Is Canned Chicken Healthy? (Or, Should You Stay Away?)

If you look at a can of chicken, you’ll probably think it’s gross. I’d agree.

But, once you drain the liquid, the chicken that remains is just about as healthy as the chicken you’d buy in a supermarket or get from the butcher.

Is canned chicken healthy? Canned chicken provides virtually the same nutrients as unprocessed chicken, but without the effort to prepare it yourself. Canned chicken is an excellent source of protein, and you should be able to minimize the sodium content by rinsing and draining before using.

I know you’re probably wondering who would put canned chicken in a dish.

You’d be surprised!

Just like tuna fish, canned chicken is very versatile.

In this article, I’ll go over:

• What canned chicken is and its nutrition info
• If canned chicken is healthy for you and your precious toddler
• The healthiest canned chicken brands
• How to prepare canned chicken, including whether it’s good straight out of the can
• Canned chicken recipes that’ll knock your socks off

Let’s explore these some more!

What is Canned Chicken?

Canned chicken is less of a “mystery meat” then spam or commercial hot dogs. I can promise you that. It’s even more real than the “meat” at fast food establishments.

The same process that’s applied to can vegetables and fruits is applied to chicken.

Canned chicken comes in a variety of ways:

• Raw, half-cooked, and cooked
• Single servings to whole chickens (it was on Chopped, so it’s legit)
• With or without bones
• Regular or low sodium
• Gluten-free

You don’t get that many options with most kinds of canned food!

Most of all, canned chicken is CONVENIENT.

Using canned chicken can easily save you 10 minutes on your meal prep.

Just make sure to add extra flavor and use it creatively so it doesn’t reminisce canned chicken anymore.

Is it Bad to Eat Canned Chicken?

No, canned chicken isn’t bad for you.

It has slightly elevated levels of:

• Cholesterol
• Sodium

But, unprocessed chicken has the same elevated levels.

You can find lower-sodium options if that’s a concern. And, consume it in a limited capacity if you have high cholesterol.

Canned Chicken Nutrition Info

You may have thought that canned chicken is bad for you.

I don’t blame you!

There are a lot of rumors out there, but I want to dispel this one.

Canned chicken is HEALTHY for you.

Here’s the nutrition info for canned chicken without the broth, courtesy of WebMD’s calorie counter tool.

Canned Chicken

Just like other canned foods, you can also get canned chicken that’s lower in sodium if that’s something you need to watch. Removing the broth will also cut some out.

The cholesterol is high, but the cholesterol content in regular chicken is high, too.

Don’t get wrapped up in the idea that because something is canned, it’s worse for you.

Food’s often canned at peak quality so it can be preserved, just like frozen items.

What are the Chemical Additives in Canned Chicken?

When you check out the nutrition label on canned chicken, you may find the following additives mentioned:

• Sodium phosphates
• Modified food starch

Sodium phosphates help the chicken keep its shape and texture during the canning process.

The FDA considers sodium phosphates as GRAS, or “generally recognized as safe,” so there’s no need to raise an eyebrow about them.

Sodium phosphates are also used to cure meats, and are commonly used for these foods:

• Beef jerky
• Bacon
• Lunch meats

Another reason why they’re used is to extend the shelf life of the product (that’s what any food company wants). It helps to balance out the alkalinity and acidity levels by maintaining a neutral pH level.

Modified food starch is quite a common ingredient and is used to stabilize the product from heat and cold.

Modified food starch is made from food such as:

• Wheat
• Corn
• Potatoes
• Tapioca

It’s not a worrisome ingredient unless you have Celiac disease or another gluten intolerance or insensitivity in which you should look for canned chicken that’s clearly marked “gluten-free.”

Is Canned Chicken Healthy?

At the end of the day, canned chicken is a healthy alternative to buying chicken breast.

Canned chicken is:

• Healthy
• Easy-to-store
• Affordable
• Nutrient-dense

When calorie counting, some people make the mistake of counting what the food is raw and not cooked. By using canned chicken, you know what the final calorie count is.

While canned chicken is generally speaking healthy, I do want to clarify its usage for a few applications:

• Weight loss
• Toddlers

I’ll also run down the top brands of canned chicken for you to buy.

Is Canned Chicken Good for Weight Loss?

Just like tuna fish, canned chicken is a great alternative to fresh chicken for weight loss.

Canned chicken contains a high amount of protein in a small serving, which makes it ideal for weight loss. It’s also quicker to use, which means those meal prepping can more efficiently diet.

Some healthy, weight-loss friendly ways use canned chicken are:

• Soups
• Sandwiches
• Wraps
• Salads
• Stews
• Egg-based dishes

Chicken is also one of the foods that can give you a bigger, thicker butt.

Is Canned Chicken Healthy for Toddlers?

Some parents are overprotective when it comes to banning canned foods from their toddler’s diet.

It’s generally unadvisable to give babies any food that contains over 50 milligrams of sodium, which canned chicken does have, but once they age into the toddler range, giving them canned chicken in small amounts isn’t an issue.

As with everything else, do it in moderation.

Your dog may be able to eat canned chicken every day, but that doesn’t mean your toddler should.

In their guide on feeding toddlers, the Cleveland Clinic recommends experimenting with a toddler’s diet and that it should include about 2 servings of meat per day, which can include 1-2 ounces of lean meat, chicken, and fish.

You should avoid giving your toddler these kinds of foods:

• Slippery foods
• Small, hard foods
• Sticky foods

Fortunately, when cut small, canned chicken doesn’t violate those principles.

What is the Healthiest Canned Chicken?

According to research published in the Canadian Journal of Research, the best canned chicken comes from meat that is pressure-cooked because it allows for:

• A more uniform product
• Lower moisture content of the cooked meat
• Smaller volume of broth
• Shorter cooking periods

While you can buy canned chicken raw or even half-cooked, I wouldn’t recommend it.

I don’t trust raw meat canned. It has to be heavily cured or cooked and if the chicken is heavily cured, then the sodium content would be off the charts, so it’s better to choose the cooked option.

Here are some of the best and healthiest canned chicken products:

1. Swanson canned chicken, premium chunk white meat
2. Hormel premium, no salt added, and canned in water
3. Kirkland signature, packed in water
4. Keystone Meats, all-natural
5. Kosher Club canned chicken, ideal for Passover and year-round

If you find one of the above brands, you won’t be disappointed in the quality.

How to Prepare Canned Chicken

It’s quite simple to prepare canned chicken.

You can add it in place of regular, cut-up chicken breast in any recipe.

But, I wanted to outline some questions you may have since canned chicken is an unfamiliar ingredient, such as:

• Is canned chicken cooked?
• Can you eat canned chicken straight from the can?
• Should I rinse canned chicken?

I promise that it’s not difficult to use canned chicken, but I want to make sure you’re informed first.

Is Canned Chicken Cooked and Can You Eat it Straight From the Can?

Canned chicken comes in a few doneness levels:

• Raw
• Half-cooked
• Cooked

As mentioned before, I only recommend buying the cooked version. If you do buy cooked canned chicken, then you are good to use it straight out of the can.

While it will still taste canned, you can eat right from the can if you desire.

But, I’d recommend adding in some bold spices and apply a variety of cooking methods to gussy it up so it doesn’t taste like you’re eating chicken out of a can.

Unless that’s your thing…I don’t judge.

Should I Rinse Canned Chicken?

Remember when I said you could eat canned chicken straight out of the can?

Well, you technically can, but it’s advisable to drain and rinse it first.

If you’re using canned chicken that’s been pressure-cooked before canning, then you should drain and then rinse the water and/or broth that comes packed with the meat. Use water at a low pressure to do this to avoid damaging the integrity and texture of the chicken.

While this step is avoidable, your canned chicken will still taste like it’s canned if you don’t do it.

Canned Chicken Healthy Recipes

Canned chicken is used in a variety of recipes, including those for:

• Soups, such as chicken tortilla soup
• Wraps and sandwiches, such as a chicken salad
• Stews, such as chicken chili
• Salads, such as chicken caesar salad
• Egg-based dishes, such as quiche and frittata

Here are some great, healthy recipes that use canned chicken:

• Oyakodon, a Japanese dish that infuses a dashi-based broth into the chicken
• Chicken noodle casserole
• Chicken pot pie
• White chicken chili
• Chicken parmesan patties
• BLT Ranch chicken wraps

As you can see, canned chicken is quite versatile!

I challenge you to use it at a dinner party and see if anyone notices.

Conclusion

If you came here wondering if canned chicken is healthy, I hope you have your answer.

In case you scrolled past it, here it is again.

Canned chicken provides virtually the same nutrients as unprocessed chicken, but without the effort to prepare it yourself. Canned chicken is an excellent source of protein, and you should be able to minimize the sodium content by rinsing and draining before using.

In this article, I also discussed:

• What canned chicken is and its nutrition info
• If canned chicken is healthy for you and your precious toddler
• The healthiest canned chicken brands
• How to prepare canned chicken, including whether it’s good straight out of the can
• Canned chicken recipes that’ll knock your socks off

Do you have any questions about canned chicken? Need more recipe ideas? Let me know in the comments below and keep me updated on your weight loss journey.

To your weight-loss success!