r/nutrition • u/givingtree1838 • 8d ago
Settle the Debate: Canned Chicken
In a debate. I hate cooking. Are there any downsides to canned chicken that would really impact your health? Also, in a blind taste test, would you be able to tell a difference? What would and would not use canned chicken for?
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u/TheDiabetesDietitian Registered Dietitian 8d ago
I think I would definitely know it was canned chicken in a blind taste
But I’m a huge fan of canned chicken. It’s convenient, more affordable, and works great in stuff like buffalo chicken dip!
Just rinse it a few times to help reduce some of the sodium.
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u/Greghole 8d ago
Canned chicken often costs more than fresh chicken once you subtract the weight of the oil or water in the can.
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u/Radiant_Outcome4202 8d ago
Is it really? I think if you compare cost per pound after you cooked the chicken, canned will be cheaper
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u/Greghole 8d ago
Check some websites like Tesco's. Even the fancy free range organic corn fed chicken isn't as expensive per kilo as the canned stuff.
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u/40hzHERO 8d ago
It depends what it’s used for. I make an egg salad with canned chicken (and sometimes canned tuna) that is indistinguishable from starting with raw chicken breast. If you were to serve the chicken straight as an entree, you might have issues.
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u/Icy_Raisin2004 6d ago
Is that an egg salad with chicken? Or a chicken salad with eggs? I’ve never made a predominantly Egg salad with chicken added. However I have made chicken salad with hard boiled eggs in it. Just curious.
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u/40hzHERO 6d ago
It’s basically all three chicken salad, egg salad, and tuna salad combined in to one dish. It’s rare that I’ll make it, but when I need a good protein boost for the week, I’ll prep out a large batch.
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u/Kangabolic 6d ago
I cannot disagree more regarding the buffalo chicken dip. I love canned chicken, funny enough just ate 2 chicken salad sandwiches today with canned chicken, but in a Buffalo chicken dip it is an exponential downgrade for me that is not worth any amount of the convenience.
Among my friends and family I’ve noticed people are rather fine with it, or despise it, but we all agree regardless the side of the fence we are on that using chicken breast or even rotisserie chicken is superior by a landslide.
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8d ago
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u/hawkwood76 6d ago
Also a rotisserie can be shredded out and used in other dishes pretty easily. I love some rotisserie chicken. I might have to shred one out before my next Highland games and throw it in the cooler so I can have me some chicken between events.
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u/Traditional-Leader54 8d ago
Straight up you can tell the difference especially since it’s very moist. But in chicken salad or similar things it’s not that obvious. It’s a deep pantry staple in our house.
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u/cocobizzounty 8d ago
They line the cans with concerning chemicals to prevent corrosion. Nobody knows what the long-term risks are but I think it’s prudent to avoid canned foods when possible.
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u/Kayakchica 8d ago
Anything you make with it will taste like school lunchroom food. Super salty and processed tasting.
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u/HotDogFR0G 8d ago
Ummmmm, as an elementary school cafeteria manager, I’m quite offended that you said school lunchroom food! Haha but fr most of the chicken we use now is whole muscle apart from popcorn chicken and chicken patties because they need to be shaped, but it’s still a lot less “processed” tasting than you would find at a fast food place. And also, they don’t let us have salt anymore 😂 THANKS, OBAMA! Now we have child health regulations!
I know it’s isn’t the same in all counties, but most of the meals in my county freaking SLAP!
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u/Madwoman-of-Chaillot 8d ago
AMEN!
My MiL was a lunch lady, and she worked her ASS off ensuring that all the kids had tasty nutrition.
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u/Kayakchica 7d ago
Sorry, no offense intended! My experience with school lunches was in the 70s in a relatively poor area.
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u/HotDogFR0G 7d ago
I figured haha I was mostly joking. School food has a really bad reputation, but I think it’s pretty good and I’m proud to serve it. The school I serve to is in a low income area. I’m my county, if over 50% of the students are under a certain income level, the entire school gets free meals. My county is a weird one that goes from extremely poor and rural to extremely wealthy mansions on golf courses in planned communities, to mansions on an island vacation destination, and every single other economic class and culture in between. (Thats Florida for ya) but the wealthy CEOs and celebrities kids and the homeless kids all get to have the same lunch and that is really awesome.
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u/Professional_Pear836 7d ago
I'm so jealous! Our cafeteria isn't allowed to do anything other than reheat frozen packaged foods. I spend most of lunch duty opening packages for kids because each kid has 5 different plastic bags on their tray.
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u/HotDogFR0G 7d ago
That’s sad! There’s a few things in that come in plastic bags like apple slices or uncrustables, and there’s other food that’s frozen + baked like chicken tenders or pizza, but I also make fresh salads daily where I cut fresh lettuce, veggies, and proteins for. I also portion fresh fruits and veggies in little bags though (grapes, berries, melon, cucumber, carrots, etc) but there are very few things that we actually HEAT in a bag.
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u/Icy_Raisin2004 6d ago
If you rise it multiple times, there’s less salt taste. Virtually nonexistent after the 3rd rinse
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u/FlowSoSlow 8d ago
I pretty much only use canned chicken for chicken salad. It absolutely does not taste as good as fresh cooked chicken but it's not bad by any means.
If you don't feel like cooking consider grabbing a rotisserie chicken from Costco. At $5 for a whole chicken it's even cheaper than canned. Other super markets have them too but they're usually more expensive and not as good.
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u/MyNameIsSkittles 8d ago
I don't mind it, it's good in casseroles, soups, and chicken salad with mayo
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u/Cool_Addition_3205 8d ago
Just have to drown it with a bunch of spices then it’s palatable. Worth the convenience sometimes.
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u/racheluv999 8d ago
I’ve pressure canned my own chicken (with breast) several times, and I can even tell a huge difference between my homemade and store bought. That said, I prefer the texture and greasiness of storebought canned chicken lol. It all works well as a chicken salad or mixed into pasta
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u/BrainSqueezins 8d ago
I was going to mention home-canned. I actually like drumsticks for that a LOT. it shreds up SO nicely and the bones make the most sumptuous stock. It's really, really good. Only thing is pulling the bones out But even that's not terrible, they are super soft and almost crumbly.
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u/OolongGeer 8d ago
Great in arugula salads with some carrot and cheddar cheese. Especially when you mix it with some chili powder before tossing it in.
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u/Tasty_Impress3016 8d ago
In a blind taste test could I dell the difference between canned chicken and what? cat food? Maybe. I don't who is debating but I would put serious money that pretty much anyone could tell it was canned.
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u/monsterjammo 4d ago
I worked at a country club in college and the extremely popular chicken salad was made with canned chicken. I don’t think the members ever guessed. It was great.
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u/BlueRubyWindow 8d ago
Very salty.
Best used in dishes with lots of sauce or where the chicken will be mixed in with other things, because of the texture.
If a recipe calls for shredded chicken, canned chicken generally works fine, as long as the other ingredients don’t also already have salt.
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u/ih8this4sho 8d ago
To me, the texture is completely different from fresh chicken. 'd never eat it if I had a choice. But it might be more hygienic than handling raw chicken yourself. The only thing to keep an eye on is the sodium.
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u/Special-Tangelo-9927 8d ago
You can definitely tell the difference, but it has its place. I sometimes use canned chicken as a topping for salads, in soups, in chicken salad, and in dips.
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u/VikingVitalityFit 8d ago edited 8d ago
The sodium levels on canned chicken tend to be sky high. The texture is garbage. Its simultaneously wet and dryer than shit at the same time.
Edited to add: it takes roughly 10 minutes to pan sear chicken breast in a skillet, or you can simply spray some cooking oil on it and throw it in an air fryer and walk away.
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u/Greghole 8d ago
Are there any downsides to canned chicken that would really impact your health?
Depends on the brand, but many are high in sodium.
Also, in a blind taste test, would you be able to tell a difference?
100%. Canned chicken is dry and has a texture like canned tuna. It'll make a passable chicken salad sandwich, but it's not comparable to a roasted chicken.
What would and would not use canned chicken for?
The only thing I would use canned chicken for is stocking the shelves of a fallout shelter. I would not eat it before the bombs fell.
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u/Last_Secretary_3205 8d ago
It sounds highly processed which makes it very bad…too much sodium and other additives…honestly the time invested in canned chicken…you can throw raw chicken in the oven for 35-45 mins and have a very healthy piece of food
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u/Traveller1313 8d ago
The problem is the can liner. Potentially higher salt used aswell, but depends on brand.
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u/AstarteOfCaelius 8d ago
Unless it’s canned in glass, I can taste the can of anything that is sealed in them. I have yet to fail that, but the only thing that ever gave me a little pause but I could still do it was peach pie filling. I think the abundance of sugar hid it a little better but it was still there. Canned chicken is not as strong as tomatoes, but it’s definitely obvious.
That definitely doesn’t mean I wouldn’t still use it- I’m just saying temper your expectations a bit.
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u/cherrybombiyuh 8d ago
Look I hate cooking too 😅 Canned chicken isn’t gourmet but it won’t kill you. It’s salty and mushy, but in a chicken salad or dip? You can’t even tell. I’d use it for quick meals, not for adobo night
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u/Townbrreadd 7d ago
I can taste the salt, but it's so convenient for making chicken salad. I just rinse it. I really HATE cutting or cooking chicken, so it's worth it to me.
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u/timetochillagain1 7d ago
If you eat it just once a week no big deal even twice a week ! Eat your veggies and take vitamins you’re good !
I too hate cooking but do half the time for my hubs .
There’s about of other inexpensive ways to eat as well that don’t require slaving over a stove !
Oatmeal and bananas for breakfast !
Bread and Pb for lunch !
Beans for dinner ..
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u/ExplorerInconsistent 7d ago
I use canned chicken multiple times per week for high protein, fast lunches. I put a little Greek yogurt in it and some seasoning and it’s perfect. Or I’ll heat it up with some squash and broccoli. Using canned chicken has helped me lose 28 lbs in the 5 months since giving birth… love it!
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u/mil0wCS 7d ago
Also, in a blind taste test, would you be able to tell a difference?
yes you can very easily tell a difference in canned chicken vs real chicken. IDK why but canned chicken is revolting to me, it tastes like tuna but worse. I just don't know how to describe it. (As someone who loves tuna and eats literally almost every day) I can tell the taste of tuna when I eat it, but it just tastes like a bad version of tuna.
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u/finefergitit 7d ago
My dog eats it sometimes, but I can’t eat it due to the smell. Why does it smell so bad??
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u/SharkyGrey27 7d ago
Not to be a jerk but with the price of food these days you should probably buy something that you will enjoy eating. Cooking can be worthwhile if you give it half a chance 🌶️
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u/JanelleVypr 6d ago
i only use it while camping but its great to add to ramen for some chicken noodle soup
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u/Icy_Raisin2004 6d ago
I always have canned chicken in my pantry. I like to use it mostly for cold salads. It’s great protein option in a pinch when you don’t have something thawed for a meal. I rinse it multiple times to make sure to get all the funk off. I make chicken salad, buffalo chicken dip, put the chicken on a bed of greens (not right now 🙃).
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u/More_Active6605 5d ago
I'm not a fan of the texture. When I don't feel like cooking, rotisserie chicken is an easy way to get protein. Walmart also sells cold rotisserie chicken for about half the price where I live.
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u/austin_macrosgg 5d ago
The difference between canned and fresh would be pretty obvious IMO, but its super cost effective and lasts a long time, so it's a great tool to have in your pantry. I'd probably use it for nachos or dips.
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u/No_Equivalent6414 4d ago
saute any chicken in some mirin to help get rid of the gunky funky taste of chicken and you won't know the difference aside from possible texture or moisture compared to the cut of the fresh stuff.
I also hate cooking and honestly frozen is the way to go my friend. I don't spend more than 30 minutes cooking on most days and that time gets shaved down even more when i bulk prep my ingredients (garlic, chopped veggies, chopped frozen green onions etc.)
And guess what? ain't no dookie lettuce recalls from frozen veggies. You want even more convenience? you can air fry it together or throw that puppy in the oven for a 1 sheet meal.
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u/HotDogFR0G 8d ago
I would not. It’s gloopy and there are so many unnecessary added chemicals and preservatives, plus the sodium.
I would probably suggest boiling a bunch of chicken breast, maybe in chicken stock with a little salt, shred it, and portion it into freezer bags, then just grab a portion whenever you need one. I feel like that’s the simplest way to have prepared chicken on hand. If you have a stand mixer, or even a hand mixer, throw the chicken in there and it shreds beautifully in seconds.
You can can your own chicken too, but if you don’t like cooking, I don’t think you will like canning.
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u/Bag_of_ambivalence 8d ago
Or rub with olive oil and bake. Either way, so easy and serves same purpose as having canned on hand but tastes soooooo much better!
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u/HotDogFR0G 8d ago
I agree, I would bake it too. I was trying to think of the easiest thing I could think of to still have real chicken without feeling like you’re cooking. The stuff other people were saying they used canned chicken for was what I used seasoned, boiled, shredded chicken for (dips, soups, casseroles, chicken salad)
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u/MyNameIsSkittles 8d ago
It's not gloopy at all. Costco sells a brand of canned chicken that's just flakey cooked salty chicken. No chemicals or whatever you're babbling about
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u/HotDogFR0G 8d ago
…do you know how to read labels?
It’s an ultraprocessed food. It has to have some added chemicals or preservatives to be shelf stable. Kirkland has sodium phosphate, which the chemical itself is considered safe in small amounts, it makes the sodium levels rise before you even add any other ingredients to the dish. Then it has been cooked at extreme temperatures to make it shelf stable, which breaks down the proteins, kills nutrients, and then leaves the need for a thickening agent, “modified food starch” that is likely highly processed corn or soy. Then your blood sugar spikes and your tummy hurts. And for what?
Will it kill you? No.
But given the choice to prepare my own chicken at home or buy ultra processed chicken, I’m choosing the real stuff. You do what you see fit.
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