Chicken is a great source of protein, as we all know, and its low-fat content makes it an ideal addition for almost all types of diets. When it comes to your baby’s diet, you need to add chicken gradually, after he/she has started solids and introduced to all basic food types, like fruit and vegetable purees, lentils, etc. Once you know that your little one is ready to taste chicken and become a fan of it, here are some great chicken recipes for babies you can try.
This would be a great starter recipe, for babies who are just being introduced to chicken, say around 6 to 8 months of age. While this particular recipe has an Indian touch to it, you can most certainly add the spices that you regularly cook with to add flavor to the soup.
Ingredients
2 chicken thighs
1 teaspoon butter
2 garlic cloves
¼ inch ginger, crushed
1 small onion, chopped
½ teaspoon coriander seeds
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
2 cups of water
Steps
Heat butter in a pressure cooker.
Add the cumin seeds, let them splutter, and then add the coriander seeds.
Add the ginger and garlic, and sauté everything together for a couple of minutes. Add the chopped onions and sauté for a few minutes.
Now, add the chicken thighs and sauté till they turn white and water starts leaving the chicken. Add 2 cups water and let it pressure cook for 3 whistles.
For babies less than 8 months of age, the soup can be strained using a clean muslin cloth. For
babies 8 months and older, everything can be blended together before feeding.
Ingredients
2 cups cubed sweet potatoes
2 cups boneless chicken
3 cups of water
Steps
Cook the sweet potatoes and the chicken separately in any method you prefer. Make sure that they are completely soft and tender. Blend the cooked chicken and sweet potatoes to your desired consistency.
Apart from sweet potato, you can also use vegetables like potatoes, peas, beetroot, etc.
Ingredients
2 cups of rice
2 cups boneless chicken
4 cups of water
Steps
Cook the rice and chicken separately following any cooking method you prefer.
Once both are cooked completely, transfer them to a blender to form a puree. You can add chicken stock to achieve the desired consistency.
If your baby is over a year old, you could add some salt for taste.
Wait, chicken with fruit?! Yes, though it might sound bizarre, the combination actually works, and babies especially love it.
Ingredients
½ cup chicken
¼ cup rice (white or brown)
1 ripe peach
1 tablespoon breastmilk or formula
Steps
Cook the chicken and rice separately in your preferred cooking method.
Blend together the cooked rice, cooked chicken, and the ripe peach. Add the breastmilk or formula to the blender to achieve the desired puree consistency.
If your little eater is over 11 months of age, you could introduce them to this mild, delicious, and creamy chicken curry.
Ingredients
2 chicken breasts
2 carrots
200ml coconut milk
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 onion
1 garlic clove
2 tablespoons curry paste
½ cup long grain rice
100ml water
Steps
Add the oil to a non-stick pan and sauté the chopped onions.
Cut the chicken breasts into small pieces, crush the garlic, grate or chop carrots into small cubes, and set everything aside. Add the carrots to the frying pan with onions, followed by the chicken and garlic. Add curry paste and give the mixture a good stir. Let it cook for about five minutes. Add the coconut milk to the pan and stir everything together.
Adjust the consistency of the curry to your liking by adding a little water, and let it simmer for a few minutes. Meanwhile, cook the rice using your regular cooking method. The coconut milk will help thicken the curry quite a bit. If you are looking for a thicker curry, you could add other thickening agents, like cornflour mixed in water. Serve the rice and creamy chicken curry together.
Ingredients
1 cup chopped apricots
1 cup boneless chicken
2 cups of water
Steps
Boil the chicken until the pieces become tender.
Poach the apricots for about eight minutes or until they become tender.
Blend the two ingredients together to form a puree; add water as required to adjust the consistency of the puree.
The same procedure can be followed to make chicken and apple puree.
You could introduce your baby to zucchini when he/she is over 7 months of age. This summer squash in this recipe will be so delicious to their developing taste buds.
Ingredients
1 chicken breast, chopped
1 small zucchini, cut into cubes
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 tablespoons breastmilk or formula
¼ cup cheddar cheese, grated
Steps
Add the olive oil to a frying pan and let it heat up.
Add the chopped chicken and zucchini together to the pan. Cover the pan and cook for about 10 minutes; stir occasionally. Make sure that the chicken is fully cooked and the zucchini is soft, and switch off the flame. Add the grated cheese and milk to the mixture. You can either mash or blend everything together to reach the right consistency for your baby to eat.
Ingredients
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 chicken breast
10 to 12 green beans
1 cup vegetable stock
1 avocado
Steps
Poach the chicken breast until fully cooked and tender. Alternatively, you could also roast the chicken in the oven; for this, you need to use chicken breast on the bone, rub it with olive oil on both sides, and cook in the oven for about 45 minutes. Similarly, beans can also be poached, or cooked in the oven with some olive oil for 30 minutes.
Place the cooked chicken and beans in a blender and add vegetable stock gradually while blending, until it reaches the desired consistency.