{"id":52369,"date":"2024-11-24T09:02:43","date_gmt":"2024-11-24T14:02:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/beyondflourblog.com\/?p=52369"},"modified":"2025-06-03T09:24:46","modified_gmt":"2025-06-03T13:24:46","slug":"shawarma-chicken-jerky","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/beyondflourblog.com\/shawarma-chicken-jerky\/","title":{"rendered":"Shawarma Chicken Jerky"},"content":{"rendered":"

This Shawarma Chicken Jerky is super easy to make, and absolutely packed with flavour! A gourmet jerky, at a fraction the cost of retail!<\/p>\n

\"Several<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve been on a months-long jerky making kick, and it\u2019s time to spread the love to my other blogs, LOL.<\/p>\n

You see, we upgraded our food dehydrator and bought a jerky gun earlier this year. Our thinking was that making our own jerky would be fantastic for road trip snacks and to bring hiking with us.<\/p>\n

Beyond that, it would give us more control over the ingredients in our jerky, AND save us a bunch of money. Score!<\/p>\n

What we hadn\u2019t considered, at the time, was how much FUN we could have with it. We quickly branched out from more traditional jerky flavour profiles, really just going wild with it.<\/p>\n

We soon had more recipes for funky, gourmet jerkies than we could handle.<\/p><\/div>\n

Our camping blog - 2 Nerds in a Truck<\/a> - quickly started looking more like a jerky blog.<\/p>\n

So... here we are with some spillover, LOL!<\/p>\n

This gourmet chicken jerky recipe is based on a local favourite - Chicken Shawarma - and uses the same general flavour profile as my Chicken Shawarma Salad<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Shawarma may sound like an unusual flavour for jerky, but it just works.<\/p>\n

You\u2019re looking at a hefty dose of garlic, some spice, and smoke. You know - jerky flavours!<\/p>\n

While the cinnamon and cardamom may be a bit odd for jerky, it brings a well rounded depth of flavour - it really is a fantastic chicken jerky recipe!<\/p>\n

Best of all, it only takes about 15 minutes of work to get a batch into the dehydrator. Super easy.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s take a look at what you\u2019ll need, and how to do it:<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Several<\/p>\n

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Equipment<\/h2>\n

Beyond the basics - bowls, measuring cups, etc - there are two specialized pieces of equipment that I use for making jerky:\t<\/p>\n

A Jerky Gun<\/h4>\n

This is basically a caulking gun - food grade - that you use to pipe out strips of jerky onto your parchment paper. It\u2019s also known as a \u201cjerky cannon\u201d.<\/p>\n

The one I bought is the XINQIAO Jerky Gun Food Grade Plastic Beef Jerky Gun Kit<\/a> . It\u2019s usually about $35 (Canadian) on Amazon, but I lucked into something like 25% off, when I purchased it. <\/p>\n

Even if I\u2019d paid full price, it would ABSOLUTELY be worth it! I\u2019ve never been one for single-function, special equipment in the kitchen... but I LOVE it. <\/p>\n

From the very first time I used my jerky gun, I was HOOKED. I had no idea that the whole jerky making process could be so quick and easy!<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve heard of people making jerky by spreading the mixture out, flattening it with a rolling pin, then cutting it with a pizza cutter, but to be honest, that sounds fussy. This? This is *slick*!<\/p><\/div>\n

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A Food Dehydrator<\/h4>\n

While you technically CAN make homemade chicken jerky in a regular home oven, I\u2019m not a fan of running one for hours on end.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve had a couple different food dehydrators before - the kinds with no time or temperature controls. Without more control over - and knowledge of - the drying process, I\u2019d always been too nervous to try making jerky in them. <\/p>\n

I\u2019ve since upgraded to a Cosori 6 Tray Food Dehydrator<\/a>, and LOVE it. <\/p>\n

Aside from the control, space, and ease in using it, or\u2019s it\u2019s paid for itself MANY times over.\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

It was something like $200 Canadian, and - between all the Maple Cinnamon Apple Chips<\/a> and jerkies I\u2019ve been making - we\u2019ve saved many TIMES that amount, by not paying retail prices for our dried snacks.<\/p>\n

We\u2019re also using a dehydrator a LOT more, now that we have a nice one. Having the control over the temperature really opens up the possibilities!<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Several<\/p>\n

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Ingredients<\/h2>\n

With only 2 exceptions, the ingredients in this shawarma chicken jerky recipe are super simple. If you have a robust spice rack, you may even have them on hand!<\/p>\n

As for those last two, they may be specialty, but I use them in pretty much all of my jerky recipes. They\u2019ll definitely get used, if you\u2019re a jerky fan!<\/p>\n

Some notes for you:<\/p>\n

Lean Ground Chicken<\/h4>\n

Use the highest quality ground chicken you can when making chicken jerky. <\/p>\n

While fresh or frozen will usually work in my jerky recipes, I generally recommend using fresh - I like the finished texture a bit better..<\/p><\/div>\n

Thawed, previously-frozen ground chicken can end up a bit more \u201cwatery\u201d, and dry down to a thinner jerky than fresh ground chicken does, in my experience.<\/p>\n

If you want to make your own ground chicken, trim some boneless skinless chicken breasts - plain chicken - and run them through a food processor or meat grinder until well broken down.<\/p>\n

Lean chicken breast meat will have a better shelf life than higher fat dark meat will - fat can go rancid.<\/p>\n

Finally, if you want to make turkey jerky, feel free to use the same amount of lean ground turkey. For that matter, you can swap the meat our for whatever kind of ground meat you prefer!<\/p><\/div>\n

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Liquid Smoke<\/h4>\n

As with all of my jerkies, you\u2019ll need some Liquid Smoke<\/a> in this shawarma themed jerky!<\/p>\n

Because the chicken shawarma we order tends to be quite smoky, I use a bit more in this recipe, than I do in most of my jerky recipes.<\/p>\n

No worries, it\u2019s not at all overpowering - there is a LOT of seasoning to balance it out!.<\/p><\/div>\n

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Prague Powder<\/h4>\n

Prague Powder is one of a few different curing salts out on the market. It\u2019s not something you\u2019ll normally cook with, but it\u2019ll last a long time - a little goes a long way! <\/p>\n

I use Prague Powder #1 Cure<\/a>, same as I use for my Montreal Smoked Meat Recipe<\/a>, Back Bacon Recipe<\/a>, Homemade Corned Beef Recipe<\/a>, and Peameal Bacon Recipe<\/a>.<\/p>\n

This is a bright pink curing salt that\u2019s a mixture of salt and sodium nitrite. It\u2019s commonly used in cured meats - like pepperoni or summer sausages - and is what gives the jerky its characteristic red colour.<\/p>\n

Beyond aesthetics, it also contributes to giving dehydrated meat that iconic jerky flavor, AND helps ensure that your homemade meat snack will be good to eat for a long time. It does this by preventing the growth of bacteria, during and after the drying process.<\/p>\n

A couple of things to note:<\/p>\n

1. Prague Powder is pink, but it is NOT the same thing as Himalayan pink salt! <\/p>\n

2. Prague cure is only to be used in small amounts for curing meats, and should never be consumed as-is. The measurements are important - if you want a saltier shawarma chicken jerky, add some regular salt, rather than increasing the curing salt.<\/p><\/div>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

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Everything Else<\/h4>\n

Rounding out this recipe, you will need:\t<\/p>\n

Lemon Juice (Ideally fresh squeezed!)
\nDried Oregano<\/a>
\nCrushed Chilies<\/a>, optional
\nGarlic Powder<\/a>
\nGround Cardamom<\/a>
\nGround Cinnamon<\/a>
\nGround Cloves<\/a>
\nGround Cumin<\/a>
\nOnion Powder<\/a>
\nSmoked Paprika<\/a>
\nTurmeric Powder<\/a>
\nSalt<\/p>\n

... as always, I don\u2019t really have anything to add, when it comes to these last few ingredients!<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Several<\/p>\n