Food & Drink

We Asked 3 Chefs the Best Thing To Make With Canned Chicken, and They All Said the Same Thing

By Kenn C. Bivins Parade - Food and Drink Stories

Updated June 18, 2026 5:23 PM

It's hard to think of a more polarizing pantry staple than canned chicken. For some people, it's a must-have ingredient that easily finds its way into a variety of dishes, from soups and stews to dips and chicken salad. For others, they wouldn't dare toss a can into their cart. Much like SPAM, canned chicken is sometimes seen as a lower-quality or unhealthy food, making it one of the last things you may consider stocking your pantry with. However, canned chicken can actually be one of the most versatile ingredients you can keep in your kitchen-and it might not be as bad as you think.

Depending on the brand, canned chicken can actually be an incredible source of protein, packing anywhere between 15 and 22 grams of filling protein per serving. It's also fully cooked and shelf-stable, making it convenient to have on hand for a quick and easy meal. Sure, ingredients might vary across brands, but if you know what to look out for, you'll get the most out of this unsung pantry hero.

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And, hey, if it's good enough for Chef Jacques Pépin, then it's good enough for us. We say it's time for canned chicken to officially have its moment in the spotlight, so we spoke with three chefs to get their take. Read on to see what they had to say about the best ways to use canned chicken.

Our Panel of Chefs

These are the three chefs we spoke with to get their take on canned chicken.

Isaac Bernal Carbajo: Chef Isaac Bernal Carbajo is the executive chef of the Representation of Spain to the United Nations with more than 26 years of culinary experience spanning both military and high-end gastronomy. He has also been recognized through multiple gastronomic competitions, including being named Best Chef of Spain in 2020.
Kara Brown: Kara Brown is the recipe developer and founder of Bee Inspired, a platform dedicated to promoting honey as an essential key to health and wellness. Her brand is rooted in seasonality and being a steward of the planet through sustainable endeavors.
Jessica Randhawa: Chef Jessica Randhawa is the head chef, recipe creator, photographer and writer behind The Forked Spoon. She creates delicious, family-friendly recipes that anyone can make, and shares them on her website, which gets over 2 million readers each month.

What To Look for When Buying Canned Chicken

If you're ready to take the plunge into the wondrous world of canned poultry, you might want to know what to look for before you head to the grocery store. Luckily, our chefs offered plenty of insight into what makes a canned chicken brand worth the spend-and what things to avoid.

According to Chef Isaac Bernal Carbajo, the most important thing to look out for is a short ingredient list that only consists of minimal ingredients. "The shorter, the better. Ideally, I want to see chicken, water and salt," he says. He also mentioned paying attention to texture because it can vary from brand to brand. "Some hold their structure much better and have a far more pleasant texture once they're incorporated into a dish," he says.

Chef Jessica Randhawa prioritizes "simple ingredients and a clean chicken flavor" that she can use in everything from "creamy dips like buffalo chicken dip or shortcut chicken soups." In terms of which brands to toss into your cart, all three chefs recommended Costco's Kirkland Signature canned chicken as a favorite go-to, as well as options from Wild Planet and Swanson. In terms of price, Costco's Kirkland Signature canned chicken offers the best bang for your buck at about $17 for six 12.5-ounce cans.

As for what to avoid, all three chefs agreed that a longer ingredient list often indicates that a brand is compensating for quality, and you should probably avoid it if you can.

But knowing what to look for at the grocery store is only half the battle. Once you've selected your protein-packed tin, it's time to cook, and our chefs agreed that canned chicken works best when used in this particular way.

The Best Thing To Make With Canned Chicken, According to 3 Chefs

When it comes to the best way to use your newfound pantry staple, our panel of experts all agreed that canned chicken works best in dishes like chicken salad or creamy dips that play off of the chicken's poached texture and consistency. Because it's already fully cooked, it can be easily incorporated into a variety of dishes with minimal additional effort from you.

To get the most out of canned chicken, Chef Carbajo recommends not using the chicken straight out of the tin. "Drain it well and give it a little attention. Good olive oil, fresh herbs, a squeeze of lemon, quality mustard or a few spices can completely change the final result," he says. He also suggests "pairing it with ingredients that add texture, such as celery, red onion or pickles."

Chef Brown shares that she likes to use canned chicken in her honey mustard chicken salad and zhuzhes it up with "crunchy celery, sweet apple, toasted walnuts, and a dressing of raw honey and apple cider vinegar."

As for Chef Randhawa, her buffalo chicken dip is her favorite quick and easy crowd-pleaser.

The takeaway here is that when you're using canned chicken, it's best to lean on its convenience by using its texture to your advantage. From there, layering in fresh ingredients for texture and acid for zing is all you need to make a show-stopping dish.

5 Other Genius, Chef-Approved Ways To Use Canned Chicken

Of course, canned chicken doesn't have to stop and end at chicken salad. Here are even more genius ways to use the affordable pantry staple.

1. Make a Larb

When it comes to getting creative with canned chicken, Chef Brown suggests making a speedy weeknight larb by breaking up the chicken and tossing in lime juice, fish sauce, toasted rice powder, and fresh herbs like mint and cilantro. Shallots and a pinch of chili flakes add the final touches, and in just minutes, you've got an easy and delicious meal.

2. Speed Up Chili Prep

When time is of the essence and you don't have the minutes to shred a rotisserie chicken or season and cook raw chicken, the canned version can really save you when it comes to meal prep. When you don't have much time, a slow cooker chili made with canned chicken is the easiest, most hands-off way to get dinner on the table on busy weeknights.

3. Stir It Into Soup

Adding canned chicken to soup is a quick way to get some more filling protein into a meal. Try combining beans (another protein-rich powerhouse), melty cheese and chicken into a chicken enchilada soup. You're left with a savory lunch you'll look forward to eating and that'll keep you full until dinnertime.

4. Add It to a Casserole

Move over, tuna casserole; canned chicken can be just as versatile. The possibilities of canned chicken in casseroles shouldn't be underestimated. Pair it with stuffing mix and cream of mushroom soup for a creamy comfort meal; mix roasted red peppers and canned chicken with pasta for the ultimate chicken pasta bake; or pair it with zucchini, squash and a light dressing for a veggie-packed summer casserole.

5. Top Your Potato

There's nothing more fun than a loaded potato bar, and canned chicken makes things even easier to assemble. Whether you want to stuff a sweet potato with chicken and pesto or top a baked potato with chicken, chili beans and cheese, the options are endless. Adding canned chicken to your spud turns a side into a heartier meal.

With these ideas and recipes in mind, you'll never look at a can of chicken the same way again. From chicken salad to casseroles, soups to spuds, canned chicken proves it's a versatile shelf-stable staple you need to have in your kitchen.

This story was originally published June 18, 2026 at 4:08 PM.