Medically reviewed and cowritten by Jamie Johnson, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), and Lauren Braaten, Pediatric Occupational Therapist (OT).
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.
Chicken Baby Puree
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 filled with 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 the taste of 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-depth Guide on How to Make Homemade Baby Food. You can also check out my best-selling cookbook for even more information and recipes!
Chicken Puree for Baby Video
Ingredients
Make sure to read the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and instructions!
- Chicken: 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.
Let’s Get Pureeing
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:
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.
The Best Basic Chicken Baby Food Puree
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.
Video
Notes
Refrigerator
You can store this puree in an airtight container in 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 (this is 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 or stasher bag. Don’t forget to relabel the baggie or stager bag for future reference.
Frequently Asked Questions
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.
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.
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.
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