If you’re anything like me, you care a lot about your dog’s health and nutrition. Sure, dog treats from a store can be perfectly fine, but wouldn’t it be so much nicer if you knew exactly what was going into your treats? Making your own dog treats is an absolute game changer.
Chicken jerky is Copper and Lily’s #1 favorite treat of all time. Not only is it delicious, it is healthy, simple, and much cheaper than jerky you buy at the store. I like to buy chicken breast in bulk at either Aldi or Costco when it’s about $1-3 per pound and freeze it if I won’t use it by the sell by date. And that’s the only ingredient! I’ve seen some recipes where you marinade or season the chicken, but I don’t see the point. Your dog is guaranteed to go crazy for easy, healthy, single-ingredient chicken jerky, I promise!
In order to dry the jerky I use a dehydrator. There are many models on Amazon, but this is the most similar to the one I have. You can also use an oven at its lowest setting (165F to 200F if it will go that low). I have tried using my oven prior to getting my dehydrator as a gift, and while it works, it doesn’t have quite the same results. A dehydrator does just that, pulls moisture out. An oven will take longer, and I could never get the jerky to the same dryness as I now can with my dehydrator. If $100 is above your budget, here is a smaller, less expensive dehydrator with amazing reviews. The downside to this one is that you won’t be able to make as much at one time and it only operates at one temperature (165F), but it is likely sufficient and will save you money!
DIY Chicken Jerky Treats
What you will need: Chicken Breast and a dehydrator or oven
1. (Optional) Freeze chicken breast for 30 to 60 minutes. Or if already frozen, let defrost about 1 hour.
2. Pat dry chicken with a paper towel.
3. Trim visible fat pieces off the chicken breasts and carefully slice the chicken as thinly as you can. When it’s slightly frozen, it makes it easier to slice. Don’t worry if you can’t get the slices as thin as you’d like–it will still turn out! You may just need to increase the time drying.
4. Lay chicken slices out on the dehydrator trays in a thin layer. If using an oven, lay chicken slices out on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. The pieces can be touching, but do not overlap for best results.
5. Place in dehydrator at a temperature of about 165 degrees F (or in my case, as high as the dehydrator will go, 158F*). If you are using an oven, set to 165 degrees F, or as low as the temperature will go if it doesn’t go that low. Set the timer for 4 hours.
6. In 4 hours, check on your jerky. When it is done, you should see no white or translucent parts to the chicken. It should be one consistent color as shown below. If you need to add more time, do so. Sometimes I leave it in as long as 8 hours.
7. Enjoy! I store our chicken jerky in a sealed container and keep it at room temperature until it’s devoured. As a rule of thumb, I would recommend your dog consumes it within 1 to 2 months for optimal freshness and food safety.
*Note: it is recommend that chicken reach a temperature of 165 degrees F before consumption. If needed, you can always put your dehydrated chicken in the oven at 165 degrees+ for 15 to 20 minutes at the end to make sure any bacteria is killed.
Let me know how your dog likes these treats in the comments below if you try this recipe!