If you are looking for easy and healthy baby food recipes with spinach, you’ve come to the right place! We all want our babies to grow up happy and healthy. There are lots of different vitamins, products, and parenting styles we use to make this happen, but a big focus is on what children are eating in those very early years of development.
Chicken is an excellent food for babies, due to its amazing nutritional content, low price, and simple cooking methods. In this article we will discuss the benefits of incorporating chicken into your child’s diet, storage methods and a few recipes which babies all around the world love very much (and so do their parents!)
The recipes in this article:
Recipe 1 – Chicken and Rice
Recipe 2 – Cheesy Chicken and Zucchini
Recipe 3 – Chicken, Apple, and Potato
Recipe 4 – Chicken, Sweet potato, and Spinach
You might also be interested in our recipes with tuna, salmon and minced beef.
When can a baby eat chicken?
Typically when we think of baby food, fruits and vegetables come to mind: apples, bananas, sweet potatoes, you name it. They contain a lot of essential nutrients, and they’re easy for babies to digest. But it’s time to look beyond the produce section when making baby food. Chicken is an ingredient that is highly recommended for babies beginning on solid food.
With so many guidelines out there, it can be difficult to determine when is the best time to introduce chicken and other meat products into your baby’s diet. Most health organizations agree that between the ages of 6-8 months is a great idea, but go slow and steady at first.
Before preparing your baby food, be sure to keep raw chicken refrigerated for no more than 3 days or frozen for up to 9 months. Thaw the chicken before preparing the baby food if it is frozen. Wash all produce, and remove skin that can be difficult for babies to digest. And use your judgment about what to prepare for your baby. After all, you know them best.
We recommend that you consult with your baby’s pediatrician on introducing solid foods as generalities may not apply to your infant.
Use small food storage containers or an ice cube form to store your baby foods.
How to prepare chicken for baby food?
When preparing baby food recipes, make sure the chicken is cooked until it is very soft and easy to blend. In a saucepan, cover the chicken with water. Bring to a boil and simmer very gently for about 10 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Cover and let stand for 10 minutes.
Recipe 1: Chicken and rice (age 6-8 months+)
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This recipe is an excellent introductory meal for your baby if it is their first time trying the chicken, which is not only delicious but packed with nutrients.
Ingredients:
- 2.2 oz (65 grams) boneless chicken
- 1/4 cup brown or white rice
- 1 small carrot
- a little bit of water or formula
Instructions:
Step 1 – Cut the chicken into small pieces.
Step 2 – Clean the carrot and grate it.
Step 3 – Cook the rice for 10 minutes and pour off the water.
Step 4 – Cook the chicken until it is done, this is after about 10 minutes.
Step 5 – Place the chicken, rice, and carrot into a food processor, and blend until it has no lumps and is paste-like.
Step 6 – Slowly blend in breast milk or formula to create the desired consistency, depending on whether you want it thicker or runnier.
Serve to baby slightly heated or eat it cold – both options taste brilliant! You can freeze this recipe by pouring it into small food storage containers.
Tip: When you cook chicken in water the chicken becomes very tender and very suitable for using it in a puree. Make sure the chicken is well done and doesn’t have any pink on the inside!
Recipe 2: Cheesy Chicken and Zucchini (age 8-10 months+)
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Cheese is a great ingredient when it comes to changing things up a little bit and adding more flavor. This recipe is super simple, and one that all babies alike seem to love!
Ingredients:
- 2.2 oz (65 grams) boneless chicken
- 1/3 zucchini
- 1 tablespoon of grated cheese
- A little bit of formula or water (optional)
Instructions:
Step 1 – Cut the chicken and cook it in water for about 10 minutes. Make sure it is well done.
Step 2 – Clean the zucchini and cut off the ends. Chop it into cubes. Cook the zucchini for 5-7 minutes.
Step 3 – Add all the ingredients to a blender. Add a little bit of water or formula if the puree is to thick. Don’t add too much at once to prevent the puree from becoming watery.
Serve this recipe warm or freeze this batch by pouring the puree into small food storage containers.
Tip: the zucchini already provides a lot of moisture so you probably won’t have to add a lot of water or formula.
Recipe 3: Chicken, apple, and potato (age 6-8 months+)
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Another tasty combination is chicken and apple. Mixed with potato and milk for a creamy consistency, you will be lucky to have leftovers after this creation!
Ingredients:
- 2.2 oz (65 grams) boneless chicken
- 1/2 ripe apple
- 1 small potato
- A little bit of water/formula (optional)
Instructions:
Step 1 – Chop the chicken into cubes and cook it for 10 minutes. Make sure it is well done.
Step 2 – Clean and peel the apple and cut it into slices. Cook the apple for a few minutes.
Step 3 – Clean and chop the potato and cook it until it is soft. (about 10 minutes)
Step 4 – Add all the ingredients to a blender and mix them into a smooth puree.
Step 5 – You can add some water or formula to make the puree thinner.
Serve warm for your baby! Or make more portions and store them into small food storage containers or in ice cube forms.
Tip: The potato and apple might be a little difficult to blend because they are quite dry. Add a little water or formula and blending will be easier.
Recipe 4: Chicken, Sweet Potato and spinach (age 10-12 months+)
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This recipe is a perfect and tasty dinner recipe with a beautiful, bright green color.
Ingredients:
- 1 small sweet potato
- 2 handfuls of spinach leaves
- 2.2 oz (65 grams) of boneless chicken
- A little bit of water or formula
Instructions:
Step 1 – Cut the chicken into cubes and cook them until they are well done. (about 10 minutes)
Step 2 – Clean the spinach using cold, running water. Steam the spinach for 5 minutes.
Step 3 – Peel the sweet potato and chop it into cubes. Cook for about 10 minutes.
Step 4 – Add all the ingredients to a blender and mix them into a nice puree.
Step 5 – You can add a little bit of water or formula to make the puree thinner.
Serve this delicious dish warm or freeze this batch and store it.
Tip: Blending will be easier when the spinach leaves are put last. Add a little bit of formula or water to make it easier to blend. But not too much! The spinach already adds a lot of moisture to the puree.
Feeding guide
6-7 months | 8 months | 9-10 months | 11-12 months | |
| No. of tbs per portion | 1-2 | 1-2 | 2-3 | 2-3 |
No. of feedings per day | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
Keep in mind that this feeding guide applies to chicken. If you add other ingredients this feeding guide might not be applicable anymore, depending on the ingredient.
We recommend that you consult with your baby’s pediatrician on introducing solid foods as generalities may not apply to your infant.
Are these recipes freezable?
Storing and preserving chicken is an important topic to cover, especially as food poisoning is not fun at all. Most people find that they prefer to create large amounts of baby food with chicken, then pour small amounts of the mixture into ice cube trays before storing in the fridge. If it is kept in the freezer, it can be kept for up to one year! If you are choosing to store it in the fridge, it should be eaten within three to four days.
We hope you enjoyed reading about baby food with chicken, and how including this awesome food into a bub’s diet is a great idea. Chicken is a great source of nutrients, which shouldn’t let you down!
Nutritional benefits
Gaining a deep understanding of the food you are feeding your child is essential, especially when you want your child to be happy and healthy. Here are some of the nutritional benefits of chicken.
1. Promotes Healthy Muscles
Rich amounts of protein found in the chicken are excellent for promoting healthy muscles. Protein needs to be an essential part of your baby’s diet as it is vital for muscle growth and tissue repair, making it a vital nutrient which should not be overlooked,
2. Great for Healthy Bones
Chicken contains calcium, which is a fundamental part of bone growth and development. Although calcium can be located in many other food sources, chicken is a great option as it also contains many other nutritional benefits.
3. Great Circulation
Chicken is an excellent food source when it comes to promoting healthy blood circulation. This meat is low in fat compared to other meats, making it a great choice for protein.
Which kitchen tools to use
In order to prepare these baby food recipes, you will need the following kitchen tools:
- Blender or food processor
- Crockpot
- Knife
- Tablespoon
- Vegetable peeler
- Cutting board
- Frying pan
- Cooking pot or Saucepan
- Food storage containers or an ice cube form
