7 Shelf-Stable Canned Chicken Recipes (from Pantry Staples)

How to create low-effort, satisfying meals from all those shelf-stable ingredients you’ve got lying around.

You either need to use up a bunch of ingredients you have lying around in your pantry, OR you need to cut your grocery bill in half like yesterday and are hoping to find cheap, shelf-stable meals here.

Hint: you’re in the right place, no matter which describes your current situation!

All these shelf-stable meals are tried and tested by my husband and me.

And while they might not be our first choice over meals with tons of fresh ingredients…they certainly were satisfying and made the cut for this article.

Shelf Stable Meals

These canned chicken recipes are cheap, easy to make, and made mostly from ingredients you can keep on hand for weeks (or months).

1. One-Pot Cheesy Protein Shells

There are boxes of macaroni and cheese dinners that only need water added to them, and will last for a year or more on the shelf (I would consider that shelf-stable).

You can make this your one-pot, main dish for a shelf-stable meal by adding in two shelf-stable protein sources: canned chicken and canned peas.

Ingredients:

• 1 Box of Cheese Shells
• ½ cup canned peas
• 1-2 cans of chicken

Instructions:

1. Make the cheesy shells according to the boxed instructions.
2. Add in the ½ cup of peas.
3. Open the 1-2 cans of chicken, and add those in.
4. Heat through until everything is nice and hot.

2. Poor Cowboy Supper

This is such a tasty dish that’s very easy and quick to put together, and uses all shelf-stable ingredients.

Hint: if you happen to have cheese to melt on top of the chicken BBQ, that really makes it tasty!

Ingredients:

• Instant mashed potatoes
• 1-2 cans of chicken (1-2 cans per person)
• 1-2 tbsps. BBQ sauce
• Can of peas (1/2 a can per person)
• 1 tsp. Garlic Powder

Instructions:

1. Make the instant mashed potatoes according to directions.
2. Mix 1-2 tbsps. of BBQ sauce to taste with the canned chicken.
3. Mix 1 tsp. of garlic powder with the peas.
4. Microwave or otherwise cook the chicken for 45 secs.
5. Microwave or otherwise cook the peas for 45 secs.
6. Assemble by putting a big spoonful of instant mashed potatoes on a plate, then the BBQ chicken on top of it. Serve with the garlic peas.

Tip: One way to get extra protein into your shelf-stable meals is by using peas in the recipe. Remember, peas have protein!

3. Shelf-Stable Thanksgiving Casserole

Have you ever heard of Dollar Tree Dinners? You’ve got to follow her!

Each year, she figures out a Thanksgiving dinner from only Dollar Tree ingredients.

And normally, for $20 or less.

I tried out her Thanksgiving Casserole, and it was perfect to include in this post because it’s from all shelf-stable ingredients (it does call for butter in the stuffing, but you could use canned or boxed chicken stock instead).

Ingredients:

• Boxed Stuffing
• Package of Instant Mashed Potatoes
• Can of string beans
• Package of dried craisins (or other dried fruit you have)
• 3-4 cans of chicken or cans of turkey

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F.
2. Rehydrated the cranberries a bit by soaking in water for 30 minutes or so. Drain them.
3. Make the instant mashed potatoes according to package directions. Set aside.
4. Make the stuffing according to package directions.
5. Mix the cranberries in with the stuffing.
6. Spray a baking dish, and layer your casserole evenly: mashed potatoes on the bottom, green beans next, canned chicken, and then the stuffing-cranberry mix.
7. Bake for 30 minutes or so, until the top is crispy.

4. Chicken BBQ Biscuit Sandwiches with Creamed Spinach

In the mood for that BBQ flavor…on a pantry meal budget?

See if these do the trick.

Ingredients:

• ½ tbsp. vegetable oil
• ½ tbsp. flour
• 1/2 cup evaporated milk (or shelf-stable milk)
• 1 can of spinach (approximately 13.5 oz)
• ½ tsp. garlic powder
• ¼ cup parmesan cheese (optional)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 cans of chicken
• 2 tbsps. BBQ sauce

Instructions:

1. Mix the oil, flour, and milk in a saucepan, and heat over medium heat. Whisk away any lumps, and let it thicken.
2. Stir in the flour, and cook for 1–2 minutes until the raw flour smell is gone.
3. Open canned spinach and drain out all of the excess moisture.
4. Add the spinach, garlic powder, and parmesan cheese (if using), and cook through until hot.
5. Drain the chicken, and add the BBQ sauce to it. Microwave, or otherwise heat it through.
6. Prepare the biscuits and cook according to package directions.
7. Assemble by cutting biscuits in half (as best you can – they can be crumbly! You can also just use two biscuits), filling with the BBQ chicken, and serving with the creamed spinach.

5. Ramen Noodles with Chicken & Peas

This is a stupid-simple way to cook a shelf-stable meal with pantry ingredients (and increase the protein that you’d normally get in just regular ol’ ramen noodles).

Ingredients:

• 1 Package of ramen noodles
• ½ can of peas
• Can of chicken (1 per person)

Instructions:

• Cook the ramen noodles according to the package directions.
• Open and drain the chicken.
• Open and drain the peas.
• Add the chicken and peas to the ramen noodles on the stovetop, and heat through.

6. Pantry Southwest Hash Bake

We just love Mexican and Tex-Mex food.

And in a pinch?

This pantry recipe can do the trick for us.

Ingredients:

• Box of Hash Brown mix
• Can, pouch, or bag of black beans
• 1 can of Hatch or mild chilis
• Any taco or Mexican seasoning you’ve got
• 2-3 cans of chicken
• 1 can of any type of diced tomatoes with Southwest flavoring
• Garlic Powder (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 375° F.
2. Make the hash browns according to the boxed instructions. Season with 1 tbsp. of garlic powder (optional).
3. If you’re cooking beans from scratch, then soak them overnight and have them ready.
4. Spray an 8” X 8” casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.
5. Make your layers – put the black beans in the bottom, and smash them up. Then open up your cans of chicken, drain them, and put that next. Add in the diced chilis and diced tomatoes. Layer on the taco or Mexican seasoning. Top the casserole with the cooked hash browns (of course, cheese would be a lovely, final layer – but only if you’ve got it).
6. Cook in the oven, uncovered, until everything is heated through and the hash browns are brown and crispy.

7. The “Fancy for Canned Chicken” Shells

You ready to get a little fancy, fancy here?

I’m giggling as I type that.

Seriously, though, you’ll be surprised how much a can of Hatch chilis (or any mild chilis) adds to a box of shelf-stable cheesy shells and canned chicken.

I know my husband and I were when we tested this out!

Ingredients:

• Box of Cheese Shells
• 1-2 cans of chicken
• 1 can of mild Hatch chilis or regular green chilis

Instructions:

1. Make the cheesy shells according to the boxed instructions.
2. Open and drain the chicken. Add it in.
3. Open and drain the chilis, and add those in.  
4. Heat through until everything is nice and hot.

Hopefully, I’ve shown you that you’re just a few cans away from some pretty filling, cheap, and surprisingly satisfying shelf-stable meals. Here’s an idea: rotate 1-2 of these meals into your “normal” meals each week, and watch your grocery bill come down.