Homemade Chicken Deli Meat
Move over the processed, packaged sandwich meat and try making your own homemade chicken deli meat. It's really easy to make, tastes incredible and is perfect for meal-prep.
If you never thought making cold cuts at home was possible, this is the recipe you need to try. Whip up some Air Fryer shredded chicken or homemade Italian sausage on the side to prep for a week's worth of quick lunches.
I've recently been trying to make a lot of everyday cooking essentials from scratch at home, and so far, it's been turning out to be really enjoyable and less effortful than I imagined.
We ran out of my homemade coconut cream and homemade cheese tortellini in just days, and my homemade breadcrumbs turned out to be such lifesavers when I really needed them for a recipe. This time, I thought of taking things a step forward and making my own deli meat.
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What's So Great About the Recipe?
Making your chicken deli meat is actually easier than you'd think. You'll just need to prep this a day ahead of time before you actually want to use it, and you'll need just a few pantry staples- no fancy ingredients or equipment.
Recipe Ingredients
Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts work perfectly for this recipe.
Garlic: Fresh garlic, to add that umami depth to the brine.
Black peppercorns: I used whole black peppercorns here to add that earthy flavor to the brine.
Oil: Any regular cooking oil will do. You can also use an infused oil like garlic herb oil or habanero infused oil for extra flavor.
Seasonings: To season the chicken, I used some onion powder, garlic granules, salt, pepper and a bit of paprika.
Thyme: For the aroma. Use dried or fresh thyme- whatever you can find.
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- Experiment with different seasonings and rubs to transform the flavor or your homemade chicken deli meat. I love using my Creole seasoning or lemon pepper seasoning here!
- To lend a dash of sweetness, you can also add some honey (I love using my habanero hot honey or jalapeno honey) into the brine.
- Apple cider vinegar (or regular white vinegar) can also be added to the brine. This is especially helpful if you don't have enough time to soak the chicken, but still want it to be nice and tender.
How to Make Chicken Deli Meat
Step 1: In a pot, add 1 liter of water, 60g salt, garlic cloves, thyme and black peppercorns. Bring this to a boil and let it cool.
Step 2: Add the brine to a glass bowl with the chicken breasts.
Step 3: Cover and move this to the refrigerator to marinate for 24-48 hours.
Step 4: Remove the lid and let the bowl sit at room temperature for an hour. Remove and wash the chicken nicely.
Step 5: Pat dry and season with your favorite seasonings and a bit of oil. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Step 6: Pop it in the oven preheated at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes, or until the chicken is completely cooked. Let it rest for 10-15 minutes and slice.
💭Top Tip
Use a sharp knife to get those perfect thin slices. You can also use a sushi knife if you have one.
How to Store Leftover Homemade Deli Meat
Store the leftover homemade chicken deli meat for up to 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can also freeze this if you want to- just use a freezer-safe container or bag to prevent freezer burn, and make sure you allow it to thaw overnight before you use it.
Tips & Tricks to Nail the Recipe
- If you really love those perfect thin slices, take your time to slice through the chicken. It gives you more control over the thickness of the meat.
- You can also try this with another lean protein like turkey. Just remember that the cooking time will change accordingly.
- If you're worried about the high sodium content, reduce the amount of salt you're adding to the brine, or use a low-sodium seasoning to season the chicken before you bake it.
- Use an infused salt like jalapeno salt, Sriracha salt, celery salt or citrus salt for additional flavor.
- I used a 6% brine here, but you can reduce the amount of salt you're adding to 4 tablespoon too.
How to Serve Chicken Deli Meat
Tuck these chicken deli meat slices into your homemade sandwiches and wraps or add them to your salads- there are a ton of ways to put them to use.
I love teaming these up with my cashew basil pesto, some roasted Italian peppers and a nice loaf of Italian bread to make my favorite Italian style sandwich.
Recipe FAQs
To check if your chicken deli meat is cooked, use a meat thermometer to measure its internal temperature. If it reads 160 degrees or more, it is cooked through and safe to consume.
Related Recipes
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If you tried this chicken deli meat or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Homemade Chicken Deli Meat
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts boneless skinless
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 6 tablespoon salt
- 4-5 garlic
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon oil
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- In a pot, add 1 liter of water, 60g salt, garlic cloves, thyme and black peppercorns. Bring this to a boil and let it cool.
- Add the brine to a glass bowl with the chicken breasts.
- Cover and move this to the refrigerator to marinate for 24-48 hours.
- Remove the lid and let the bowl sit at room temperature for an hour. Remove and wash the chicken nicely.
- Pat dry and season with your favorite seasonings and a bit of oil. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Pop it in the oven preheated at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes, or until the chicken is completely cooked. Let it rest for 10-15 minutes and slice.
Notes
- If you really love those perfect thin slices, take your time to slice through the chicken. It gives you more control over the thickness of the meat.
- You can also try this with another lean protein like turkey. Just remember that the cooking time will change accordingly.
- If you're worried about the high sodium content, reduce the amount of salt you're adding to the brine, or use a low-sodium seasoning to season the chicken before you bake it.
- Use an infused salt like jalapeno salt, Sriracha salt, celery salt or citrus salt for additional flavor.
- I used a 6% brine here, but you can reduce the amount of salt you're adding to 4 tablespoon too.
