Puree Chicken for a Baby

Chicken will likely be one of your baby’s first meats. Because babies can’t handle solid pieces of chicken at first, start with a puree. Chicken puree is available jarred, but it’s easy to make it yourself! Start with Step 1 to learn more.

Steps

Part 1: Making the Chicken Puree

  1. Purchase the necessary ingredients. You’ll need chicken (breasts or thighs work well) and fruits or vegetables of your choice. Make sure you also have a saucepan and blender or food processor on hand.
    • Try to find the freshest chicken available. You may be able to find fresher (and often cheaper) chicken from local butchers and vendors, rather than using supermarket chains. Do some research online to find the best sources in your area. Wherever you buy your chicken, make sure it has a U.S.D.A grade A rating on the package, and check the sell-by date as well.
  2. Prep the chicken for cooking. Unpack the chicken (one breast or two chicken thighs is plenty). Cut it into small pieces, around an inch or {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}}, using a sharp kitchen knife.
    • If you buy pieces of chicken thighs, you’ll have to separate the meat from the bones and remove the skin. You might find this easier if you cook the thighs first. The meat will be much easier to separate. Then you can cut it into small pieces and finish cooking.
  3. Place the chicken in a saucepan and cover with water. Depending on the size of the pan, you may need about a cup of water. You want to make sure the meat is completely covered by the water.
    • Alternatively, you can bake the chicken in the oven. This method works better for thighs, which are fattier; for breasts, you’re better off using the boiling method described here. If you want to bake, heat your oven to {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}}, coat the meat with a layer of olive oil, and bake for 20 minutes. Follow the other instructions listed here.
  4. Add vegetables or fruits. Carrots or potatoes work well; cut them into slices or cubes and put them in the water along with the chicken. You can also add fruits like apples, apricots, or peaches; cut these into small pieces as well and add them to the saucepan.
    • In general, a single carrot or two medium potatoes is plenty. You can experiment with different amounts and different combinations of ingredients, though.
  5. Cook your ingredients. Cook the meat, vegetables, and fruit over medium heat for about 20 minutes (or longer, if you think the meat has not cooked through).
  6. Check the chicken for doneness. Chicken must be cooked thoroughly to be safe for consumption. It should be white – there should be no pink inside – and soft and juicy.
  7. Make sure the vegetables and fruits are cooked sufficiently. Pierce chunks of produce with a fork. If the fork easily pierces the vegetable or fruit, it is cooked; if piercing with a fork is still difficult, you’ll need to cook longer.
  8. Drain the ingredients. Once everything is cooked through, remove the ingredients from the pan, draining them and allowing them to cool a bit. Save the cooking liquid.
  9. Puree the ingredients. Place the food in a blender or food processor, and add a tablespoon of the cooking liquid. Mix until a puree forms.
    • For smaller babies, add more water and mix longer; you want a puree that’s smooth and easy to swallow. For bigger children, you can make a thicker puree.

Part 2: Storing Chicken Puree

  1. Refrigerate a few portions. Pack some chicken puree into the refrigerator in an airtight container. It can be stored safely there for only 3 days, so be careful not to refrigerate more than your baby will eat in that time.
  2. Freeze the rest in ice cube trays. Fill the trays with a spoon and place in the freezer until they are solid.
  3. Transfer the frozen puree to freezer bags. Remove the puree from the ice cube trays and put the cubes into freezer bags.
  4. Label the freezer bags. Write the date and the ingredients in marker on the freezer bags, so you’ll know what’s there and how long it can be kept safely. Your chicken puree can be stored safely in the freezer for up to 3 months.
  5. Defrost individual portions. When you want to serve the chicken puree to your baby, defrost a small portion, warm it gently, and serve it lukewarm.

Tips

  • Check with your pediatrician before serving meats to your baby. Most doctors agree that it's safe to introduce chicken as early as 32 weeks, but double check to be sure. A good pediatrician will be an excellent source of information about when to introduce specific foods.
  • Look through websites and baby food recipe books for additional ideas.
  • If your baby has not been introduced to meats yet, he or she may be more likely to accept it if you make the puree sweeter by including fruit.
  • As your baby grows, you can branch out and add other ingredients – broccoli, beans, cauliflower, and grains like rice and pasta. Introduce new foods gradually.
  • It’s best to serve the puree lukewarm. If you are going to give it to your baby right after you cook it, let it cool until it is warm; otherwise, reheat gently.

Warnings

  • Never refreeze food that has already been thawed. You could make your baby sick.

Things You’ll Need

  • chicken breasts or thighs
  • a cup (or more) of water or homemade chicken soup
  • vegetables and fruits of your choice (potato, carrot, apple, apricot, etc.)
  • a saucepan
  • a blender or food processor

Sources and Citations

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