Canning Chicken Advice Needed

[NCLee]

Split chicken breasts are on sale now for $.99/lb. Whole fryers @ $.89/lb.

I usually freeze chicken and just can chicken stock. However, I want to can chicken for soups and stews. Trying to cut down on our reliance on the freezer, especially with the potential losses from power failures.

I need to hot pack to cut down on the fat because we're on a low saturated fat diet. With that background info.....

If I can whole chicken breasts, hot pack, how many will go into a wide mouth quart jar? 2? Or, if cut into chunks, how many per quart?

Same ?? for average sized fryers. Planning to debone those, along with the backs, necks, etc. to use to make stock that I'll also can.

I'm trying to figure out how many to buy to yield 21 quarts of chicken, either breasts, whole, or a combo. ??

I realize your estimates will be averages, but any help and advice on canning chicken will be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Lee

[AlchemyAcres]

I've never hot packed whole or half breasts.

I remove the skin and cut the breasts into large chunks and always with the bone-on for the best flavor.

Yield is approximately 1 1/2 pounds of chicken per quart jar.



~Martin

[NCLee]

Thanks, Martin, for your method and yield info.

Appreciate your help.
Lee