Chicken Jerky for Dogs: Learn How to Make Chicken Jerky With This Recipe (2024)

Chicken Jerky for Dogs: Learn How to Make Chicken Jerky With This Recipe · The Wildest

The benefits of making chicken treats for your pup at home.

by Claudia Kawczynskaopens in a new tab

Updated

September 4, 2013

Chicken Jerky for Dogs: Learn How to Make Chicken Jerky With This Recipe (1)

Chicken Jerky for Dogs: Learn How to Make Chicken Jerky With This Recipe (2)

Chicken Jerky for Dogs: Learn How to Make Chicken Jerky With This Recipe (3)

Dehydrating food is all the rage these days — great for meats along with summer’s fruit, berryopens in a new tab and vegetableopens in a new tab bounty, and for making sumptuous, healthy treats for your dogs. Making chicken jerky for your dog in your home means you control all of the ingredients (organic, free range, whatever) and don’t have to worry about contaminants or adulterated ingredients, plus, it’s pretty cheapopens in a new tab too. Treats are a good place to start for anyone who is hesitant to make dog food. It doesn’t have to be complicated or gourmet.

Is Chicken Jerky Good for Dogs?

Chicken is a pretty common component in dog foods. Unless your pup is allergic to chicken, chicken jerky is a good source of protein and other key nutrients like niacin, selenium, and phosphorus.

While homemade chicken jerky is safe for dogs, there have been many problems associated with commercial chicken jerky treats in the past. As of 2015, the FDA has received 6,200 reports of illnesses (including over 1000 deaths) associated with commercial jerky imported from China. “FDA continues to believe that there is an association between some of the reports and consumption of [commercial] jerky pet treats,” reports the FDA.

“Buy American treats or, better yet, bake your own or buy locally made ones. Raw or cooked vegetables also make tasty alternatives and are especially good for pups who need to lose weight,” says Dr. Shea Cox, founder of BluePearl Pet Hospice.

How to Make Chicken Jerky for Dogs

While it’s possible to dehydrate food in an oven, it’s much more efficient and convenient to use a dehydrator. This recipe for homemade chicken jerky treats is a healthy yummy snack that your pup will enjoy.

Homemade Chicken Jerky for Dogs

Here’s a recipe for every dog’s favorite: chicken jerky. Before you start, make sure you have a very sharp knife. Also, partially frozen meat is easier to slice, and the thinner the slices, the less time they take to dry. Note: This jerky is not safe for human consumption.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast tenders

  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil

  • Your choice of dog-friendly seasonings: parsley, rosemary, sage (preferably fresh and chopped very fine)

DIRECTIONS

  1. Rinse the chicken breasts and remove any fat, which slows down the dehydrating process and will shorten the jerky’s shelf life.

  2. Slice the chicken into strips about 1/4- to 1/8-inch thick; slicing with the grain will make the jerky even chewier.

  3. Coat the strips with oil and seasonings.

  4. Place the strips on the dehydrator tray, spacing them evenly; make sure they do not touch. The drying process depends on adequate airflow between the strips.

  5. Put the tray in the dehydrator, turn it on and set the temperature for 140 degrees.

  6. It will probably take between 3 and 12 hours for the strips to dry fully, depending on how thick you cut them and the exact temperature of your dehydrator.

Because of the varying dry times, you’ll need to check it often.

After the first hour, start checking the strips on an hourly basis. To determine the dryness level, remove one strip from the dehydrator, cut into it with a sharp knife and examine the inside.

How do you know when the chicken jerky is done?

When the meat is completely dried, you won’t see any moisture and it will be the same color throughout. If it needs more time, put it back in for another hour. As it gets closer to being finished, check every half hour.

How do you store cooked chicken jerky?

When your chicken jerky is done, store it in air-tight containers; zip-lock bags work great for this. Refrigerate the containers for an even longer shelf life.

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Chicken Jerky for Dogs: Learn How to Make Chicken Jerky With This Recipe (7)

Chicken Jerky for Dogs: Learn How to Make Chicken Jerky With This Recipe (8)

Chicken Jerky for Dogs: Learn How to Make Chicken Jerky With This Recipe (9)

Claudia Kawczynska

Claudia Kawczynska was co-founder and editor-in-chief of The Bark for 20 years. She also edited the best-selling anthology Dog Is My Co-Pilot.

Claudia Kawczynskaopens in a new tab

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Chicken Jerky for Dogs: Learn How to Make Chicken Jerky With This Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How to dehydrate chicken for dogs? ›

Preheat oven to 200°F. Slice the chicken into thin strips. You should end up with about 7 or 8 slices. Place chicken slices on a baking sheet and bake for 2 to 2 1/2 hours to remove moisture (cooking time will depend on thickness of chicken and whether chicken is refrigerated or warm from oven.

Is chicken jerky good for dogs? ›

FDA CAUTIONS CONSUMERS ABOUT CHICKEN JERKY PRODUCTS FOR DOGS

FDA has received more than 70 complaints involving more than 95 dogs that experienced illness that their owners associated with consumption of chicken jerky products. To date, FDA has not been able to determine a definitive cause for the reported illnesses.

How long does homemade chicken jerky last? ›

How Long Is Homemade Chicken Jerky Good For? This jerky will be good in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. Stored in the fridge, it will be good for up to 2 weeks!

What is chicken jerky made of? ›

Made from 100% human-grade chicken breast meat that provides a nutrient-rich treat, filled with the natural goodness of protein, selenium and niacin (B-vitamin), making our treats super healthy! Contains ZERO artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives.

Do I need to cook chicken before dehydrating? ›

Heating meat to an internal temperature of 160°F and poultry to 165°F kills any harmful bacteria and pathogens of concern. You have three options when it comes to reaching these temperatures when dehydrating meat — before, after, or during dehydrating. Pre-Dehydrating Cooking Step - heating the meat before dehydrating.

How do you dehydrate chicken at home? ›

Start layering sliced chicken strips onto a dehydrator tray, ensuring they do not overlap. Place all the trays on top of each other and close the lid. Set the dehydrator to 60 degrees Celsius or 145 degrees Fahrenheit. Dehydrate the chicken for 6 to 8 hours until the pieces are fully dry.

Is homemade chicken jerky safe? ›

The only potential problem with chicken jerky is that it MUST be cooked to the right temperature to avoid risk of salmonella and other food borne bacterias. I wouldnt suggest using a dehydrator without a temperature setting because you have no way of making sure the chicken is cooked safely.

Do you need curing salt for chicken jerky? ›

For safety, yes. Using a jerky cure will inhibit bacteria growth and prevent botulism or other foodborne illnesses, as jerky is dried at low temps, not cooked. Cured jerky will also lengthen the shelf-life of your product.

How to tell if chicken jerky is done? ›

The best way to tell if your chicken jerky is ready is to bend it. If it bends easily and feels rubbery, it isn't ready. You will want the jerky to crack, but not be so hard that it breaks. Look for the little white fibers that appear when tearing or cracking the jerky.

How does chicken jerky taste? ›

Chicken jerky has a taste that's surprisingly different from beef. First and foremost, the overall flavor is milder and has lesser hints of smokiness. Instead, you get much more tanginess when biting into chicken jerky, which some individuals prefer.

Is chicken jerky better than beef jerky? ›

Similar to turkey jerky, chicken jerky is high in protein, but naturally lower in fat than beef, which makes it a healthier alternative. Chicken jerky is also a popular dog treat as long as they are made safely with clean ingredients.

Is dehydrated raw chicken good for dogs? ›

There are two main prepared ways to safely feed your dog chicken that's uncooked, at least in the traditional sense: dehydrated and freeze-dried.

Is it safe to dehydrate raw chicken? ›

Information. To make jerky safely at home, the United States Department of Agriculture's Meat and Poultry Hotline recommends that consumers cook all meat to 160 °F and all poultry to 165 °F (73.9 °C), before they begin the dehydrating process. This cooking step ensures that any bacteria present will be destroyed.

How to dehydrate meat for dogs? ›

Dehydrate cooked meat for dogs at 145°F (63°C) up to 155°F (68°C) until meat is hard and dry, inside and out. Although dehydrating times for meat can vary with different dehydrator models and other variables such as humidity, expect a drying time around six hours.

How do you dehydrate chicken for dog treats in an air fryer? ›

Lightly spray the air fryer basket with olive oil. Lay the chicken strips in the basket in a single layer. Air-fry at 220°F for 1½ hours. Flip over the chicken strips and air fry another 45 to 60 minutes, until the chicken has dried out and is crispy.

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