1 day Ago By [email protected] (Lianna Tedesco)
We may receive a commission on purchases made from links. Canned chicken is a perfectly good alternative to fresh or frozen chicken, and it can often be used in many of the same ways. It's readily available and comes with several options, including white or dark meat, and chunky or fine.
The versatility of canned chicken is what makes it a star ingredient in many dishes, and there are some excellent ways you can upgrade it to make it even more delicious. The right marinade, spice, or cooking method can turn canned chicken into the star of a Caesar salad or even a spicy Buffalo chicken dip for parties. Knowing the proper ways to heat or prep canned chicken goes a long way in transforming the product as a whole.
You might think canned meat is limiting, but it's quite the opposite. With just a little creative effort, you'll be wondering why you weren't opting for canned chicken over raw from the start. 1.
Steam it to add moisture Canned chicken meat is usually packed in water, which is essentially a broth. Once this is removed and heat is added, the meat can become a bit dried out. The best way to counteract this and add more moisture is by steaming it, which allows you to heat it without losing any of its texture.
Steaming canned chicken makes it even juicier than it was to begin with, often giving it a better flavor than roasted or pan-fried chicken. Steaming is also one of the healthiest cooking methods, as it eliminates the need for high temperatures, oil, or butter. No calories are lost or added during the steaming process, but it still results in tender, melt-in-your-mouth chicken.
Steam might not seem like an ingredient, but in this case, it's one that deserves some attention. A steamer basket like this one , double boiler, or simply a microwave-safe container with a little water is all you need for this upgrade. 2.
Use infused oils to add flavor Using infused olive oils is the easiest way to impart deep flavors into your foods quickly. You can infuse oil yourself with fresh herbs or spices , or scour your local gourmet store for the perfect bottle. These oils are typically used for finishing dishes, mainly because heat from cooking can distort or dilute the flavor of the herbs.
However, that makes them the perfect thing to add to a can of chicken since it doesn't require any cooking prior to consuming. This works especially well in recipes where olive oil is already part of the dish, like salads and pastas. Just as albacore tuna always tastes better when it's canned in olive oil, canned chicken takes on the same richness when infused oil is added.
It's the perfect blank canvas for oils that are infused with garlic, various fresh herbs like rosemary or thyme, or even hot pepper if you want a kick. The bonus? You'll be adding even more moisture, which is a win-win for canned chicken. 3.
Add layers of seasoning with spices Spices are another great way to add flavor to canned chicken with minimal effort. In fact, any spice you would use to season fresh, raw chicken with works just as well on poultry that comes in a can. Salt should be used sparingly, but cracked black pepper is fair game when it comes to simple spices.
To elevate canned chicken even further, you can go the Southwest route and add cumin, ancho chili powder, and paprika to make an easy and tasty baked Buffalo dip . Or, you could add some French flair and sprinkle in some herbs de Provence, or a little thyme, rosemary, and sage for a more classic chicken flavor in some delicious crispy chicken patties . Adding spices to chicken straight out of the can allows it to develop a flavor profile early on, making it the star of the dish rather than just a cheap ingredient from a can.
As long as your seasoning to chicken ratio is on point, you'll never tell the difference between canned chicken and fresh. 4. Marinate it before serving Marinades and dressings can be used for more than just tenderizing and adding seasoning raw meat; they can also infuse canned chicken with plenty of flavor.
It's a simple, yet effective, way to transform this meat into something truly amazing. You can make a marinade yourself, or simply grab a premade version from the store – one of our favorites is Brianna's Roasted Garlic and Herb . Asian-style marinades pack a punch with soy, ginger, and garlic, and can be pepped up with some fresh scallions and sesame seeds.
Alternatively, a bottle of Italian dressing can be used to add zest and zing, mimicking antipasto salad. Dressings also double as a sauce that can be used in the final dish like this Strawberry Spinach Salad , or use a leftover Tex-Mex marinade over the top of this Chicken, Chipotle, and Avocado bowl . 5.
Add feta and some Mediterranean flavor It might seem counterintuitive to take a salty canned chicken and add more salt to it in the form of feta, but doing so actually builds more flavor. In fact, you can treat the canned meat just like you would leftover rotisserie chicken and give it a full Mediterranean transformation . Crumbled feta practically melts into the canned chicken, giving the final dish a creaminess and slight tang.
Add freshness and vibrancy with some Mediterranean herbs, like oregano, lemon, garlic, dill, and this chicken mixture is the perfect base for gyros or Greek salad. Since canned chicken is shredded, it can't be turned into a kebab like whole pieces of chicken. However, you can use this mix of canned chicken, feta, and Mediterranean spices to make Greek-style chicken patties.
You can also swap out the marinara sauce in this chicken meatballs recipe with your favorite Greek dressing, like Christo's Yasou! , for a unique and tasty Mediterranean spin of a classic. 6. Mix in the right flavors to turn boring lunches into something you crave Forget about a boring lunch of basic chicken salad or, worse, simply cracking open a can of chicken and just eating it right out of the can with crackers.
By simply putting together the right mix you can have a delicious lunch that you actually look forward to each day. One simple upgrade to your midday meal is a flavor-packed chicken taco bowl. Drain your canned chicken (and rinse it if you like), then sprinkle on a little cumin, paprika, and ancho chili powder, drizzle sriracha mayo over the top, and mix it together.
Spoon some rice into each one of your lunch containers, then scoop out a serving of your chicken taco mixture. You can eat it with a fork, or roll it up in a tortilla when the lunch bell rings. Asian-inspired chicken bowls are another delicious option for upgrading the meal inside your lunchbox.
Mix canned chicken with teriyaki sauce, freshly-grated ginger, and a little lime zest, and serve it with celery for a crunchy contrast. Tasty and satisfying lunches like these will get you through the rest of the work day with ease. 7.
Give it some smoky flavor Smoky flavor might seem like a gastronomical pipe dream, but it's an out-of-the-box upgrade for canned chicken. You don't need to aim high with smoked wood chips under a glass cloche (although it would be impressive), because starting small with smoked spices adds plenty of flavor. Smoked paprika is a way to gently ease into that smokiness without becoming overwhelming.
A little goes a long way, and it's the perfect way to amp up that flavor with the additional warmth paprika is known for. If you want that smoky flavor to seep into every recess of your palette, smoked salt is a unique alternative to smoked spices. This salt is commonly used on steak and grilled chicken, but it will seriously boost the flavor of canned chicken as well.
It's a great way to incorporate that fresh-off-the-grill flavor without having to put in any grilling effort at all. This does come with a strong word of caution, however, since canned chicken is already salty: It's a good idea to rinse the meat before adding more salt. 8.
Lean into its umami notes by adding stir-fry flavors If you feel like your canned chicken is a little on the bland side, using it in stir-fry can help jazz it up. An easy chicken stir-fry recipe like this one uses soy, vinegar, honey, grated ginger, and toasted sesame oil to infuse robust flavor into the meat and veggies. As it cooks, this umami-loaded mixture will reduce down and create a bold sauce that gets into all the crevices of your shredded chicken.
White meat like chicken showcases Asian flavors the best because they lack some flavor on their own. Since canned chicken is more porous than raw or frozen chicken, it tends to soak up liquids like soy and vinegar much easier. This helps to create a well-balanced dish that has depth, versus a stir-fry that has large chunks of meat with sauce sitting on top.
9. Add some acidity to balance it out Lemon juice is the great equalizer: it balances out foods and drinks that are too spicy, tenderizes meat, and adds freshness to dishes that are otherwise boring. It's also a beautiful addition to chicken, especially when it's in canned form.
Lemon juice is two-fold: It adds brightness to a dish, but also cuts down on salty flavors, two things canned chicken could benefit from. A squeeze of fresh lemon juice is sometimes the only upgrade you need, especially if you're adding canned chicken to a salad or pasta dish. Lemon juice can also balance the richness of canned chicken , leading to a more robust flavor.
The acidity can even tenderize the meat ever so slightly, which is always a pro when it comes to precooked meat. What you'll be left with is flavor-packed chicken that's perfect for a fresh lunch, like this marinated zucchini chicken salad with Marcona almonds . 10.
A pinch of tarragon gives it that slow-cooked flavor Fresh herbs are always a good idea, even for canned chicken. Aside from the flavor they add, fresh herbs can make a dish taste like it's farm-to-table without any effort at all. This is especially good news when we're dealing with canned chicken, which benefits from a boost of fresh ingredients.
Cilantro, rosemary, thyme, parsley, basil -– the options are endless when it comes to chicken. There's one herb that will totally boost the flavor of this meat, however, and that's tarragon, which is slightly minty and savory. Adding a little chopped tarragon makes canned chicken taste like it was cooked low and slow, eliminating any of the pre-cooked flavor that's often tough to cover.
This herb is also a main ingredient in things like chicken salad and roast chicken, and its versatility knows no bounds in terms of hot versus cold dishes. Dried tarragon will work in a pinch, but fresh will give the kind of elevation canned chicken needs. 11.
Give it a boost with broth The thing about canned chicken is that many people don't realize they're actually getting two ingredients for the low price of one. Canned chicken comes packed in brine, which is liquid gold in regard to flavor. The chicken sits in this liquid until it's opened, meaning all of that brine absorbs the flavor of the chicken.
It becomes a natural broth that is perfectly usable as its own built-in upgrade for canned chicken. This is where everything comes full circle. You can use the broth to steam the chicken as an extra flavorful upgrade, or add the broth to the chicken if you're using it in a soup or stew.
If you refrigerate the broth, you can use the solidified fat that forms at the top as an alternative to butter when pan-frying the chicken. Any of these upgrades will boost that chicken flavor, making a tiny can of chicken tastier than it would have been if you'd drained that liquid from the start..
