Make-Ahead Chicken Stew for Dogs Recipe

4.72 from 25 votes

Wholesome ingredients for a healthier pet!

Your pup will love this chicken stew for dogs, made with wholesome ingredients like chicken, apples, carrots, green beans, and peas. Our dog food recipes are human-grade, so feel free to take a bite. This make-ahead recipe is easy to freeze too. Divide the stew into freezer-safe bags or containers, defrost in the fridge, and serve. Arf, Arf!

Healthy Dog Food Starts with Healthy Ingredients

dog food recipe

We’ve packed this make-ahead dog food with protein-rich ingredients. This recipe includes both chicken and organ meat. Look for chicken that’s on sale and freeze it for making this and other favorite dog food recipes. Other vegetables that work well in this recipe are cauliflower, sweet potatoes, and butternut squash. We chose vegetables that aren’t overly starchy but are packed with antioxidants.

We understand the importance of using whole food ingredients. Our pet recipes don’t contain any:

  • additives
  • coloring
  • by-products
  • fillers
  • sweeteners
  • sodium
  • other unhealthy ingredients

Note: Check with your veterinarian before making any changes to your pet’s diet. Also, please be aware of any allergies your pet may have to specific ingredients and avoid ingredients that have caused reactions in your pets in the past. If you are unsure about a specific ingredient found in one of our recipes, introduce the food to your pets in small amounts first.

4.72 from 25 votes

Make-Ahead Chicken Stew for Dogs Recipe

Treat your pet to a fresh, healthy, homemade meal!
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 hours
Total Time 5 hours 5 minutes
Yield 6 servings
Serving Size
Course Pet Meals and Treats
Cuisine Pet Recipes
Author SkinnyMs.

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds boneless and skinless chicken thighs
  • 1/4 cup chicken livers
  • 2 carrots peeled and sliced
  • 1 cup frozen green beans
  • 1 apple cored, seeds removed, and cut into quarters
  • 2 to 3 cups water
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1/3 cup fresh parsley chopped
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions

  • Slow cooker method: Add all ingredients, except peas, parsley, and olive oil, to the slow cooker. Use just enough water to cover the ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or high for 4 to 5 hours. About 15 minutes before turning off the slow cooker, add peas and parsley.
  • Stove top method: Add all ingredients, except peas, parsley, and olive oil, in a large pot. Use enough water to cover the ingredients. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook on low for 1 hour or until carrots are tender and chicken is cooked through. About 15 minutes before turning off, add peas and parsley.
  • Allow ingredients to cool slightly. Using a slotted spoon, add ingredients and olive oil to a mixing bowl and either mash with a fork or potato masher or use a food processor, depending on the consistency preferred. I like to use a food processor and pulse it about 3 to 4 times so that it's the consistency of canned dog food. Allow to cool completely before dividing into freezer-safe ziplock bags or containers.
  • MAKE-AHEAD: The dog food mixture can be divided up and stored in individual freezer-safe ziplock bags. Frozen baggies should be defrosted in the fridge overnight. The serving size will depend on the size and breed of your dog. If you're unsure of how much to feed your dog, check with your vet first.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 353kcal |
Keywords Healthy Dog Recipes, Healthy Dog Treats

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72 Comments

    1. This recipe is so simple and our dog Emm absolutely loves it!! She stated slowing rejecting any food we fed her over the last year. We tried so many options: Raw, mixed dry food with wet food, wet food only…we tried so many things and decided to try Making it yourself. So happy we stumbled upon this recipe.5 stars

    1. Debra, I’m not too sure about canning but it can be frozen in mason jars. I do this all the time and defrost in the fridge the night before using. 🙂

    1. Lisa, If you make homemade recipes on an ongoing basis, a good source of calcium is Bone Meal Powder. I use NOW Bone Meal Powder. My dog gets 1/4 teaspoon for every 1/2 cup food. You can also make egg shell powder but I prefer the bone meal powder.

      I make a multi-vitamin mixture which is sprinkled on at each meal, 1/8 teaspoon per 1/2 cup of food. The recipes I use for the vitamin mixture are from this holistic book, Dr. Becker’s Real Food for Healthy Dogs and Cats. It’s important to know how much bone meal and vitamin mixture to add. Be sure to check with you vet before making any changes to your dog’s diet. 🙂

    1. Karen, Definitely! Sometimes I’ll use both chicken (ground) gizzards and hearts. I prefer to use the same type of organ meat as the main meat. For example, I’ll use beef liver when using beef. I’ve started using ground turkey, chicken thighs (grind it myself), and ground beef since our dog is a senior and can’t chew so well. 🙂

      1. Just read your post. My York’s is 14, healthy and great apetite. I make his food, ad some canned dog good sometimes. Just got him and not sure what home food is good for him. I use some rice, or oat meal with white meat home made chicken. Can I try, ground turkey, boxed mash potatoes, peas or carrots ( he doesn’t seem to like them plain).
        Thank you.

        1. Mashed potatoes will likely have dairy, which I don’t recommend. Ground turkey, peas, and carrots should be fine. I do recommend checking with your vet since your York is 14. Hope this helps! 🙂

  1. How much does this make? I have a newly dx Siberian Husky with juvenile diabetes and i’m looking to make her food. Right now she is only 15 pounds, but I’m expecting her to reach around 40 pounds. Do you make every week?

    1. Stacey, I don’t make this weekly, it’s just one of our many doggie recipes. My dog is also on a 100% homemade diet.

      Your Husky will likely eat a lot. 🙂 This recipe makes about 2 quarts.

    1. Great question! In a pressure cooker this will take about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Chicken livers are pretty tough, to make them tender they need a little more cooking time! If you’re using an Instant Pot, use the “Poultry” setting with high pressure!

  2. This is great to make your own dog food. It is better if it is all left raw as dogs in the wild do not cook. You can also add RAW chicken or turkey bones for calcium

    1. Dogs are domesticated and should be fed COOKED food, NOT raw. The foods on the market now sold as “raw” are cooked, but only enough to kill harmful bacteria. Also, please do not give your dog bones, which can become lodged in their throat or intestinal track (requiring major painful and expensive surgery). Consult with your veterinarian on the nutrients your pet needs if you intend to feed a homemade diet.

  3. Liver is not tough and doesn’t need to be cooked very long, especially chicken livers.
    Most of the recipes could be looked in a pressure cooker for about 30 minutes.
    You can grind meet in a food processor. Chicken, beef, turkey, pork are easily ground in food processors.

    1. Kate, All dogs have different dietary needs, calories, fat, carbs, etc.. It also depends on if your dog eats once or twice daily, age, and activity level.
      I recommend adding a little to what you normally feed your dog, rather than all at once. Our dog eats 100% human grade food but was introduced to this diet by adding a little at a time. I recommend this book for specifics on how much homemade food dogs need, Real Food for Healthy Dogs & Cats, by Karen Becker, DVM.

    1. Elizabeth, I wouldn’t recommend egg shells, only the powder. Egg shells tend to stay in their solid form and could be a choking hazard. There are
      other forms of calcium that also work. NOW bone meal is a powder and a good source of calcium.

      1. Hi Gale,
        You grind the egg shells into a powder using a coffee grinder. This provides the calcium needed and is not an added expense. Also less wasteful.

        1. It depends on the type off eggs you buy usually store bought eggs are treated with an antibiotic which is absorbed into the shell local or organic would be the way to go

  4. If you make this in a pressure cooker the chicken bones should crumble once cooked.

    I have a diabetic German Shepherd (he was born with it) that came to our rescue 5 years ago as a 3 month old, very sick puppy. He eats raw (whole chicken thighs, ground turkey, necks, backs, venison, heart, liver, gizzards, cleaned pork stomach along with other things). He can not eat any veggies or fruits. I am going to try this with only squash added and see if his numbers go up.

    1. Connie, We don’t have the calorie count. There are lots of online sites where you can plugin the ingredients and get the exact calories. 🙂

  5. My two little yorkies loved it, I finally found fresh and not frozen livers in the HEB. Made me craving livers with rice. Another recipe I can make and freeze it. Thank you

  6. Would this recipe be any good for a 14 year old Bearded Collie with Renal Failure?
    I have tried everything to get him to eat.
    Regards
    Paul Langley
    Caerphilly
    South Wales

    1. Paul, I’m not sure. Please check with your vet to make sure. Best to you and your Collie. 🙂

  7. my daughter and i want to start to make homemade dog food for her aging puggle. can we bake it like a meatloaf then slice and freeze it?

    1. Shaun, Good for you and your daughter. I make 100% homemade food for my dog too. Make sure the recipe is ground well, then it can be baked and frozen.
      If there’s too much liquid, just drain the excess first. Best to you, your daughter, and her pups. 🙂

  8. Hi – you say to use a slotted spoon to put the cooked prep into the food processor. What do you do with the excess liquor? I have 4 cups of broth left.
    Thanks – Lloyd

    1. Lloyd, I keep the liquid and add a little to each meal, around 1/4 cup. My dog loves it even more with a little broth. You can freeze the leftover in mason jars and use later. It’s even yummy over dry food…so I’ve been told with a tail wag. lol

  9. My little yorkie refuses to eat any store bought dog food. I tried just about every brand and type. So, this recipe, was my first try at making it myself and he loves it! Thank you so much for sharing this!

  10. Hi, Loved reading everyone’s posts. Learning so much! I have two senior cockers and a 1 year old cocker. Everyone was on dry Fromm and doing fine until one of my seniors became dehydrated. Our vet said to add wet food to her dry. I tried several brands, but she’s not diggin’ it and it’s so expensive. She loves her dry food as she’s been eating this for 15 years. My question is, if I feed them half dry and half wet (your recipe) will they get the nutrients they need? I just put together a batch in the crock pot. We’ll see if they like it tonight. Looks
    delish and I’m sure they’ll love it! Fingers crossed! 🙂
    Thanks! Kathie

    1. Kathie, Please let us know how they liked the stew.: ) I’m guessing the dry food has added vitamins and minerals.
      With that said, please check with your vet if you plan to continue making their food on an ongoing basis. The vet may
      recommend a multi-vitamin to be sure they are getting the right amount for their ages.

  11. How much is a serving? I have a golden doodle puppy and she loves this recipe, but I’m not sure how much to give. She gobbles it right up and then hops around with pure happiness. Thanks for sharing!

    1. Hi Belinda, there are a lot of factors that go into serving sizes for your pets such as breed, weight, and any special diet needs. You can consult your vet for how much your dog would need.

  12. ive started making homemade stews for my lab/shephard. since she kept having issues with store bought dog foods. now she has no issues with gas or upset stomach and no more reflux. she is happier and spunkier and has stopped her whinning.. im totally for the homemade foods for dogs. less expensiive and i know exactly what my dog is getting ..

    1. James, Where is the mention of “tough” located? I scanned the recipe and introduction but couldn’t find it. Thanks.

  13. Hi … am I ok cooking this without the liver … I have the aniforte complete to add to food ??

  14. After this dog food has been cooked can it be dehydrated so that it is chunky and less stick to the teeth.5 stars

    1. Linda, I have never dehydrated this stew so I can’t say for certain. Let us know if you do and how it turns out. 🙂

    1. David, You can adjust the ingredients by clicking on servings. Base the size of your lab’s serving on how much he/she eats per meal.

  15. This recipe is great! I’ve been doubling it and it lasts my bulldog for the week (he’s a year old and he gets a cup and a half per meal) I’m thinking about adding some grains, how much white rice do you think would be good to add?

    1. Priscilla, Adding rice (I prefer brown), is a great idea. How much depends…weight is one thing to consider. Maybe start with 1/4 cup and increase as needed.

  16. Looking to convert my two year old Dane to raw, she’s a finicky eater and prefers raw over kibble. I’d prefer making myself rather than buying raw but want her to get all nutrients she should. Would multi vitamin cover these along with fresh meat and veggies.

    1. Sheryl, That would be a question best answered by your vet. There are holistic vets in larger cities, so that might be a good place to start. If you want to take the time to make your own, this is an excellent book with recipes and how to make your own supplements.

    1. Pat, Yes, it’s for one serving. We calculated using 6 servings for the entire recipe. Of course, as always, the serving size depends on your dog’s size. Enjoy!

  17. My 14-year-old Shih Tzu, who has had most of her teeth pulled, gobbled down this soft food and licked the bowl clean after smelling and turning away from all a multitude of “gormet” dog foods that I had offered her. Sure wish I’d found this recipe sooner.5 stars

4.72 from 25 votes (22 ratings without comment)

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