How to Boil Chicken for Your Dog
This isn’t going to be one of those recipe pages with a story book introduction. I really don’t know how to write an entire essay about the history of boiling chicken, or why it is sentimental to me. Plus, you’re too busy to read all of that! You’re a dog parent, and you need things that are quick and easy, so you can spend more time playing with your dog.
You may need to cook boiled chicken for your dog because their vet recently recommended a bland diet to help an upset stomach. Or maybe you want cost-effective, healthy, protein-packed, training treats, that your dog will gobble down without a second thought. Either way, this easy guide helps you effortlessly cook boiled chicken for your dog.
In This Post:
- How to boil chicken for your dog
- How long to boil chicken breast for your dog
- How to dice chicken
- How to shred chicken
Ingredients
Chicken breast, frozen
Water
Step 1: Prepare the Chicken
Take the chicken out of the refrigerator and throw away the packaging. You can cut off any pieces that you do not want to cook.
I have made boiled chicken with both thawed and frozen chicken breast. I think that technically you’re probably supposed to thaw the chicken first for better cooking, but I’ve never had a problem when I started from frozen.
Step 2: Season the Chicken
Don’t. Do not season the chicken that you are preparing for your dog. Your dog will love the gourmet plain boiled chicken that you are preparing for them! And seasoning can upset their stomach.
Step 3: Cook the Chicken
Put the chicken breast into a pot. Fill the pot with water, ensuring the chicken is covered by a couple of inches.
Put the pan on the stove, medium-high heat. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer. After 10 minutes check the temperature of your chicken. It should have an internal temperature of 165 °F and the center should not be pink. If it is not done after 10 minutes, check every 5 minutes until it has finished cooking.
The thinner your chicken breast is, the more quickly it will cook, and the thicker your chicken breast is, the more time it will need to cook.
When it reaches 165 °F remove from water. If you want, you can save the chicken water for other delicious treats for your dog like Pupscicles!
Let the chicken cool on a rack until you are able to handle it without burning your hands. But, avoid putting it into the fridge or letting it become cold before cutting the chicken.
Make sure that you cook your chicken breast thoroughly. The center should be white and not have any pink. If you are using a meat thermometer, it should read 165 °F or higher.
Step 4: Cut up the Chicken
There are two ways to do this. First you can shred the chicken using two forks, and second, you can dice the chicken into bite sized (for your dog) pieces. I’m usually aiming for pieces that are about 1/2 the size of my fingertip.
Your personal preferences might vary from mine. Your dog’s preferences may vary from my dog’s preferences. There is no right or wrong way to shred or dice the chicken. Do whatever feels best for you and your dog!
Method 1: Shredding the chicken
Sometimes I like this method best if I plan to add the chicken to my dog’s meal. It mixes in nicely, and is harder to pick out than diced pieces (but of course, lots of dogs are excellent picky eaters and will find a way!). If you wait until the chicken is fully cold before doing this, it will be much more difficult to shred.
How to shred chicken
Use two forks, one in each hand. Hold the chicken breast steady with one fork. With your other hand/fork gently push the fork into the breast and pull it away.
Alternatively, I’ve heard that you can shred it with a hand mixer. But I don’t have a hand mixer, and therefore I’ve never tried!
Method 2: Dicing the chicken
When I am going to use the boiled chicken as training treats I prefer to dice the chicken because it’s easier to give my dog a bite sized piece without any fiddling.
How to dice chicken
Using a fork and a knife, first slice your chicken breast into slices.
Next, lay those slices on your cutting board horizontally, cut side down. Now, cut those into slices again. Your end result of this step should look somewhat like a carrot stick.
Now that you have your chicken strips, you are going to cut those pieces again, so the chicken is in cubes.
Step 5: Serving & Storing the Chicken
After all the work you just did making your dog’s boiled chicken, be sure to store it correctly so that your dog can enjoy it without any spoilage.
Cooked chicken can be stored in the fridge for 3–4 days. If you have prepared more chicken than your dog will eat in 3–4 days, put the remaining portions into the freezer.
I often like to make a big batch of boiled chicken all at once. I then use freezer bags or containers, and break it into individual portions. This allows me to grab one portion from the freezer every few days.
Would You Prefer to Buy Treats for Your Dog?
If boiling chicken for your dog feels like too much work, buying 100% chicken treats could be a good option for you.
The Bottom Line:
- Boiling chicken for your dog is simple, and can be a nutritious addition to meals, and a tasty training treat.
