homemade dog food with chicken breast
10 Homemade Chicken Dog Food Recipes
If youve decided to take it upon yourself to start making your own dog food, you should first get your vets approval and advice. This is particularly important if your dog has any allergies or intolerances.
If you already have the go-ahead and are ready to dive into cooking wholesome and nutritious dog food, youll need good recipes. If your dog loves chicken, youve come to the right place!
Here are 10 dog food recipes that feature chicken that shouldnt be too challenging to make and that your dog should love!
The 10 Homemade Chicken Dog Food Recipes
1. Easy Homemade Dog Food Crockpot Recipe by A Forks Tale
This crockpot (slow cooker)recipe features ground chickenin addition to other healthy ingredients, including rice, veggies, and beans.
The beauty of this recipe is that you can swap out ingredients and fine-tune it to your dogs preference. You just throw everything into the slow cooker in the morning, turn it on, and its ready in time for your dogs dinner!
2. DIY Homemade Dog Food by Damn Delicious
This recipeis quite similar to the first one, except you dont need a slow cooker just a large pot and a bit of time. While this recipe does call for ground turkey, you can swap it out with ground chicken.
Prep is super easy: Cook the chicken with a small amount of olive oil, throw in the vegetables, cook for about 5 minutes, and its done! You just need to let it cool before serving.
3. Stovetop Chicken Dog Food by Southern Bytes
Southern Bytesoffers a ground chicken recipe that you cook on your stovetop. Frozen vegetables will save you time and effort. Also included are steel-cut oats, bone broth, and coconut oil. Its easy to prep, and you can make the samerecipe in an instant potif you have one.
4. Chicken & Rice Dog Food Recipe by Pawsome Recipes
When your dog has an upset stomach, your vet will likely tell you to put them on a bland diet. This usually involves plain, cooked chicken and white rice.
Thisrecipe gives similar instructions but with the option of adding vegetables if your dog is in good health.
5. Easy Rice & Chicken Dog Food Recipe by All Recipes
The author states that their vet approved this recipe for their dogs, and it doesnt call for any oil. Place chicken, water, and vegetables into a large pot, bring it to a boil, and simmer for about 25 minutes.
6. Chicken Burgers for Dogs by Wag the Dog UK
Most of the ingredients for this recipe are similar to the previous recipes, but you get chicken burgers instead!
Theres also fruit in addition to the veggies, ground chicken, and brown rice. These burgers are baked in the oven, or you can grill them in the summer. The author mentions that you can make these into a meatloaf instead.
7. Easy Crockpot Chicken Dog Food Recipe by DogVills
Thiscrockpot recipehas chicken breasts, brown rice, sweet potatoes, green beans, carrots, and water.
Cut everything up, throw it in the crockpot, cook for 5 to 8 hours (depending on if youre cooking it on low or high), stir it up, and youre done!
8. Homemade Meatballs for Dogs by House That Barks
This recipe formeatballsis something that dogs will love! The recipe calls for ground beef, which you can replace with ground chicken.
The recipe also calls for eggs, unsweetened applesauce, yogurt, and almond flour. The meatballs can be baked or fried (but baking is healthier) and can even be used as pill pockets.
9. Chicken Jerky for Dogs by Proud Dog Mom
Thischicken jerky recipeis more of a treat than a meal, but your dog will love it! You only need to thinly slice chicken breasts, grease a wire rack, and bake them at low heat for 2 to 3 hours.
This process slowly dries out the chicken, and they come out chewy and crispy. These are easy and healthy treats for your dog!
10. Chicken Biscuits for Dogs by Two Healthy Kitchens
Thischicken biscuit recipeis simple to make, and your dog will love them! You can use leftover cooked chicken (as long as its unseasoned, deboned, and skinless) and mix it with flour, yogurt, water, and an egg.
Dont worry about using cookie cutters and turning them into adorable nugget shapes. Your dog only cares about how they taste, and it will save you time.
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Talk to Your Vet
Consult with your vet about the recipes that youre interested in trying, so you can be sure they are good for your dog. You should also discuss how much you should feed your dog and how often.
Its vital that you have a conversation about your dogs diet if youre planning on changing it or adding something new. Dogs dont always react well to new food, particularly if they have a sensitive stomach.
Food Allergies
Another reason that you should be careful when introducing new foods to your dog is that they can have food intolerances and allergies. The most commonfood allergy triggersare proteins, with chicken and beef at the top of the list.
If your dog develops skin issues, frequent ear infections, or stomach upset (vomiting and diarrhea), it might be due to a food intolerance or an allergy. Speak to your vet!
Final Thoughts
Now you have many options for delicious homemade chicken recipes for your dog. Each recipe is quite easy, particularly if youre already a decent cook.
That said, you must discuss any recipes that youre interested in with your vet. If you plan to make all your dogs food yourself, know that they need a specific balance of proteins, fats, carbs, and nutrients to stay healthy, and your vet should help you with this.
Once the essentials are taken care of, these recipes should be fun to make, and your dog will love them!
Featured Image Credit: Sophie Louise Davis, Shutterstock
Recipe: Chicken and Vegetable Crock Pot Dog Food
Making homemade dog food is much less convenient than running into your local pet food store and picking up a bag from the shelf. It might be easier, but store bought dog food can contain some pretty nasty ingredients. Making your own petfood at home is a great way to ensure your dog'shealth and well-being is in check.
This homemade dog food recipe calls for chicken as the protein source, but the best thing about making your own food is that you can substitute any protein source you want. If your dog prefers beef, venison or bison, you can add that instead.
You can also substitute different vegetables. When I'm planning which homemade dog food recipe I'm going to make, I try to choose fruits and vegetables that are in season. They're cheaper and easier to find at mostlocal markets.
Some healthy substitutions include:
- Pumpkin
- Kale
- Parsley
- Zucchini
- Peas
There are many more, but be sure to do your research before adding them to your recipe. Some plants, like onions, are toxic to dogs. Look for a trusted source online or make a quick call to your veterinarian before feeding your dog any new foods.
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Chicken and Vegetable Crock Pot Dog Food Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 boneless chicken breasts
- 1 medium sweet potato cut into chunks
- 2 cups of water
- 1/2 lb. green beans cut in half
- 1 cup brown rice
- 2 large carrots cut into bite-sized pieces
Directions
Crock pot recipes are ideal for pet owners who don't have a lot of extra time to cook for their pet. These recipes require little prep work and you don't have to tend to the meal while it's cooking.
For this chicken and vegetable meal, all you need to do is add all the ingredients to the crock pot and turn on the slow cooker. You can cook the dog food on the high setting for 5 hours or on the low setting for 8 hours.
FURTHER READING: Can Dogs Go Vegan Ins and Outs of Vegetarian Diet
This is a great recipe for pet owners who work outside the home. You can turn the crock pot on and leave it while you're out of the house. When you return, your dog's dinner will be ready.
If your crock pot has a timer, that's ideal. However, if it doesn't just set it on low and if there isn't anyone home in 8 hours to shut it off it should be okay for a little longer than that. If you're going to be gone longer than 10 hours you should have someone come to your home and shut the slow cooker off.
As soon as the food is cooled you can feed it to your pooch. You can store the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days or freeze them and they'll keep for 8-10 weeks.
FULL GUIDE:How To Make Homemade Dog Food101
Recipe: Healthiest Homemade Dog Food with Chicken
The protein source used to make homemade dog foodwill have the biggest impact on the cost of the meal. For this reason, many pet owners seek to use healthy, yet affordable options. Chicken is affordable and very easy to find in any grocery store. Thishealthiest homemade dog food with chicken is a popular recipe suitable for most adult canines.
This dog food recipe is simple to prepare, and most dogs find it appetizing. Did you realize that most homemade dog food diets are not nutritionally balanced for your dog? Fidos nutritional needs are unique to him, and they vary based on his age, weight, breed, activity level and overall health condition.
The only person that can tell you if this healthiest homemade dog food with chicken will make anappropriate diet for your dog is your veterinarian or a trained canine nutritionist. They will likely recommend adding additional supplements to the recipe to ensure that it meets all of your dogs nutritional needs.
You do not need to feed this recipe as your pets main diet. You can also use it as a food topper to entice picky eaters or to add extra nutrients to your pets commercial kibble.
MORE RECIPES HERE:Homemade Dog Food & Treats Recipes
Healthiest Homemade Dog Food with Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp. coconut oil
- 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 1 cup quinoa
- 1 cup green beans
- 1 cup beets
- 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
- 2 zucchinis (chopped)
Directions
As I mentioned, this recipe is very easy to make. First, you'll need to cook the quinoa according to the instructions on the packaging. You'll also need to slice the chicken into pieces that will be appropriately sized for your pet.
Melt the coconut oil in a skillet. Add the chicken and cook on medium heat. When the chicken has finished coking, add the vegetables and cooked quinoa to the skillet. Cover and allow the healthiest homemade dog food with chicken to simmer for about 15 minutes or until the zucchini has softened.
Once the meal is finished cooking, wait for it to cool before serving it to your dog. The recommended serving size is about 1/2 cup for every 20-25 pounds of body weight. Remember that dogs who are very active will require more calories each day. Likewise, dogs that have a lazier lifestyle will not need as many calories in their diet.
You can store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 5 days. If you'd like to make this dog food in bulk, you can store leftovers in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
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Recipe: Chicken and Vegetable Slow Cooker Dog Food
Making homemade dog food isn't very convenient, but it's a much healthier option than most commercial dog food products. It may be a lot easier to swing by the local pet store and grab a bag of food from the shelf, but research has shown that there are some pretty disgusting ingredients in commercial dog food.Making your own dog food at home is a great way to ensure that your dog is only eating healthy, natural ingredients.
This homemade dog food recipe uses chicken as the protein source. The best part of making homemade dog food is that you can substitute ingredients if you'd like. If your dog is allergic to chicken or just prefers a different meat, feel free to use something else instead.
I use apples, green beans, peas, sweet potatoes and carrots in this recipe as well. You can substitute other dog-friendly fruits and vegetables if you want to. When Im planning which homemade dog food recipe Im going to make, I try to choose fruits and vegetables that are in season. Theyre cheaper and easier to find at mostlocal markets.
Some healthy substitutions include:
- blueberries
- kale
- spinach
- squash
- peas
- broccoli
Be sure to do your research before substituting ingredients in homemade dog food. Look for reputable sources online or make a call to your veterinarian before adding in any ingredients that you're not sure about.
Most homemade dog food recipes are not nutritionally balanced, so be sure to consult a canine nutritionist if you're planning to switch to a homemade diet. This recipe won't provide balanced nutrition for all dogs, so it's likely that your vet may recommend adding supplements to this food.
MORE INFORMATION: Substitutions for Homemade Dog Food Recipes
Chicken and Vegetable Slow Cooker Dog Food Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 lb. boneless/skinless chicken thighs
- 2 large apples (cored and chopped)
- 2 cups frozen green beans
- 2 cups frozen peas
- 1 large sweet potato (chopped)
- 2 carrots (sliced)
- 1 can kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
- 2 tbsp. coconut oil
Directions
If you don't have a lot of extra time to prepare meals for your dog, using a slow cooker may be helpful. Slow cooker recipes only require a little bit of prep work. There is no need to tend the food while it's cooking.
For this chicken and vegetable dinner, all you have to do is add the ingredients listed above to the slow cooker and turn it on. Most slow cookers are programmable, but if yours isn't you'll have to keep an eye on the time. This meal should cook on low for about 8 hours.
If you work outside the home, this recipe is a great alternative to meals that you have to fix daily. You can put the ingredients in the slow cooker before you leave for work, and by the time you get home Fido's food will be ready. Plus, you can make the food in bulk so you only have to cook once a week or so.
As soon as this chicken and veggie stew has cooled, you can feed it to your pooch. You can store the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days or freeze them and theyll keep for 8-10 weeks.
The recommended serving size for this recipe is about 1/2 cup for every 20-25 pounds of body weight per serving, and it should be served twice a day. Keep in mind that more active dogs may require more calories every day, while lazier pups might not need as much.
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