Pumpkin Spice Chicken Jerky

Blueberry Bison Jerky, Ginger Beef Jerky, Jerk Chicken Jerky, Lingonberry Elk Jerky, Mango Habanero Chicken Jerky... we’ve had a lot of fun developing our own homemade jerky recipes.

Recently, we were sitting on the couch, having a “rest and recovery day”, with plans to do nothing but veg.

... and then my husband just randomly spouted THE most batshit recipe idea that’s ever come out of his mouth.

“You should make a pumpkin spice jerky”.

He’d said it as a joke, but - as with a lot of our dumb ideas - it quickly spiraled from there.

2 hours after he conjured this absolutely unholy idea, it was being transferred to the dehydrator. 4 hours after that, we had our very first batch of Pumpkin Spice Chicken Jerky.

Now, he’ll be the first person to tell you that his “inner basic white girl” is ALLLL about the pumpkin spice everything, but when I made him take that first bite on camera, I figured there was a 50/50 chance of it being terrible.

... it was good. Like... shockingly good.

From the start, I was looking at the chicken as more of an “invisible” base, for what we’d pictured to be almost a dessert jerky. Sweet chicken recipes work well - some chicken wing recipes are just a HAIR away from being caramel, after all!

So I was figuring this would be almost a fruit leather, just high protein. In the end, that’s pretty much exactly what it was!

While we don’t think it’s necessarily competition for our FAVOURITE jerky recipes - Jalapeno chicken, jerk chicken, etc - it’s actually a really solid jerky recipe.

So, make it on a dare, or make it because you’re a fan of pumpkin spice - either way, you might actually really like it!

Just be prepared to be CONFUSED. There’s something really weird about mixing up a batch of ground chicken that smells like a really good pumpkin pie!

Anyway, this is how we do it:

Equipment

There are two specialized pieces of equipment that I use for making jerky, beyond basics like spoons, bowls, and measuring cups:

A Food Dehydrator

While you can apparently make pumpkin spice chicken jerky in a regular home oven, I’m not a fan of running one for hours on end.

I’ve had food dehydrators before - the basic kinds with no time or temperature controls, - and I’d always been too nervous to try making jerky in them. I need more control over - and knowledge of - the drying process, when meat is concerned.

I’ve since upgraded to a Cosori 6 Tray Food Dehydrator, and LOVE it.

It was only like $200 Canadian, and it’s paid for itself MANY times over, between all the Maple Cinnamon Apple Chips and Jerky Recipes I’ve been making!

Think of it this way - The same size of jerky that I tend to make goes for about $4 in a gas station. I get about 10-15 strips out of a batch (varying by recipe)- let’s average that out to 12.

That’s $48 worth of jerky, for $8 or less. Make 5 batches, that’s your $200 in savings!

Anyway, we’re using a dehydrator a LOT more, now that we have a nice one. Having the control over the temperature really opens up the possibilities.

A Jerky Gun

Also known as a “jerky cannon”, this is basically a nice quality caulking gun (NOT an actual one - keep it food safe!) that you use to pipe out strips of jerky onto your parchment paper.

Mine is the XINQIAO Jerky Gun Food Grade Plastic Beef Jerky Gun Kit . Regular $35 (Canadian) on Amazon, but it had a coupon for something like 25% off, when I purchased it.

Worth every penny, even if I’d paid full price!

I’ve 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.

The very first time I used my jerk gun, I was HOOKED. I had no idea that the jerky making process could be so quick and easy!

I’ve never been one for single-function, special equipment in the kitchen... but I LOVE it.

Ingredients

With one exception, this homemade jerky recipe uses really simple ingredients. As far as that one specialty ingredient goes, it’s something you’ll use for pretty much any jerky you’ll make - so it’s definitely be good to have on hand!

I have a few ingredient notes for you:

Lean Ground Chicken

Use the highest quality ground chicken you can when making chicken jerky.

While fresh or frozen will usually work in my jerky recipes, I recommend using fresh in this one, just due to the amount of liquid / puree ingredients we’re adding.

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.

Lean chicken breast meat will have a better shelf life than higher fat dark meat will - fat can go rancid.

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 out for whatever kind of ground meat you prefer!

Pumpkin Puree

You can use homemade Pumpkin Puree or canned - whichever works best for you.

The big thing you do have to keep in mind is that you’ll need to use “pure pumpkin puree”, NOT “Pumpkin Pie Filling”.

“Pumpkin Puree” is just pumpkin (well, some kind of squash, anyway!), whereas pie filling has fillers and other stuff in it.

Aside from it just being a different product, those extra ingredients aren’t necessarily great ones to have in a jerky!

Prague Powder

Prague Powder is one of a few different curing salts out on the market.

I use Prague Powder #1 Cure, same as I use for my Montreal Smoked Meat Recipe, Back Bacon Recipe, Homemade Corned Beef Recipe, and Peameal Bacon Recipe.

This is a bright pink curing salt that’s a mixture of salt and sodium nitrite. It’s commonly used in cured meats - like pepperoni or summer sausages - and is what gives the jerky its characteristic red colour.

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.

A couple of things to note:

1. Prague Powder is pink, but it is NOT the same thing as Himalayan pink salt!

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 pumpkin spice chicken jerky, add some regular salt, rather than increasing the curing salt.

Everything Else

Rounding out this recipe, you will need:

Brown Sugar
Pumpkin Pie Spice
Salt

I just don’t really have anything to add, here. The pumpkin pie spice can be a store bought mix, or a homemade spice mix - whichever you prefer!

How to Make Pumpkin Spice Chicken Jerky

The full recipe is in the printable recipe card at the end of this post, here is the pictorial walk through:

Cut 2 or 3 squares of parchment paper slightly smaller than your dehydrator trays, set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl - using freshly washed or gloved hands - combine ingredients well. REALLY well - for best results, it’s better to overhandle it, than to under-mix it.

Line your dehydrator racks with the cut parchment paper, then pipe your jerky strips out onto them, leaving some space in between each.

To test for doneness, remove a piece of pumpkin chicken jerky from the dehydrator and let it cool to room temperature. It should feel dry to the touch and be able to bend to 90 degrees without breaking. (A bit of cracking or crackling is ok!)

Pumpkin Spice Chicken Jerky Storage

Allow jerky to cool COMPLETELY to room temperature before packaging.

Pumpkin Spice Chicken jerky will keep at room temperature (in a cool dark place) for a week so, or a few weeks in the fridge.

If sealed into an airtight container WITHOUT OXYGEN, it should be good for a month or so in a cool dark place, a couple months in the fridge, and 6 months or so in the freezer.

Once you open your vacuum sealed bag of chicken jerky, it should be eaten within a couple days - or a week, if put in the fridge after opening.

More Homemade Jerky Recipes

Are you someone who loves a tasty, unique, gourmet jerky? Here are some of my go-to recipes for homemade jerkies!

Basic Ground Beef Jerky
Blueberry Bison Jerky
Buffalo Wing Chicken Jerky
Chipotle Chicken Jerky
Ginger Beef Jerky
Ground Venison Jerky
Homemade Salmon Jerky
Honey Garlic Chicken Jerky
Jalapeno Chicken Jerky
Jerk Chicken Jerky
Lingonberry Elk Jerky
Mango Habanero Chicken Jerky
Mushroom Jerky, 2 Ways
Rosemary & Blueberry Beef Jerky
Shawarma Chicken Jerky
Spicy Garlic Chicken Jerky
Spicy Orange Chicken Jerky
Sriracha Chicken Jerky
Tofu Jerky, 2 Ways
Pepperoni Jerky