Chicken is a high in protein and iron food and among one of the easily digested foods for your baby. Thus it is recommended to be the baby’s first meat. We have a variety of chicken recipes for kids to enjoy.
When do you think can you introduce chicken to kids? Pediatricians suggest that chicken and other meat be introduced to babies when they are between 8-10 months of age. In a few European countries, meat is recommended to be given as the first food due to its high levels of iron and protein. It helps your little one to maintain the proper levels of iron and adequate levels of zinc and protein for their growth. It also makes a great finger food for the baby.
Health Benefits of Chicken for the Babies:
- Every 200 grams of chicken has 54.06 milligrams of Protein.
Vitamin Content in Chicken:
- Vitamin A – 126 mg
- Vitamin B1 (thiamine) – .15 mg
- Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) – .46 mg
- Vitamin C – 0
- Folate – 16 mcg
- Niacin – 12.63 mg
Also contains other few vitamins in small amounts.
Minerals Content in Chicken:
- Potassium – 484 mg
- Calcium – 24 mg
- Phosphorus – 366 mg
- Sodium – 182 mg
- Magnesium – 38 mg
- Iron – 2.62 mg
Also contains fewer amounts of manganese, copper, and zinc.
- Chicken helps in muscle growth.
- Chicken improves the circulatory system due to contents of iron in it.
- Chicken is great for the bones.
- The vitamins from chicken help and facilitate brain development in kids.
- The micronutrients in the chicken are good for healthy immunity.
How to Process Chicken for Babies?
1. Bake the Chicken: Baking the chicken thoroughly makes it safe for the kids. The chicken when cut into smaller pieces helps in baking evenly. With water, you can puree it such that the baby below 12 months could swallow the paste. For elder kids, you can shred the chicken into tiny pieces.
2. Poach: the other method is poaching where you place the slices of chicken in a saucepan and bring it to a boil and then lower the flame for 20 minutes until the chicken is tender. Puree the chicken slices again with water for baby foods.
3. Boiling: The easy method to kill pathogens could be to boil and soften the meat as well. Since the cut chicken is submerged into water boiling, it is easy to cook them. This helps to make amazing chicken recipes for kids.
Delicious Chicken Recipes for kids:
1. Chicken Puree:
The best and easy chicken recipe for kids is a chicken puree. It is ideal for babies above 6 months of age.
Ingredients:
- Chopped boneless chicken – 2 cups
- Water- 2/3 cups
How to Cook:
- Put the chopped boneless chicken in a boiling pan or pressure cooker and let it cook until it turns tender.
- Let the content cool and then transfer into a container to blend with water for desired consistency.
- If you are using roasted or poached chicken, then bend with water after cutting it into small pieces. Add more water to make it a soup consistency.
Yummy delicious and healthy chicken recipes for babies ready.
2. Chicken Stew:
A healthy broth or stew for the babies with chicken is similar to the above proves of making puree but more focus on the water here. The babies who can intake more liquid as compared to solid foods, this serves the purpose. Using chicken with bone is beneficial here with the essential minerals added, and solid portions can be discarded later. Perfect chicken recipes for kids above 6 months of age.
Ingredients:
- Chicken with bones – 4 cups
- Water- 8 cups
How to Cook:
- Boil the chicken completely in a pressure cooker or a pot. Let it leach all the nutrients into the water while cooking for 20-35 minutes.
- Once the chicken is cooked, let the stew cool and then strain through a sieve the content. The nutritious healthy chicken stew is ready.
This makes an excellent kids chicken recipes.
3. Chicken with Rice Porridge:
The rich source of carbohydrate- rice is an excellent source of energy for your growing little one. This chicken recipe for kids is ideal for 6months and above age.
Ingredients:
- Boneless chicken- 2 cups (chopped)
- Rice – 2 cups
- Banana – 1 (mashed)
- Water- 5 cups
How to Cook:
- Boil the chicken completely and cook the rice separately.
- Once both chicken and rice are cooked, transfer them into a blender container with water. Add mashed banana (optional) for sweet taste.
- Blend the rice with chicken and mashed banana until you get the desired consistency.
An easy, healthy and high on carbohydrate recipe for kids is just ready in no time.
4. Apricot Chicken Puree:
A combination of goodness, a perfectly sweet taste of apricots just makes it a fantastic companion to chicken. Recommended for kids above 6 months.
Ingredients:
- Boneless chicken- 2 cups (chopped)
- Apricots – 2 cups
- Water- 4 cups
How to Cook:
- Boil the chicken completely and cook the apricots separately until both are tender.
- Put them in a blender and mash it to get a puree. Add water when needed for consistency.
You can variate your content here like apple chicken puree etc. as per the need. A healthy kid friendly chicken recipe is just ready for your baby to relish.
5. Chicken Sweet Potato Puree:
Sweet potato which is rich in vitamins are great to be mixed with chicken and making it a perfect multi-vitamin pack for your baby. Good for babies above 6 months ago.
Ingredients:
- Boneless chicken- 2 cups (chopped)
- Sweet potatoes – 2 cups (finely chopped)
- Water- 4 cups
How to Cook:
- Boil the chicken completely and cook the sweet potato separately until both are soft and tender.
- Blend them together and add water until the desired consistency.
Chicken recipes for kids got just so simple and easy with this recipe. You can as well add peanut butter to this puree and feed your baby goodness of the vitamins.
6. Sago Chicken Porridge:
The sago pearls are light on the baby’s stomach and taste neutral. Thus they become an excellent base for porridge for chicken recipes for kids.
Ingredients:
- Boneless chicken- 2 cups (chopped)
- Sago pearls – 2 cups (finely chopped)
- Water- 4 cups
How to Cook:
- Boil the chicken completely and cook the sago pearls separately until both are soft and tender
- Once done, blend the mixture in a blender coarsely.
The delicious chicken recipe for children kid is ready.
