Canned chicken wasn’t something Nicole Addison grew up eating, but the registered dietitian and recipe developer knows a workhorse ingredient when she sees it: “I don’t really know why, but it was just never in our staples. And then I kind of just started seeing more people talking about it online, and then I was like, ‘You know what? I should try it for research purposes and then also to see if it works in some of my recipes,'” she tells Yahoo Canada by phone from Toronto.
“When I am testing recipes, I want to make sure that different options work. And then I was like, ‘Wow, this is actually good.’ I feel like it can sometimes have a bad connotation with it, like people are like, ‘Ew, canned chicken. That’s not something I want to try.’ But then when you actually give it a chance, I was very pleasantly surprised.”
I feel like I eat canned tuna all the time. So really, what’s the difference between canned tuna and canned chicken?Nicole Addison
So, it makes sense that when Addison recently spotted a $22 package of chicken breasts at a grocery store, it made her think of even more ways that canned chicken could help folks eat well while staying budget-friendly: “I think everybody’s looking for quick and easy protein options right now, just because I feel like no one really has any time. The thing that draws me to it is convenience. You don’t have to cook it, and it’s great in recipes where you’re adding other ingredients to it.”
Here, we share Addison’s top tips for incorporating this affordable protein into your diet. Plus, discover below a five-ingredient chicken salad recipe that’s easy for anyone to recreate.
Why is canned chicken an ingredient I should try when cooking?
Addison mentions affordability is a key reason behind considering canned chicken, alongside convenience since canned chicken is precooked. But that’s not the only reason it feels like a kitchen shortcut: “There’s really not a lot of mess, and you don’t have to clean anything, which is awesome,” Addison adds. “I feel like a good summer too, you don’t want to turn on the oven, you don’t want to have to do the dishes,” making a shortcut ingredient like this one an easy win.
The Canadian dietitian, who aims to empower people to eat healthier, says the minimal cleanup and prep can remove significant barriers for folks who are time-starved. It can also benefit anyone simply looking to get a meal on the table quickly, and with the right canned chicken recipe, taste won’t be sacrificed.
Is canned chicken healthy?
Sodium is one ingredient that should be top-of-mind if you’re shopping for canned chicken. While fresh chicken breast typically has nothing added to it, canned versions may include ingredients that help preserve its shelf-stable quality. “That is one thing I always want people to be mindful [of], especially as a dietitian. People typically are eating more sodium than they need to, so just being mindful of that and looking for lower-sodium options is always a great option,” Addison explains.
For example, a can of Maple Leaf flakes of chicken includes 350 mg of sodium per serving. For Costco’s Kirkland brand of canned chicken breast, there’s 190 mg of sodium per quarter cup. A President’s Choice Blue Menu can of seasoned chicken breast may be low in fat, but each serving has 200 mg of sodium.
Addison adds that when following a recipe and subbing canned chicken for other forms of protein, it’s likely safe to not add as much salt as you usually might: “There’s already going to be some of that salt in the chicken already,” she shares.
“Otherwise, the only difference [compared to regular chicken is] canned chicken is cooked already, so you don’t need to do any of that prep time, or it’s cooking time,” she adds, saying the nutritional values of both products are nearly identical (again, save that potential bump in sodium in canned chicken).
How can I cook with canned chicken?
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Try using canned chicken in cold recipes, like sandwiches or salad
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Chicken salad recipes are some of Addison’s most popular recipes
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Cooking with canned chicken can be as easy as adding it to a bowl and mixing other ingredients in
“I wouldn’t recommend using it in recipes calling for a whole chicken breast as one piece, just because it usually won’t equate,” Addison suggests when asked how canned chicken can be used. “It’s very versatile, so it can be used in pretty much every recipe that is cold, I would say. It’s great in sandwiches, it’s great in wraps, it’s great in chicken salad, it’s great on top of a salad.”
Addison adds one of the most popular recipes on her website is a shredded chicken salad recipe that she’s used canned chicken in to great success. While the recipe was originally developed with chicken breasts, canned chicken would be a quicker, more wallet-friendly spin on the simple meal.
“I would always say, my most popular recipes are definitely my chicken salad recipes. I feel like people are always looking for a very quick lunch option, and those would be the perfect recipes to try canned chicken in, just because I call for shredded chicken in the recipe,” she says. “You can easily cook a chicken breast if you want to. But canned chicken is a great option because all you have to do is open the can, add it directly into the bowl and then add in whatever other ingredients.”
Recipe: Nicole Addison’s 5-Ingredient Chicken Salad
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Use a can of low-sodium chicken
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Add your barbecue sauce of choice
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Include Greek yogurt or mayonnaise
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Throw in some bagged coleslaw mix
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Sprinkle some salt and pepper
In a large mixing bowl, combine the canned chicken and coleslaw with a few tablespoons of barbecue sauce and Greek yogurt, adding more sauce if needed for your desired consistency. It should be creamy and saucy like a typical chicken salad.
Addison says the above mixture is perfect as a sandwich filling, a dip for crackers or stuffed in a wrap. “You kind of just mix it all together and it makes such an easy, versatile protein option,” she says.
As Addison prepares to test more ways to make meals starring canned chicken, she reflects on what keeps her excited about finding new uses for affordable ingredients.
“I am a registered dietitian, so I feel like that’s kind of where most of my inspiration has come, just being able to see so many different people struggling with healthy eating in general. I feel like social media is a great place, but it can also be a very overwhelming place — especially for people looking for reliable information relating to healthy eating,” she shares. “I feel like everybody kind of has a take on what they think is best and what works for them. And not everybody has credentials.”
She says her mom — a person who doesn’t love cooking but wants her family to eat well — is a constant inspiration when it comes to her creating simple, straightforward meals. “Because I don’t think healthy eating should be something that needs to be as complicated as it’s become.”
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