This homemade Basic Chicken Baby Puree is a great addition to your baby’s favorite purees for extra protein and flavor! It’s an incredibly simple recipe with big flavor and nutrition! It’s perfect as a Stage One Baby Food or 6+ months.
Medically reviewed byJamie Johnson, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), and Lauren Braaten, Pediatric Occupational Therapist (OT).
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Chicken Baby Puree
Chicken 🍗 is full ofessential vitamins, fat, and protein that your baby needs for their development. But pureed chicken for your baby? 🤔
I know, I know, I know. Pureed chicken for baby sounds… err.. gross. I get it! I was once thinking the same thing when I started my baby food journey because my only reference to a chicken puree for your baby was a self-stable store-bought chicken puree, which is 💯% not the best (trust me, I tasted them all).
And if I don’t want to eat it, I’m not going to serve it to my baby!
Baby food should be as good, if not better, than the food we eat.
But guys, without bias, this homemade chicken baby food puree is legit! It is gently cooked with chicken, earthy parsley, and a deep, rich broth. The key here is to cook the chicken just right — we do not want overcooked chicken. Then, we blend it up with a little extra broth, and you have yourself a creamy puree that tastes like a blended chicken noodle soup.
While some babies love this taste of a meat puree, others might find it a bit intense. That is totally okay. For starters, you can mix this chicken puree into any other fruit or veggie baby food you know your little one will love.
Is it your first time making homemade baby food?Then I suggest you start this journey by reading my in-depthGuide on How to Make Homemade Baby Food. The detailed guide goes over all the important information such as thebestcooking tools to have on hand,safestorage,how to knowwhen babyis ready for solids,how tointroduce purees,the best first foods for baby,and more! You can also check out my best-selling cookbook for even more information and recipes!
Chicken Puree for Baby Video
Watch this video to see how easy this Chicken Puree recipe is to make!
Related
The Ultimate Guide on How to Make Homemade Baby Foods
Reasons to Love this Basic Chicken Puree
- simple yet flavorful
- packed with protein
- great to add to any other fruit or veggie puree that baby loves
- baby food for 4 months and up
- stage 1 baby food
- freezer-friendly
- homemade
Ingredients
Make sure to read the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and instructions!
- Chicken: As random as it may seem, chicken is the star of the show in this puree. We are going to use an 8oz piece of boneless skinless chicken breast for this recipe. You can also use chicken thighs, but the puree will have a slightly different taste due to the higher fat content found in chicken thighs compared to breasts. You can also easily scale up this recipe if you want more than 12 ounces of baby food.
- Broth: To get that rich, deep chicken flavor, we will cook our chicken in chicken broth. I recommend using a low-sodium, sodium-free, or free-range chicken bone broth for this recipe. You can also use any of those variations above with a vegetable broth as well. If you don’t have any of those on hand, you can use water.
- Parsley: We are adding dried parsley to give the puree a little more complex taste. This can easily be omitted if you prefer.
Organic Chicken: I highly recommend using organic chicken for this recipe, if possible. The organic chicken will be free of antibiotics, synthetic pesticides and will be fed a GMO-free diet. Pasture-raised is also recommended for more Omega-3 fatty acids (healthy fats).
Benefits of Chicken for Baby
- High in protein for healthy muscle growth
- Contains iron, which is necessary to make hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells
- Contains vitamin B12 for healthy nerve and blood cells and making DNA, and choline that helps promote brain development
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Step-by-Step Instructions
- Boil: In a medium saucepan, bring the cubed chicken, broth, and parsley to a boil over medium heat.
- Simmer: Turn the heat down to low and cover the saucepan. Simmer it for 15-20 minutes or until the chicken is just cooked through. Let it cool slightly.
- Puree: Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to a blender or food processor and puree until you reach your desired consistency, adding broth in 1/4 cup increments if needed.
- Eat: Serve to your baby plain or added into another puree.
- Freeze: Store a small portion in the fridge and freeze the rest for another meal.
Kitchen Tools
- BlenderorFood Processor
- Storage Containers for Fridge
- Freezer Tray
- Stasher Bag
- highchair
- suction bowlorbaby bowl
- Bamboo Baby Spoon
- bib with catch pocket
WeeSprout Silicone Baby Food Freezer Tray
Our favorite freezer storage container for baby food! Made of 100% food-grade silicone and comes with a hard clip-on lid. Large 3oz sections with 2oz markings to make sure you have the right amount for your baby.
How to Store Chicken Puree
Refrigerator
You can store this puree in anairtight containerin the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freezer
This puree can be frozen for up to 2 months.
- Spoon puree into a freezer storage container (thisis my favorite freezer storage container). Do not overfill.
- Place the lid on the storage container or cover with a piece of saran wrap, and label with the date and recipe name.
- Place the tray into the freezer and let it freeze completely — preferably overnight.
- Pop-out the baby food cubes and place them in a ziplock baggie orstasher bag. Don’t forget to relabel the baggie or stager bag for future reference.
Need more information on how to store your baby foods? Head over to myBest Baby Food Storage Containers – Plus 6 Tips on Freezing and Thawingpost!
Label Tip:Don’t forget to label your purees before you place them in the fridge or freezer with the name of the puree and the date you made it. Take it from me; by the end of the week, you will completely forget what is in your freezer and how long it’s been there 😉
Frequently Asked Questions
When can baby eat chicken puree?
Baby can eat chicken as one of their first foods. When a baby can start on solids is determined by their own rate of development, which generally comes between 4-6 months of age. Some of the developmental milestones babies need to reach in order to start solids include: if your baby has solid control of their head and neck, if your baby has doubled in weight, and if your baby is reaching for or opening their mouth when you eat (see my guide here). Before you start your baby on purees, you should consult with your pediatrician to make sure your child is developmentally ready for purees.
Can chicken be baby’s first food?
Chicken can 100% be your baby’s first food if you want it to be. It is recommended to wait to introduce the top eight allergen foods to your baby once a few other well-tolerated foods have been introduced, but otherwise, foods can be introduced in any order so choose whatever you are most excited for your baby to have.
Is chicken a common allergen for baby?
No, chicken is not a common allergen, however, as with any food, start with a small portion and be aware of any signs that might be an allergic reaction after introducing it.
Does chicken cause constipation for babies?
No, chicken is not known to cause constipation in babies, however, it won’t really help with constipation either since it lacks fiber.
Can you freeze and then thaw the cooked chicken?
Yes, you can freeze and then thaw this chicken puree to serve to your baby. I would recommend you use fresh (not previously frozen) chicken and that you gently reheat it as to not make it too tough of a texture for your baby.
Great Chicken Combination Purees
While this chicken baby food is great by itself, it can be a little intense for some babies. I recommend mixing it into one of your babe’s favorite purees as an introduction to the rich taste of chicken. Here are some great purees to mix with the chicken puree:
- Apples
- Sweet Potato
- Pear
- Carrot
- Broccoli
- Pea
- Mango
Related
15 Stage One Baby Purees (that actually taste delicious)
Recipe Tips
- Use a Slotted Spoon:When transferring the chicken from the saucepan to the blender, make sure to use a slotted spoon so you don’t add too much broth into the puree from the start. You only want to add broth if needed while blending. I had to add a 1/4 cup of broth to the blender while I was pureeing this chicken.
- Reheat Gently: If you are freezing some of this chicken puree, reheat it in 20-second intervals. You don’t want to recook the chicken.
Puree Feeding Tips
- Trial adding a little seasoning or spice to purees – babies like flavor! Or consider changing the temperature of purees from time to time, to slightly warmed or slightly chilled. Varying these aspects adds to the sensory experience!
- Place a small amount of puree on the tray during spoon feeding, so that your baby can dip their fingers or hands in the puree. Allowing baby to explore foods in this way helps them learn to self-feed and can help them be more willing to try new textures and foods in the future.
- Have a spare spoon (or three!) – even very young babies often want to be involved in feeding themselves as much as possible. Giving baby an extra spoon to hold can be helpful in giving her a sense of control and also promotes hand-eye coordination.Allow baby to use spoons as a teether during the meal. There are many great options out there but a few we particularly love include the Olababy 3 Piece Set, the NumNum Pre-Spoon GOOtensils, and the ChooMee FlexiDip Baby Starter Spoons.
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Or watch a shortened version of this video here.
Get the recipe:Basic Chicken Baby Food
4.5 stars (226 ratings)
This homemade Basic Chicken Baby Food is a great puree to add to any of your baby’s favorite fruit or veggie purees. Great for extra protein and flavor!
Yield: 12 ounces
Prep: 3 minutes minutes
Cook: 15 minutes minutes
Total: 18 minutes minutes
Author: Michele Olivier
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Baby Food
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Ingredients
- 1 8-ounce boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs, cubed
- 2 cups chicken or veggie stock, low-sodium or sodium-free
- 1 tsp dried parsley (optional)
Instructions
Boil: In a medium saucepan, bring the cubed chicken, broth and parsley to a boil over medium heat.
Simmer:Turn the heat down to low and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes or until chicken is just cooked through. Let cool slightly.
Transfer:Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to a blender or food processor, leaving the broth in the saucepan. Reserve the broth
Puree: starting on low and working your way up to high-speed, puree the chicken until you reach your desired consistency, adding in broth in 1/4 cup increments if needed. I had to add in just 1/4 cup of broth to get the consistency seen in this photo.
Eat:serve to baby plain or added into another puree.
Freeze:store a small portion in the fridge and freeze the rest for another meal.
Notes
Extra Healthy Fat: For some extra healthy fat, this puree is also wonderful with a teaspoon of grass-fed butter (salt free) added to the blender right before pureeing.
Age: 4 months and up
Yield: roughly 12 ounces
Storage:Fridge – store in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. Freezer – can be frozen for up to 2 months (this and this are my favorite freezer storage containers).
Favorite Kitchen Tools: Get a list of my favorite kitchen tools to make the best baby food here!
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