Canning Chicken

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5 from 1 vote

Home-canned chicken allows you to preserve chicken right on the pantry shelf and makes for quick meals later on.

Prep Time1

Cook Time1

Canning Time1 30

Total Time3 30

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Chicken Tacos

Servings: Yield Varies, see notes

Author: Ashley Adamant

Equipment

Ingredients

Chicken
Chicken Broth
Salt optional

Instructions

Start by preparing the chicken. If starting with whole birds, part the birds into whatever pieces you desire and save the carcasses for making broth. Roast the carcasses and make a chicken broth for canning, or start with prepared chicken broth and pre-cut chicken pieces. Chicken may be canned boneless or bone-in, with or without skin, and in large pieces or small chunks, based on your preference.
Preheat your pressure canner and prepare your jars/lids/rings.
Brown the chicken in a bit of oil on all sides and then pack into prepared canning jars, leaving 1 1/4 inch headspace.
Add salt, if desired. The recommended amount is 1 tsp per quart or 1/2 tsp per pint. Adjust to your tastes, or omit.
Cover the chicken in boiling chicken broth (or water), still maintaining 1 1/4 inch headspace. Adjust pieces to be below the liquid line and de bubble jars. Adjust headspace if necessary.
Wipe jar rims to remove any oil and seal jar to finger tight with 2 part canning lids.
Load the canning jars into the pressure canner, packing it according to the manufacturer's directions.
Close the lid on the pressure canner, but don't start bringing it up to pressure yet. Turn up the heat and allow the canner to vent steam for a full 10 minutes to ensure that the chamber is completely full of steam before sealing the canner completely and bringing it up to pressure.
Canning pressure depends on altitude and the type of canner used. See notes below for specifics.
Once at the specified pressure, start the timer. Canning times are as follows: For Boneless chicken (raw or hot pack), process jars at pressure for 75 minutes for pints and 90 minutes for quarts. For bone-in chicken (raw or hot pack), process jars for 65 minutes for pints and 75 minutes for quarts.
Once the canning time is complete, turn off the heat and allow the canner to cool completely before removing the jars.
Check seals, and store any unsealed jars in the refrigerator for immediate use.
Properly canned and sealed jars will maintain peak quality on the pantry shelf for 12 to 18 months after canning. Remove bands for storage. Refrigerate after opening.

Notes

Whole roasted chicken or leftover chicken - Instead of browning individual chicken pieces, you can also roast the chicken whole in an oven until it's done enough to pick from the bones. Pick the chicken and pack it into jars and then proceed as you otherwise would.

Salt - The salt is optional, and not required for preservation. It improves flavor and texture when canning chicken.

Water or Broth - Water or chicken broth are both acceptable canning liquids, but I'd recommend chicken broth for the best flavor.

Raw Pack v. Hot Pack - I've given instructions for hot pack because it results in much higher quality canned chicken, and it stores better. If you'd like to do raw pack, simply pack the chicken into jars without liquid leaving 1 1/4 inch headspace. Seal jars and process as you would hot pack chicken. No liquid is added to the raw pack since the chicken will release its own juices during canning.

Canning Pressures - The proper canning pressure to use varies based on your elevation and the type of canner you're using:

For Dial Gauge Pressure Canners (presto brand, etc):

For 0 to 2,000 feet in elevation, use 11 pounds of pressure
For 2,001 to 4,000 feet in elevation, use 12 pounds of pressure
For 4,001 to 6,000 feet in elevation, use 13 pounds of pressure
For 6,001 to 8,000 feet in elevation, use 14 pounds of pressure
Above 8,000 feet in elevation, use 15 pounds of pressure

For Weighted Gauge Pressure Canners (All American Brand, etc):

For 0 to 1,000 feet in elevation, use 10 pounds of pressure
Above 1,000 feet in elevation, use 15 pounds of pressure

Nutrition