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How to Make Chicken Jerky for Dogs {in your oven!}

Are you looking for a healthy, one-ingredient dog treat that’s easy to make at home? Chicken jerky for dogs is easy to make right in your oven with no special equipment. Your dog will love it–and you will love knowing just what’s in your dog’s treat!

We all remember the chicken jerky dog treats worries several years ago–one reason that I prefer to make this popular treat for our dogs rather than purchasing chicken jerky for dogs. It’s quick and easy to make and requires only one ingredient: chicken!

Chicken jerky is made from thin strips of chicken slow baked to almost the point of crispness. Unlike jerky you’d buy for yourself, jerky for dogs is made without spices…just pure, meaty goodness!

The most time-consuming part is the slicing of the chicken; after that, just allow a few hours to bake the chicken to jerky chewiness.

If your dog loves jerky, don’t miss our turkey jerky recipe and liver jerky recipe!

How to make chicken jerky dog treats

Why Make Your Own Chews?

Homemade jerky chews also have the advantage of letting you customize the thickness and chewiness of the chew based on your own dog!

If you have a senior who might be missing some teeth, you can create a softer chew.

Are you sharing your home with a young chewing machine? You can create a tougher chew, all for a fraction of the price you’d pay for chews in the store.

How to Make Chicken Jerky for Dogs

All you’ll need to make chicken jerky dog treats is:

  • chicken breasts (I like the deboned chicken tenderloins to make things easier)
  • a cookie sheet
  • a knife
  • an oven

Tips for making jerky dog treats

It’s easier to slice the chicken when it’s semi-frozen rather than completely thawed; you can use the heel of your hand on the knife to “chop” the slices rather than trying to saw through thawed meat.

chicken jerky preparation with raw chicken breast

Slice with the grain of the chicken, rather than against it; this will make the treats a little chewier and make them last a LITTLE bit longer when you give them to your dogs.

slicing chicken for chicken jerky

You don’t want the chicken to be crispy to the point of snapping but you do want the pieces to be very chewy.

If you cook more than a pound of chicken, you’ll need to add extra baking time.

Want to make this jerky in the dehydrator?
Don’t miss our post on The Ultimate Guide to Making Dehydrated Dog Treats!

chicken jerky treats for dogs

If you don’t have a drying rack, just flip over a dish drainer and drape with a dish towel. Put your treats on the towel to cool.

The object is to get the treats up off the metal cookie sheets so they’ll cool crispier. A wicker basket flipped over and draped with a dish towel work work great, too.

chicken jerky dog treats drying

Be warned, though: these are VERY popular treats…they’ll go fast! (Cats also love them!)

FAQ

Can I use cooked chicken to make chicken jerky for my dog?

Yes, you can use cooked chicken to make jerky chews for your dog! Make sure you don’t include any bones and just slice off the meat as you would if the chicken were raw. Place it out on a cookie sheet and bake as above–but adjust your cooking time. Cooked chicken will dehydrate much faster than raw chicken.

How long can I store jerky chews?

You can store chicken jerky chews in your refrigerator for 4-6 days; if you have made more than you’ll need in that time period, freeze the chews.

Can I use turkey for jerky chews?

You can make turkey jerky chews using the same recipe as chicken jerky for dogs.

Should I add seasoning?

Jerky sold for human consumption has a wide range of seasonings, from salt to teriyaki. (This is the reason you don’t want to serve your dog store-bought jerky sold for your snacking.) For your dog, keep it simple: just chicken only!

Printable Chicken Jerky Recipe

Chicken Jerky Treats for Dogs

Chicken Jerky Treats for Dogs

Make healthy chicken jerky for your dog right in your kitchen!

Ingredients

  • 1 pound chicken breasts, deboned

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 170-180 degrees Fahrenheit or lowest temperature setting.
  2. Lightly grease a cookie sheet, using one with a slight edge because there will be water and juices from the chicken during the first hour of cooking.
  3. Slice chicken breasts in strips no more than ¼-inch thick.
  4. Place slices on a greased cookie sheet, leaving at least a ½-inch between slices.
  5. Bake for two hours. After two hours, check the slices and see if they’re dry.
  6. Continue baking until slices appear very dried.
  7. When done, remove the treats from the oven and cool on a drying rack.
  8. When the treats are completely cool, bag in zippered bags or place in an airtight container and refrigerate.

Would your dog love this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

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Justin

Wednesday 25th of January 2023

I make these for my two dogs all the time. My one dog Loki has a sensitive stomach when it comes to store bought treats. These don't upset him at all. Also I place the chick directly on the rack and put a baking sheet on the shelf under to catch the drippings. I also make mine a bit dry so they keep longer in the fridge.

Chris Rudolph

Saturday 12th of November 2022

My first attempt was very successful, I took the additional tips from people who left a review and they turned out fantastic! I froze the chicken breasts slightly and it made cutting up very easy. This’ll be a lot cheaper than the ones we get @ Pets Smart. We were buying the Dentleys chicken strips and they were very expensive. This’ll save a ton of money! Thanks to everyone for the tips! 🐾🐾♥️💰💵…

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