What is Chicken Bacon Made Of? A Close Look at the Ingredients and Processing

For bacon lovers seeking a leaner, lighter alternative to traditional pork bacon, chicken bacon has become a go-to option. But what exactly is this poultry-based product made of? In this complete guide, we’ll take a close look at how chicken bacon is made, from the ingredients to the curing and cooking process.

Chicken Meat – The Main Ingredient

The primary ingredient in chicken bacon is, not surprisingly, chicken meat. While any cut of chicken can be used, breast meat is most common because it is lean and mild in flavor.

Thinly sliced chicken breast cutlets provide the “bacon” part of chicken bacon. These meat slices are typically around 1/8 inch thick, compared to traditional pork bacon slices which are closer to 1/4 inch thick.

Besides breast meat, chicken bacon can also contain meat from thighs, wings or tenderloins. Dark meat cuts may be used to provide more flavor and fat. Ground chicken trimmings are also sometimes used.

Additional Ingredients

To transform plain chicken meat into bacon, various ingredients are added to cure, flavor, and preserve the product:

• Salt – Essential for curing, flavoring and extending shelf life. Kosher or sea salt is often used.

• Sugar – Added for mild sweetness and to balance saltiness Brown sugar or maple sugar is commonly used,

• Nitrites – Curing agents like sodium nitrite preserve color and extend shelf life by preventing bacteria growth.

• Smoked flavor – Liquid smoke is typically added to mimic smoky flavor, since chicken bacon is rarely actually smoked.

• Spices and herbs – Common choices include garlic, onion, paprika, coriander and red pepper for extra flavor.

• Water or broth – Provides moisture and can dissolve and distribute other ingredients evenly.

• Binders – Thickeners like corn starch or wheat flour help bind the chicken meat for a cohesive texture.

The goal is to infuse the relatively bland chicken breast with the classic bacon taste consumers expect.

How Chicken Bacon is Made

Commercial chicken bacon manufacturing involves an industrial process optimized for efficiency:

1. Trimming and Slicing

Chicken portions are trimmed of excess fat, cartilage, bones and skin. The meat is sliced into thin cutlets around 1/8 inch thick.

2. Brining

The meat slices are submerged and soaked in a saltwater brine solution, which cures the meat for flavor and preservation.

3. Addition of Flavors

The chicken slices are removed from the brine and ingredients like brown sugar, smoked flavor, spices, herbs and curing agents are added to coat the meat.

4. Binding and Forming

Corn starch, wheat flour or other binders are added so the slices hold together better. The coated meat slices are pressed and molded into the long rectangular bacon shape.

5. Cooking

The pressed “bacon” slices are rapidly cooked through methods like steaming, baking or frying. This both cooks the meat and sets the ingredients into the chicken.

6. Cooling and Slicing

After cooking, the chicken bacon is cooled down and refrigerated. It is then sliced into individual strips before packaging.

While traditional artisanal bacon is smoked and cured for days or weeks, commercial chicken bacon can be produced start-to-finish in just a few hours.

Homemade Chicken Bacon is Different

Making DIY chicken bacon at home involves a slower, more hands-on process:

• Choose the chicken – Opt for boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs. Avoid pre-injected enhanced chicken.

• Trim and slice – Remove any fat or membranes and slice the chicken no more than 1/4-inch thick.

• Make the cure – Mix together a dry cure of salt, sugar, spices and curing salt (like Prague Powder #1).

• Cure the meat – Coat the chicken slices in the cure mix, place in a ziptop bag and refrigerate 1-3 days, flipping occasionally.

• Rinse and dry – Rinse off excess cure mix and pat the chicken slices dry.

• Smoke the bacon – Hot smoke the cured chicken slices for 1-2 hours until cooked through.

• Cool and slice – Refrigerate until cooled and then slice into bacon strip portions.

• Cook and serve – Pan fry, bake or microwave as needed to warm through before eating.

With no artificial flavors, homemade chicken bacon has a more natural cured meat taste. And real smoking (instead of liquid smoke) provides authentic smoky notes.

The Benefits of Understanding the Ingredients

Knowing what goes into making chicken bacon enables you to make better choices for your diet and lifestyle:

• Evaluate the nutrition – Understanding the ingredients and process helps you analyze the protein, fat, carbs, etc.

• Avoid unwanted ingredients – You can read labels to pick products without things you wish to avoid, like added nitrites, MSG or preservatives.

• Troubleshoot cooking issues – Ingredients affect how homemade chicken bacon crisps, sticks or burns, so you can adjust your technique accordingly.

• Substitute as needed – If you don’t have certain ingredients, knowing their purpose helps you sub in reasonable alternatives.

• Appreciate higher quality options – You can recognize products made with premium real ingredients instead of artificial flavors and shortcuts.

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