Homemade Chicken Deli Meat
Homemade Chicken Deli Meat
Ingredients
For the Chicken Deli Meat
- 2 pounds chicken breasts, washed, cleaned, and cut into manageable pieces
- 1 cup carrots, chopped into large pieces
- 1 cup celery, chopped into large pieces
- 1/2 red onion, chopped into large pieces
- 3 bay leaves
- 4 cups chicken broth, or water, as needed to cover ingredients
- 1 raw beet, grated
- 2 tablespoons gelatin powder
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
Instructions
- 1
Place the cut chicken breasts, chopped carrots, celery, and red onion into a large pot. Add the bay leaves. Pour in enough chicken broth (or water) to completely cover all ingredients.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
Bring the pot to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for approximately 20 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked and tender.
⏱️ 20 min
- 3
While the chicken is cooking, grate the raw beet. Place the grated beet in a fine-mesh strainer over a small bowl. Press firmly with the back of a spoon to extract the deep red juice. Set the beet juice aside.
⏱️ 10 min
- 4
Once the chicken and vegetables are cooked, use tongs or a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked chicken and vegetables into a large mixing bowl. Ladle out 1 cup of the hot cooking liquid (chicken juice/broth) from the pot and set it aside. Discard the bay leaves.
⏱️ 5 min
- 5
Add salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder to the cooked chicken and vegetables in the mixing bowl. Gradually add the reserved beet juice to the mixture. Using an immersion blender, blend the mixture until it forms a smooth, uniform pink paste. Ensure no large chunks remain.
⏱️ 10 min
- 6
In a separate small bowl, combine the gelatin powder with the 1 cup of reserved hot chicken juice. Stir vigorously until the gelatin is completely dissolved and no lumps remain.
⏱️ 2 min
- 7
Pour the dissolved gelatin mixture into the blended chicken paste. Use the immersion blender again to thoroughly combine the gelatin with the chicken mixture, ensuring an even consistency and color throughout.
⏱️ 3 min
- 8
Take a clean, empty plastic bottle (such as a water bottle) and carefully cut off the top portion to create an open mold. Spoon the blended chicken mixture into the prepared plastic bottle. Cover the top of the bottle with plastic wrap and secure it tightly with a rubber band.
⏱️ 5 min
- 9
Place the filled bottle in the refrigerator and chill for at least 6 hours, or preferably overnight (12 hours), until the deli meat has completely solidified.
⏱️ 720 min
- 10
Once solidified, carefully cut away the plastic bottle with kitchen shears or a knife to release the log of homemade chicken deli meat. Slice the deli meat into thin rounds using a sharp knife.
⏱️ 5 min
- 11
Serve the homemade chicken deli meat on sandwiches, with salads, or as part of a charcuterie board.
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Homemade Chicken Deli Meat
Ingredients
For the Chicken Deli Meat
- 2 pounds chicken breasts, washed, cleaned, and cut into manageable pieces
- 1 cup carrots, chopped into large pieces
- 1 cup celery, chopped into large pieces
- 1/2 red onion, chopped into large pieces
- 3 bay leaves
- 4 cups chicken broth, or water, as needed to cover ingredients
- 1 raw beet, grated
- 2 tablespoons gelatin powder
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
Instructions
- 1
Place the cut chicken breasts, chopped carrots, celery, and red onion into a large pot. Add the bay leaves. Pour in enough chicken broth (or water) to completely cover all ingredients.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
Bring the pot to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for approximately 20 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked and tender.
⏱️ 20 min - 3
While the chicken is cooking, grate the raw beet. Place the grated beet in a fine-mesh strainer over a small bowl. Press firmly with the back of a spoon to extract the deep red juice. Set the beet juice aside.
⏱️ 10 min - 4
Once the chicken and vegetables are cooked, use tongs or a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked chicken and vegetables into a large mixing bowl. Ladle out 1 cup of the hot cooking liquid (chicken juice/broth) from the pot and set it aside. Discard the bay leaves.
⏱️ 5 min - 5
Add salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder to the cooked chicken and vegetables in the mixing bowl. Gradually add the reserved beet juice to the mixture. Using an immersion blender, blend the mixture until it forms a smooth, uniform pink paste. Ensure no large chunks remain.
⏱️ 10 min - 6
In a separate small bowl, combine the gelatin powder with the 1 cup of reserved hot chicken juice. Stir vigorously until the gelatin is completely dissolved and no lumps remain.
⏱️ 2 min - 7
Pour the dissolved gelatin mixture into the blended chicken paste. Use the immersion blender again to thoroughly combine the gelatin with the chicken mixture, ensuring an even consistency and color throughout.
⏱️ 3 min - 8
Take a clean, empty plastic bottle (such as a water bottle) and carefully cut off the top portion to create an open mold. Spoon the blended chicken mixture into the prepared plastic bottle. Cover the top of the bottle with plastic wrap and secure it tightly with a rubber band.
⏱️ 5 min - 9
Place the filled bottle in the refrigerator and chill for at least 6 hours, or preferably overnight (12 hours), until the deli meat has completely solidified.
⏱️ 720 min - 10
Once solidified, carefully cut away the plastic bottle with kitchen shears or a knife to release the log of homemade chicken deli meat. Slice the deli meat into thin rounds using a sharp knife.
⏱️ 5 min - 11
Serve the homemade chicken deli meat on sandwiches, with salads, or as part of a charcuterie board.