Easy Crockpot Chicken Homemade Dog Food Recipe

Thinking about making your own homemade dog food? Whether you’re trying to save money, satisfy a picky pup, or help a dog with food allergies, this crockpot chicken recipe is a pretty good place to get started! 

Start with the video below, then keep reading for all of the details, You can also jump right ahead to print out the recipe card below!

CROCKPOT CHICKEN & RICE HOMEMADE DOG FOOD RECIPE

The thought of switching to homemade dog food can be overwhelming. However, it doesn’t have to be. You can easily make a week’s worth of nutritionally rich dog food in only 15 minutes of work time, maybe even less. Plus, it is cost-effective.

All you need to do is chop up a few sweet potatoes, and drop the rest of the ingredients into a crock pot. When you get home, your pet’s food for the next week is ready to eat.

This recipe is full of nutritional value for your pet. Sweet potatoes and green beans are great sources of beta-carotene, minerals, and fiber.  The fiber in this recipe helps your pets feel full with fewer calories but still eat a healthy diet. All of this combined make this dog chicken and rice dog food a great way to manage your pet’s weight. The chicken provides the protein your pet needs to stay healthy.

All of that said, though, please talk to your vet before you switch to 100% homemade dog food so that you can work together to come up with a meal plan that provides ALL the nutrients your dog needs on an ongoing basis.

One last note: this post includes affiliate links where I recommended some products and tools. You don’t have to use what I recommend, though.

WHAT YOU NEED FOR THIS CHICKEN AND RICE CROCKPOT DOG FOOD RECIPE

• 1 cup brown rice
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 lb. green beans, broken into segments (fresh is best, but you can use frozen, too).
• 1 medium sweet potato, raw, cut into medium-sized chunks (leave the skin on)
• 3 carrots, sliced into about 1″ thick rounds (I use this mandoline slicer to make it go faster.)
• 2 boneless chicken breasts (with or without skin)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cut the potatoes up into small bite-sized chunks. (The mandoline slicer I mentioned above works great for this, too).
2. Put all ingredients into the crockpot in the order given (layer, don’t mix).
3. Cook on low for about 8 hours, or on high for about 5 hours.
4. When done, stir, breaking up the chicken into small pieces. Everything will be quite soft.
5. Let cool and serve
6. Refrigerate unused portion; keeps up to three days.

SUBSTITUTIONS & COOKING TIPS

If you’re in a bit of a hurry, you can use already-boiled chicken and rice to cut down on the cooking time. I boil up a bunch of chicken breasts every Sunday so that it’s always ready to go, since we use chicken in my dog’s training games.

Substitutions are allowed! For vegetables, try broccoli florets, zucchini, spinach, or any of several types of squash. Check out our list of safe vegetables for dogs for more ideas.

If you’re making this chicken and rice for dogs with digestive issues, go with the milder veggies. You can even use pumpkin! Regardless of which veggies you use, try to go with the fresh version. Frozen is fine, too. Avoid canned, though, because it usually has added salt. Use organic ingredients if possible.

For the protein, if your dog is allergic to chicken you can use pretty much any other meat. Beef cubes, turkey, or lamb work well. Even the rice can be subbed out if your dog can’t tolerate it. Quinoa is a good alternative, as is millet or whole-grain oats.

This chicken and rice dog food recipe makes enough to feed your dog 1 cup a day for about a week. However, if you have multiple or larger dogs you may want to double the recipe to ensure you have enough to last the week.

Recipe Card

One important thing to remember when making homemade dog food: it’s vital that you work with your vet to come up with a plan that includes all the nutrients for your dog’s individual needs.

I know I said that before, but I really can’t say it enough. 

Homemade dog food can be fantastic, but it does require a bit more time, energy, and definitely a whole lot more research than just buying high-quality kibble.