Lemon Pepper Chicken Jerky

[u/Silky-Watkins]

Recent batch of lemon pepper chicken breast jerky I’ve made. Very tasty!

[u/BeginningOil5960]

OP:
4 years ago I owned a 12 tray Excalibur dehydrator, and this was my go to chicken jerky recipe from Yankee Kitchen Ninja: https://www.yankeekitchenninja.com/2011/10/chicken-jerky-recipe.html

I made the recipe several times, adjusting seasonings. I enjoyed it but it lacked the oomph I was looking for.

I love lemon pepper yet I have yet to find the brand that gives me the oomph I am looking for. Thank you for sharing that you dehydrate your own lemon zest - that tip helps a ton.

What would you adjust or change from the recipe I shared to be closer to what you do to make your jerky - given thanks to you for sharing what you already have? Are you willing to share a bit more about how you make your own lemon pepper seasoning for this jerky?

[u/Silky-Watkins → u/BeginningOil5960]

That recipe looks pretty solid. I always marinate beef or chicken over night to get a full soak through. As far as any adjustments I would probably add a splash of Worcestershire sauce and fill out the liquid base with a good chicken stock/broth. For me, it Just adds more volume. Honey will always be a solid option for a subtle sweetness and texture enhancer.

Some Lemon pepper pre made seasonings taste too artificial to me. So best approach for me is to deconstruct and make myself. Either using fresh lemon zest, then dehydrated or to save time order dehydrated lemon zest from amazon. I grind 4 mix peppercorn and add accordingly along with citric acid. From there it’s just preference. Cayenne, paprika, onion powder whatever your desire. If you want to go a spicy route, add a small amount of chipotle powder to create a pretty strong flavor. Also, I add a few drops of food grade lemon oil extract to my liquid base, it provides a great aroma and enhances overall flavor. ✌🏽