12 Mistakes Everyone Makes With Canned Chicken

Admit it, you probably have at least one or two cans of chicken sitting in your pantry right now. There's no shame in that — canned chicken is convenient, affordable, and packed with protein. It's the perfect base for countless recipes, from a tried-and-true chicken salad to less-conventional applications like low-carb pizza crust, and with the right preparation, it can satisfy practically any palate. If you don't reach for it often, though, you may be underestimating this staple, and that means you're at risk of making these common canned chicken mistakes.

Whether you're always reaching for the name-brand cans, dismissing the meat as flavorless and mushy, or just prepping it all wrong, we're here to guide you through a new world of poultry possibilities. Sure, chicken straight out of the can may leave something to be desired in the texture department, but it's more versatile than you may think. Once you ditch these misconceptions and give this ingredient the attention it deserves, you may find yourself adding a few more cans to your weekly shopping list. Let's explore where you may be going wrong with canned chicken and why it deserves a fair shake.

Everyone knows to drain canned chicken after giving the can opener that final, satisfying twist, but all too often, that's where the sink-based prep ends. There's no harm in dumping your drained chicken straight into the bowl or pan you plan to use, but don't you want your protein at its best? Canned chicken is generally packaged in water containing salt and a few other ingredients. Even if you drain most of that liquid out first, your chicken will still carry that stale, processed, overly salty taste. For fresher-tasting canned chicken, you should always rinse the meat before adding it to your dish of choice.

To do so, simply transfer the contents of the drained can to a sieve and briefly put it under cold, running water, shaking the sieve's handle gently to ensure the water makes contact with each piece of meat. To prevent excess liquid diluting your final dish, drain as much water as possible through the sieve after turning off the tap. You may even want to lightly pat the chicken dry with a paper towel for best results.

What's the first dish you can think of that uses canned chicken? If you're like most people, you probably answered chicken salad, and while even the most basic chicken salad recipe can become something special with a bit of TLC, you shouldn't make the mistake of leaving the canned poultry on standby until your next picnic. Sure, canned chicken is cold on arrival, but whether or not it stays cold is entirely up to you.

To switch up how you use this pantry staple, try swapping it in for regular chicken when making a pot pie (pro tip: You can even use canned veggies, too). In the same vein, try adding it to casseroles, dips, and other hot dishes that call for chicken — once the meal is heated through, you won't know the difference. If you usually find the texture of canned chicken displeasing, don't be afraid to cook it in a pan for a sizzling upgrade. While it might not develop the same char as a grilled chicken breast, it will develop a tasty, crispy exterior and give your whole dish a texture boost. As a bonus, canned chicken comes pre-cooked (if specified on the label), so you won't even have to worry about it reaching that food-safety threshold of 165 degrees Fahrenheit — you can just focus on texture and temperature. Upon achieving your desired crunch and heat, add the chicken to sandwiches, soups, or whatever else your heart desires.

If you don't usually seek out low-sodium options in your culinary life, you might not think twice about grabbing a full-sodium can of chicken from the grocery store. Of course, your salt intake is up to you, but for the sake of taste, we recommend using low-sodium canned chicken instead.

If you've tried regular canned chicken before, you know that it goes pretty heavy on the salt, affecting both the chicken's taste and nutritional value. As just one example, a can of chunk chicken breast from Walmart's in-store Great Value brand contains 660 milligrams of sodium in one 5-ounce can. That accounts for 29% of your recommended daily sodium intake, which is especially staggering when you consider just how little chicken you're getting in that 5-ounce package. Great Value's low-sodium option, on the other hand, comes in a 12.5-ounce can and contains 210 milligrams of sodium, or just 9% of your recommended daily intake.

In either case, you can decrease the total amount of salt in your canned chicken by rinsing the meat after draining. If you start with a low-sodium can, though, you can minimize that overpowering salty taste from the jump and set your chicken up for success.

You might be under the impression that canned chicken, by nature of its highly processed packaging, has very little to offer in terms of nutrition. Fortunately for your lunch menu and wallet, that's far from true. Canned chicken can be high in salt, yes, but it's still chicken, which means it's an excellent source of animal protein. One 5-ounce can contains about 23 grams, enough to satisfy around 46% of your recommended daily intake. That's not too shabby considering how convenient and affordable this staple is — one can will only cost you a couple of dollars at most grocery stores, and you can get them from Dollar Tree for just $1.25 each. If you prefer shopping in bulk, both Costco and Amazon offer multi-can packs, like this 24-pack of Sweet Sue Chunk White Chicken available on Amazon for $42.67.

In addition to its high protein content, canned chicken also has plenty to offer in the vitamin and mineral departments. Like fresh chicken, it's rich in immune-boosting zinc and selenium, and it's an excellent source of B vitamins, including B6 and B12. These essential nutrients help maintain your metabolism and support cell health. While it's unlikely that most canned chicken can truly stand toe to toe with fresh in terms of health benefits, as high-heat processing may compromise certain micronutrients, you may find that its accessibility and versatility outweigh the disadvantages.

Generally speaking, you should abide by the expiration dates on your food's packaging, but canned goods work a bit differently. Your canned chicken is shelf-stable indefinitely as long as the can is sealed and remains undamaged, so if you're throwing it out just because the stamped date passed a couple of days ago, you may be wasting perfectly good poultry. To understand why this is, we have to unpack the canning process.

Shelf-stable canned goods are heated to 250 degrees Fahrenheit during manufacturing. This heat kills off any organisms in the food that would eventually cause it to spoil, and the vacuum-sealed can prevents air or other substances from contaminating the contents. As long as the can is intact, so is that all-important vacuum, which means your canned chicken should still be edible. If you're still worried about that best-by date, don't sweat it — dates on canned food don't indicate the exact day the food spoils; they tell you how long the food will be at its peak quality. So, while canned chicken is still safe to eat long past its best-by date, you may notice differences in its texture and taste, depending on how long ago the date passed.

Name brands offer a comforting familiarity, but their products are usually more expensive than their store-brand counterparts, and pricier doesn't always mean better. Want proof? When we ranked canned chicken brands from worst to best, Walmart's Great Value brand came in fourth. Considering we included 12 total brands on our list, including heavy hitters like Tyson (which placed eighth), that's a pretty respectable slot. Our reviewer even wrote of Great Value's chicken, "... while its price may be low, the quality is not." Likewise, Costco customers can't get enough of Kirkland's canned chicken, so don't hesitate to pick up the generic label if you're looking to save a bit of money on this already-affordable staple.

You may be wondering, however, why store-brand items are so much cheaper than the name brand. After all, you can get two 12.5-ounce cans of Great Value's canned chicken for $5.50 from Walmart, but the same amount of chicken under the Swanson label goes for $7.72. Don't worry — it's not because store-brand products are of lower quality. Big labels can charge more for their products because many customers value brand recognition, and on the flip side, store-brand labels don't have to worry about big-brand marketing costs (and therefore can charge less for their products) because they know people are going to shop at their grocery store anyway. So, why not give the store brand a try on your next grocery run?

Canned goods may last practically forever, but only if they're stored properly. If you want to keep your canned chicken in peak condition for as long as possible, don't keep it on the counter of your sunny kitchen or anywhere moisture is likely to accumulate. Instead, find somewhere to store it that's cool, dry, and away from direct sunlight. Otherwise, you may compromise the integrity of the can — the only barrier between your chicken and contamination.

You probably already know better than to buy heavily dented or damaged cans (especially if the damage is near the seam), and proper storage conditions are important for the same reason: Canned chicken is only shelf-stable because the can is vacuum-sealed against air and moisture, but if you leave it in a damp area, the metal may start to rust and develop tiny holes. With the can's barrier broken, air and other contaminants can easily sneak in, which may spoil your chicken prematurely. If you consume the meat after it turns — even if you cook it first — you may give yourself food poisoning. Similarly, don't store your chicken at temperatures above 95 degrees Fahrenheit, as this will also hasten spoilage.

"Bland" is probably the most frequent accusation lobbed at canned chicken, and for good reason. High-heat canning maximizes food's longevity, not necessarily its taste or texture. Still, fresh chicken isn't exactly known for its robust, distinctive flavor. It usually functions as a high-protein, neutral-tasting vessel for seasonings and sauces, and the same goes for canned poultry. This staple doesn't have to be bland, boring, and cold — if you're tired of flavorless canned chicken, why not spice it up a bit with, well, spices?

If you like to keep it simple, salt and pepper are always a great starting point. From there, just consider how you like your chicken prepared when it's not vacuum-sealed with water and salt. Grab some cumin, paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder to make an easy chicken taco recipe, or use canned chicken as a base for a simple chicken tikka masala seasoned with curry powder, ginger, garam masala, and a bit of cinnamon. You can even skip the shredding step in this slow cooker BBQ chicken recipe — flavored with brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce — by swapping out whole chicken breasts with the canned version. Remember, your canned chicken is only as exciting as you make it, so don't be afraid to give it a bit of a kick.

Sure, canned goods last practically forever, but every rule has exceptions. If you open a can of chicken and encounter a strong, unpleasant smell, strange coloration, or sticky residue, you should think twice before dumping the contents into a bowl with the rest of your enchilada filling — that chicken has already spoiled. Like its taste, chicken's scent should be mild and barely noticeable. A sour, rotten odor is a dead giveaway that your chicken has crossed the road, so to speak. Likewise, chicken fat should be white and the flesh a light pink hue. There should be no slimy coating on the outside, and no coloration that's green, gray, or yellow.

That said, don't think you have to toss an entire can of chicken just because you catch a whiff of something unfamiliar. Every bird is different and senses are subjective, so get a second opinion if you're unsure whether or not your canned chicken smells off. In isolation, minute changes in color or smell don't automatically indicate spoilage, but in combination, those chances multiply. If the can is undamaged, your can of chicken is probably fine, but remember: You're in charge of your body and what you put in it. If you genuinely think something could be spoiled, err on the side of caution and don't eat it.

Canned chicken is a worthwhile swap for fresh poultry in many cases, but its versatility doesn't stop there. Why limit its use to typical (albeit tasty) dishes like chicken Alfredo bakes and buffalo chicken dip when you can easily turn it into, say, a pizza crust? In 2022, TikTok user @lowcarbstateofmind shared a creative culinary hack for a high-protein, low-carb pizza crust made mostly of canned chicken, and we think it's pretty darn clever. The only ingredients besides the can of chicken are an egg and ​​½ cup of Parmesan cheese (the creator recommends powdered). After a 20-minute stint in the oven, the crust is ready for sauce and toppings.

Using this same logic, you can transform canned chicken into countless crispy, delicious dishes, whether it's serving as a base for other ingredients or it's the star of the show. For a start, follow @lowcarbstateofmind's recipe, but try shaping the chicken-egg-Parmesan mixture into elongated "breadsticks" rather than a flat circle. (Just make sure to keep an eye on them in the oven, as cook times may vary.) Once your chicken breadsticks are baked, you can dip them in everything from marinara to tzatziki to sriracha ranch for a simple, tasty snack. Alternatively, shape the mixture into miniature rounds and, after baking, treat them like crostini. Try topping them with the holy trinity of tomato, mozzarella, and basil, or dip them in olive oil and vinegar for a savory, acidic bite.

Say you want to make a batch of classic chicken tortilla soup, and the recipe calls for 1 pound of poultry. While you could keep adding canned chicken to your shopping cart until the cans' combined ounces equal 16, you may be overestimating just how much chicken you're getting. FDA regulations dictate that cans of solid or semisolid foods should list their contents' net weight, but is this amount always accurate? In 2023, a Reddit user posted about the underwhelming contents of their Kirkland Signature canned chicken, claiming that the drained weight was listed as 7 ounces, but they only received 5.7 ounces of product. That's an 18.6% discrepancy in the total quantity of meat.

This may be a simple packaging blunder, as one commenter speculated: "Robot that fills the chicken up made its one allowable error every 100k chicken cans. You got the can." If not, this could be an instance of shrinkflation. To cut costs, companies may choose to underfill cans of food without updating the quantity or weight listed on the label. This means they can charge you for a fully filled can, but you get a smaller amount of what you paid for. Whether or not the Reddit poster fell victim to this practice is unclear, but if you need a specific amount of chicken, maybe toss an extra can in your cart, just in case.

Not all canned chicken is created equal. Even if you're not the type to meticulously cross-reference every ingredient on your food's nutrition labels, it's still worth checking out what's in your canned chicken. Some brands may add preservatives like sodium phosphate into the mix, which (among other things) helps keep the meat moist and prevents spoilage. The FDA considers it safe for consumption, and it even occurs naturally in some foods, but in excess, it may lead to cardiovascular or kidney issues.

Depending on the brand and manufacturing process, some cans of chicken may also contain trace amounts of BPA, or bisphenol A. This chemical additive prevents metal corrosion, but if it seeps into the can's contents, it may affect cardiovascular health or lead to conditions like diabetes. For the best possible canned chicken, seek out cans with very few added ingredients and labels that read "Non-BPA" or "BPA Free."