Chicken and Pumpkin Dinner for Dogs
Your dog will love this Chicken and Pumpkin Dinner for Dogs! This homemade dog food recipe uses organic ingredients like chicken breast, carrots, celery, oats, and pumpkin. If your dog has an upset stomach, this is a great recipe that will make them feel better.
If you love cooking for your dog as much as I do, be sure to check out more homemade dog food recipes like Chicken Dinner Recipe for Dogs, Dog Food Recipe for Upset Stomach, How to Cook Rice For Dogs, or Homemade Turkey Meatloaf for Dogs.
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- Recipe Name: Chicken and Pumpkin Dinner for Dogs
- Ready In: 30 minutes
- Makes: 2 pounds
- Main Ingredients: chicken breasts, pumpkin, oats
- Flavor Profile: chicken, pumpkin, carrots
- Dietary Info: eggless, gluten free, dairy free, no seed oils
- Difficulty: Easy!
- Why You’ll Love It: easy homemade dog food recipe
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Easy Dog Food Recipe: This is a super easy dog food recipe to start with if you are new to homemade dog food.
- Shared Ingredients: You can also eat all the ingredients in this easy dog food recipe. This makes it incredibly easy to shop as you can buy for both you and your dog!
- Healthy & Simple: This homemade dog food recipe is healthy and simple. If you are new to making food for your dog, this is a great place to start!
- Fresh Ingredients: Feeding your dog fresh organic ingredients is always better than processed. Any time you can make this homemade dog food recipe, your dog will benefit from fresh organic food.
This easy dog food recipe starts with boiled chicken breasts, carrots, celery, oats, and a little pumpkin. I also will share all these ingredients with John John, making dinner really easy! Try out Homemade Carrot Pupcakes (Dog Cupcakes), Pumpkin Waffles for Dogs, or Pumpkin Peanut Butter Dog Cookies to use up pumpkin for dog treats. And, make Double Chocolate Pumpkin Cookies, Soft Baked Pumpkin Spice Cranberry Sandwich Cookies, or Pumpkin Spice Latte Protein Brownies to use up pumpkin for desserts for you!
If you're new to making homemade dog food, also try our Slow Cooker Beef Dog Food or Turkey Dog Food Recipe for easy slow cooker recipes too! And, you can always meal prep with How to Cook Ground Turkey For Dogs.
Ingredients
- Chicken Breasts: I use organic chicken breasts, which is a great lean meat for your dog that's loaded with protein. If you are cooking How to Cook a Whole Chicken for Dog Food you can also add in some of the chicken livers as organ meats are a great addition to make this a complete meal.
- Veggies: We love carrots for dogs, they are a great daily veggie to use and John John loves them. We also use celery, but you can use other dog safe veggies too like bell peppers, zucchini or green beans.
- Pumpkin: I use organic pumpkin puree, which is a superfood for your dog! Pumpkin provides fiber which can help with GI upset. It also has antioxidants, vitamin A and more.
- Oats: We use rolled oats for ease in this recipe, but you could also use mashed sweet potato or Jasmin rice too (I don't like brown rice for dogs as much as it can have too much fiber). Check out How to Cook Sweet Potatoes for Dogs if you want to add in sweet potatoes.
*For a full list of ingredients and measurements, visit the recipe card below.
Tips for Chicken and Pumpkin Dinner for Dogs
- Feel free to change up the protein if you prefer. You can use ground turkey, ground beef, ground lamb, or salmon if that is better for your dog.
- You can also change up vegetables to accommodate your dog's preferences if you have a picky eater. Other dog safe veggies include green beans, peas, beets, sweet potato, butternut squash, and more.
- You can also use a different carb such as sweet potato or rice. If you are making sweet potato, be sure it is peeled (the skin can be toxic) and cooked completely.
- You can cook the oats for each meal, which I think is best. This is what we do.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. I prefer to store each food separately, then mix it together when I make his meals.
How to Make Chicken and Pumpkin Dinner for Dogs
- Add a steamer basket into a 3-quart pot and fill partially with water. Set aside. Chop carrots and celery into 1 to 2 inch pieces.
- Add to the pot.
- Steam until tender. About 5 to 10 minutes.
- Fill a large pot three-quarters with water and add the chicken breasts. Bring to a boil and boil for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked completely. You can test it by cutting into it. Once cooked, slice into small cubes and set aside.
- To assemble the meal, add the rolled oats to your dog’s bowl. Add a little bit of hot water to cook them, or add water and microwave to cook.
- Chop veggies and chicken and add into the bowl with the oats.
Add the pumpkin.
- Mix it together and it’s ready to serve.
- Store extra ingredients in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Recipe FAQ's
Yes! It has fiber vitamins and minerals and is good for digestion, which makes it a great addition to your dogs diet. If your dog has any sort of GI upset, this is a great recipe to feed them as it’s very light and easy on the tummy.
A little goes a long way with pumpkin! Small dogs that are about 10 to 20 pounds (like John John) can have about 1 to 2 teaspoons per day. Medium dogs that are about 20 to 40 pounds, can have 1 to 2 tablespoons per day. And large dogs that are over 40 pounds can have up to 4 tablespoons per day, according to the AKC. Always start with a small amount if pumpkin is new to your dog as it does have fiber. And then you can increase it slowly from there!
Yes, dogs can have quinoa if it's plain and fully cooked. Some dogs can have an issue digesting quinoa, so if your dog is new to quinoa, start small and monitor. If you notice any symptoms like vomiting or diarrhea, then it's best to avoid it.
This all depends on your dog’s size, current weight, and activity level. Always check with your vet to make sure you are feeding your dog the appropriate amount of food for their size and age.
But a general rule is you should be feeding your dog 2% to 5% of their body weight in fresh food. And small dogs weighing about 20 pounds or less can even get up to 10%! I have an entire article dedicated to How Much Homemade Dog Food Should I Feed My Dog? with a formula you can use for your dog's weight.
You can add in blueberries, apple pieces, a sprinkle of nutritional yeast, or a drizzle of raw honey for some extras your dog will love!
If you want to learn more about cooking homemade dog food and how to make this recipe into a complete and balanced meal, be sure to check out our course How to Cook Homemade Dog Food (Vet-Approved, Balanced and Simple). In this course, you'll learn how to safely cook homemade dog food, which supplements to use, and more!
More Homemade Dog Food Recipes
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Chicken and Pumpkin Dinner for Dogs
Equipment
- 3-Quart Pot
- Small Pot
- Small Frying Pan
- Cutting Board
- Chef's Knife
Ingredients
- 2 large carrots
- 3 celery stalks
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
- rolled oats
- pumpkin puree
Instructions
- Add a steamer basket into a 3-quart pot and fill partially with water. Set aside.
- Chop carrots and celery into 1 to 2 inch pieces. Add to the pot and steam until tender. About 5 to 10 minutes.
- Fill a large pot three-quarters with water and add the chicken breasts. Bring to a boil and boil for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked completely. You can test it by cutting into it. Once cooked, slice into small cubes and set aside.
- To assemble the meal, add the rolled oats to your dog’s bowl. Add a little bit of hot water to cook them, or add water and microwave to cook.
- Chop veggies and chicken and add into the bowl with the oats.
- Add the pumpkin.
- Mix it together and it’s ready to serve.
- Store extra ingredients in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Video
Notes
- Feel free to change up the protein if you prefer. You can use ground turkey, ground beef, ground lamb, or salmon if that is better for your dog.
- You can also change up vegetables to accommodate your dog's preferences if you have a picky eater. Other dog safe veggies include green beans, peas, beets, sweet potato, butternut squash, and more.
- You can cook the oats for each meal, which I think is best. This is what we do.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. I prefer to store each food separately, then mix it together when I make his meals.
Nutrition
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This meal is full of health benefits and John John loves it!