw on the two part lids to fingertip tightness.

Process in a pressure canner, as per your pressure canner’s directions. For pints and smaller, process for 75 minutes. For quart sizes, process for 90 minutes.

Once canner has depressurized and it is safe to open, as per your canner’s instructions, transfer jars to a thick towel on a counter or table and allow to fully cool overnight. In the morning, check that the jars have sealed (with a depressed lid); sealed jars can be stored for about a year. If any jars did not seal, store them in the fridge and use them promptly.

How to use canned chicken

I find canned chicken a great on-hand dinner solution. I cook up the veggies and sauce—or whatever it is I’m making—and then dump in a jar of canned chicken. It usually comes out as a clump, so I have to gently break it up with a spoon, fork, or spatula. However, you’ll want to be gentle with it because it is so tender it will completely fall apart like finely shredded chicken.

It’s perfect for those evenings where I want to make dinner at home but don’t have energy for anything fancy—just throw it in the pan with other ingredients and it’s good to go!