This past January, we shared a post highlighting thirty days of homemade dog food that we made for our pup, Indie, during the month of December 2022.
As much a photo collage as a visual guide on the types of food that Indie has been eating throughout her life here with us, I wanted to dispel the myth that cooking for your pup is difficult, time-consuming and complicated. It was a piece that worked in tandem with a 2018 post about the history of dog food where we also introduced how to make your own balanced meals for your dog regardless of size, age or breed.
Both posts shared details about a large majority of the types of food Indie (and all dogs) can eat but neither contained a specific recipe. So in today’s post, as requested recently by our canine-loving readers, I’m sharing one of Indie’s most favorite meals complete with an ingredient list, step-by-step instructions and notes on scaling proportions depending on the size of your dog.
On the menu today it’s Steamed Chicken, Carrots & Sweet Potatoes – a one-pot stovetop meal that takes five minutes to prepare and one hour to cook. You can amend the recipe to make a large batch that will make up to eight meals or you can make a small batch that will provide a fresh homecooked meal for one to two days worth of dinners and breakfasts. Fridge-friendly, freezer-friendly and on-the-go-approved, if packed in an air-tight container and kept cold, this recipe can tag along on your all summer outings including picnicking, hiking, and overnight vacations. It can be reheated in the microwave or the oven if your dog likes warm food, or it can be enjoyed cold right from the fridge. You can toss in additional grains or vegetables if your pal has a big appetite, or serve it as is – a simple meat and two.
This is also a good starter recipe if you are new to the world of making homemade dog food or are introducing your pup to this new way of eating. It’s simple to make, requires just a handful of ingredients, and is easily digestible for all dogs. And just like all of Indie’s other meals, it’s 100% human friendly too. That’s the key to homemade dog food. There is not one ingredient in this recipe that you wouldn’t want to eat yourself. Let’s look…
Homemade Dog Food: Steamed Chicken with Carrots & Sweet Potatoes
This recipe makes 4-5 servings for a medium-sized dog weighing 45-50 lbs. Please see note regarding portion sizes following the recipe.
One 2-3lb package of chicken thighs, containing 4-6 thighs (Bone-in and skin-on preferred, but you can also use skinless/boneless thighs, chicken breasts or chicken tenders. We do not recommend bone-in-chicken breasts or wings though as these contain too many small bones. Please see note below.)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 lb baby carrots
3 large sweet potatoes, skin-on and roughly chopped into large 3″ inch cubes
1 healthy pinch of sea salt
Optional: a handful of roughly chopped fresh parsley
Rinse chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Set aside. In a large stock pot, over medium-high heat, add the olive oil, making sure it coats the entire bottom of the pot. Let the oil warm up for about one minute. Add the carrots in a flat layer.
Next, add the chicken (skin side down if using bone-in thighs) …
Sprinkle the chicken with a generous pinch of sea salt. Then add the chopped sweet potatoes on top of the chicken and the fresh parsley on top of the potatoes.
Turn the heat down to medium. Cover the pot and cook for 60 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and let it rest for 15 minutes on a cooling rack. Dinner is done!
With stew-like consistency, this dog-friendly recipe is full of comfort food flavors all bathed in a natural broth that forms when the water in the carrots and sweet potatoes mixes with the olive oil and the chicken fat. The hour-long steam makes the chicken fall off the bone and makes the vegetables so tender you can slice them with a butter knife.
After the chicken has rested, remove one thigh, one cup of sweet potatoes, 1/2 cup of carrots, and 1/3 cup of broth to your dog’s bowl. Pull the chicken from the bone with a fork and then discard the bone. Because they splinter easily and can cause internal damage to organs, you never want to feed your pup any chicken bones. This is why we don’t recommend using bone-in chicken breasts which usually come with the ribs attached. The same goes for chicken wings which are made up of many small bones that can be easily missed when cutting the chicken up after it cooks.
Once you have transferred the chicken and vegetables to your pup’s bowl, slice everything into bite-sized pieces, mix it all together and let it cool to room temperature before serving.
Hands down one of Indie’s most favorite meals, Steamed Chicken with Carrots & Sweet Potatoes is a year-round pup-pleaser of a recipe and contains all sorts of nutritious vitamins and minerals. Collagen (chicken skin), beta-carotene (sweet potatoes, carrots), magnesium (sea salt), healthy fat and vitamins E & K (olive oil), and lean protein (chicken) are just a few of the beneficial vitamins and minerals wrapped up in this recipe that will help keep your dog happy and healthy.
Over the 4th of July weekend, Indie celebrated her 10th birthday. Of course, we surprised her with her favorite chicken dinner. This time, in addition to the sweet potatoes and carrots we added in some chopped-up cucumbers, another summer love of hers.
That is just a little example of how carefree this chicken recipe can be. The carrots, olive oil, and the chicken itself are mainstays, but the sweet potatoes can be swapped out for butternut squash, red potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, pumpkin, celery, beets. Just avoid adding any onions, garlic, or citrus fruits – three types of food that also seem like they might be natural companions to this meal, but are actually toxic to dogs. If you are interested in more possibilities to add in or swap out be sure to check the lists of other approved dog-friendly foods in the previous two posts here and here.
Leftovers can be stored in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to four days. When the broth cools it transforms into a jelly-like consistency similar to aspic. Don’t be put off by its wiggly jiggly nature. It’s just the coagulation of the olive oil, broth, vegetable juices and chicken fat. Your dog will love it, so be sure to include a little bit of it with each additional serving. If you decide to make some rice or lentils to augment the chicken and vegetables that jelly will add extra flavor to the new additions.
And two final notes on year-round enjoyment of this recipe and portion sizes …
In the summer, Indie tends to eat a little less food if it’s particularly hot, so when it comes to this recipe, she’s happy most of the warm-weather months with just the chicken, sweet potato and carrot combo. But in fall, winter and spring when she is at her most active, we usually add in a few other foods too for both variety and an extra dose of go-power. Other accompaniments you might like to include are the following…
- 3/4 cup of cooked rice, 1/2 cup of cooked lentils or 1/4 cup oatmeal
- 1 cup of additional cooked and chopped green vegetables (broccoli, collard greens, kale, spinach, zucchini, celery, green beans or peas)
All the proportions discussed so far are based on Indie’s medium 55lb. frame. If you are making this recipe for a small breed dog like a chihuahua or a bichon, you can certainly swap out the thighs for smaller cuts like chicken tenders or thin-cut chicken breasts. If you decide to use either of those, simply adjust the cooking process by starting with the layer of carrots first after you add the olive oil, then add the chicken, salt and sweet potato layers. That way the chicken won’t get stuck to the bottom of the pot.
And on the opposite spectrum, if you have a large breed dog over 60 lbs. I’d recommend doubling the portion size of the recipe above. The nice thing about using a big stock pot is that you can fit quite a bit of food in it. I’ve made this recipe using all types of chicken cuts, and all types of quantities from 4 to 8 thighs with 2lbs of carrots and six sweet potatoes, and it still comes out great every time.
Recently I discovered the 1910 story of Bum, a stray dog in St. Joseph, Missouri who frequented the back door of several restaurants in town each day. He was such a polite and enthusiastic eater, the kitchen cooks and wait staff couldn’t help but spoil him with the finest menu selections of the day. After Bum enjoyed a delicious meal at his favorite luncheonettes, he’d trot down the street and wait patiently for his next favorite set of restaurants to open up for dinner service. Bum so charmed all the restaurant workers that he became the most beloved (and well-fed) fixture in the neighborhood.
This story reminds of Indie, who was also a stray who trotted into our backyard during our Fourth of July barbecue in 2014. Once she had her first bite of grilled chicken, she never left. And so began a now nine-year adventure of cooking for Indie, our most enthusiastic taste-tester here in the Vintage Kitchen. Julia Child was famous for saying ” People who love to eat are always the best people.” Around here, we could say the same about dogs too.
I hope this post is helpful to the readers who requested it. We are always here to answer any questions you might have so feel free to ask away should you run into any troubles. In the meantime, happy eating to your pups. I hope they love this recipe as much as Indie does!
Cheers to all the dogs out there who inspire a wealth of joy and creativity in the kitchen. And to Indie, our delight of a dinner eater from day one.
In the Vintage Kitchen: Where History Comes To Eat 
Are you sure this is for the dog? Looks pretty good.
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Awww thanks Dorothy! And yes, for sure! Indie brings us so much joy, she deserves just as much in return:)
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My dog weighs 5lbs. I need to get a recipe and amounts to feed her
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Hello! Thank you so much for your question. Since you have a little pup, we’d recommend using boneless chicken cutlets, tenderloins or thin sliced chicken breasts.
You can follow the directions in the one pot-recipe post and simply substitute the chicken cutlets for the chicken thighs, and then half the rest of the ingredients. This way all vegetables and chicken will be in correct proportion to each other. Hope this info helps! If you have any other questions please do not hesitate to reach out. Happy New Year to you and your little pal!
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Great! Thx. I’ve used ground turkey n lots of veggies, but my dogs always act like they’re starving. I need to add more fat n oils. Will this eliminate need for calcium supplements I hear about? Thx.
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Hello Brad! Oh that’s wonderful to hear that your pups love their homemade food so much. You can also add in more grains to help add a bit more bulk if that helps quell their appetites. Oatmeal, brown or white rice, quinoa, beans and lentils are all good choices in that department. Just stay away from anything that has flour, wheat or corn in it (like pasta, wheat cereals or grits). Leafy greens, salmon, cheese and yogurt all contain calcium, but you may want to check with your vet if you think your pups might need an extra boost. Hope this helps! Happy New Year to you and your pals and thank you for reading:)
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For my 75lb Chow Shepherd Mix, Luke age 9 I have been cooking up
chicken livers mixed with ground WAGU beef (1lb. packs on sale after the holidays😉 I bought 2 cases!!) I also add a variety of fruits and veg depending on what’s in the fridge.
frozen peas/carrots
frozen spinach
Steamed Broccoli
Baked Sweet Potato or canned pumpkin
I mix together a 2:1 ratio of Protein to either Steamed Rice or Cooked Oatmeal
2 tablespoons of Flax Seed Meal (per 2 pounds of protein)
Black Pepper
Turmeric
Fresh Parsley
Seasonal Fresh Blueberries/Raspberries
What am I missing?☺️
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Suzanne! You are a wonderful cook for Luke! Great job on including such variety.
The only thing I would recommend if you wanted to switch out the beef for a different type of protein every once in a while is to swap it for a combination of any of the following … eggs (hardboiled or scrambled), lentils, salmon (canned or fresh), mackerel, chicken or beans. Cooked collard greens, watercress or kale are a vitamin-packed alternate for broccoli and spinach, and a spoonful or two of a healthy fat like olive oil, peanut butter or ripe avocado can be a nice boost for Luke’s coat if it ever feels dry due to winter weather. Salmon also works wonders for a smooth and shiny coat.
And you could omit the black pepper – that doesn’t really do much for pups. Otherwise your list of ingredients is fantastic.
Thank you so much for sharing Luke’s diet. Cheers to you both and happy cooking:)
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Thanks for the recipe! I’ve just started cooking for my coonhound and need to gather easy meal-prep recipes. You call for “one package of chicken thighs” – how many pounds or thighs would you use for your dog’s recipe? I often buy in bulk and…well, sometimes a “package” is fifteen pounds, sometimes it’s five.
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Hello Tracy!
Thanks so much for your question. Generally, we purchase packages of chicken thighs that contain between 4-6 thighs and runs in weight anywhere between 2-3.5lbs. I adjusted the recipe to include this info for easy reference. Hope this info helps!
So glad your pup has a future of homecooked meals ahead! If we can help with anything else, please let us know. We are happy to help.
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ls the salt nutritionally necessary? can the recipes be in a printable format?I am just starting to cook for my dogs instead of just buying commercial products, 😁
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Hello Carmela!
How exciting to hear that you are starting to cook for your pups!
Thanks for your question about salt. You’ll want to check with your vet on the specific needs of your dogs, but we like to add just a tiny pinch of sea salt (not table salt) to Indie’s food for the nutritional benefit. Sea salt contains important minerals like magnesium and potassium.
As for the printable recipe…. thank you so much for that suggestion. We’ll look into adding a button on our site that will make the recipe printable, but in the meantime you can print the recipe out using this website…
https://www.justtherecipe.com/
Hope this info helps. If we can be of any more assistance, please do not hesitate to reach out.
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Am I reading this right? Twelve
3-pound packs of chicken?
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Hello John! Thank you so much for your question. No, it’s not 12 pounds of chicken:) It’s actually one 2-3 lb package of chicken. I can see how that can be confusing though on the recipe, so I’ll modify it now. Thanks for pointing that out. And have fun cooking for your pup!
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Do you add any type of supplement to the meal? We want to start making food for our gang of 4 but have been reading they need a supplement with the homemade food
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Hello Melissa! Thank you for your question.
We do not add any supplements to Indie’s food. Instead, we aim to feed her a wide variety of foods so that she gets all of her vitamins and minerals through whole foods. So far that has worked out great. But if you are concerned about supplements for your pups, I’d recommend checking with your vet.
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I have 3 shepards and 1 has a sensitive stomach when we change food. I’m making food for them and mixing it with kibble to transfer them over. What can I do for his stomach to give them a variety on meat and veggies? Also do I feed them the same amount as kibble? Thanks
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Hello Vikki! Thanks so much for your question. I’m not as familiar with dogs that sensitive stomach issues but I do know that cats face that same issue when their food is switched too. You might want to ask your vet about the ratio amounts of homemade food to kibble as you wean your pup off kibble.
When we lived in the city, Indie once ate an old chicken bone off the street, when I wasn’t paying attention and it made a mess of her digestion. We fed her a bland mix of chicken and rice (boiled chicken in water and plain white rice cooked in water) for a couple of days and she was fine after that.
My instinct says, that might be a good segue diet, but again since I’m not familiar with your pup’s specific health requirements you might want to check with your vet on the most appropriate way to transition to a new diet.
The good news about a dog’s digestive tract is that most food passes through their system in a couple of days so it shouldn’t take too long to get your pup with the sensitive stomach used to a new diet.
Hope this info helps! Good luck to you and your pups:)
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Hello!
Recently switched our dogs to a whole food diet. I’m struggling with portions though and what’s enough for them. They’re a bit smaller at 35-40lbs each, so my question is – is this recipe for once a day? Or do they need this twice a day? Does Indie have a separate breakfast, and then this for dinner?
We fed them once a day at night when we were using kibble.
Thanks!
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Hello Mary!
Thanks so much for your question. Indie eats twice a day – once in the morning and once at night. Although her diet varies every day, in the case of this chicken recipe, she consumes one chicken thigh per meal along with a portion of the sweet potatoes and carrots and then some other grain (rice, lentils, oatmeal) or bean.
Since you are switching from kibble and had a question about portion size, a helpful trick I used when first starting out feeding our previous dog Hanna, before Indie came along, was a visual one. I noticed how much space the kibble took up in her bowl and then just used that as a capacity marker and filled her bowl with fresh food up to that line. So, for example, if you fed each of your dogs two cups of kibble a day, I would swap that with two cups of fresh food a day. And then observe your dogs and see how they act.
If you start with a balance between protein, grain, healthy fat, and vegetables you are on your way to understanding what your dogs need to maintain a healthy body.
There is going to be a trial and error period when sorting out the nutritional needs and portion sizes for your dogs, and that’s perfectly okay. Your pups will not be irrevocably harmed in this process. Fresh homemade food is always an improvement over commercial dry kibble as you are eliminating preservatives and the unnecessary fillers which will be an automatic boost to their digestive system.
It is tricky to give you exact feeding measurements for your dogs since so much depends on your pups’ age, lifestyle, and activity levels. I’d recommend talking to your vet about specific portion sizes for your two if you don’t want to start the with the one for one swap method mentioned above.
I know it can seem daunting to change over from kibble to fresh and there’s worry associated that you might not be doing it correctly or that your dogs might suffer nutritionally in some way. I have found that Indie will tell me so much about her food requirements just by observing her and I can then adjust from there. If she acts lethargic, I give her more protein. If her coat seems dry or brittle, I include more coconut or olive oil. If she eats everything but one type of vegetable in her bowl, I know she is either bored with that one or doesn’t like it and I drop it from the list for a few months. If she gains weight I know I’m feeding her too much, and can cut back a little on portion size. If I can feel her ribs when I brush my hand against the side of her coat I know she could use a little more food.
Hope this info helps!
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I love the simplicity of this recipe!!
I apologize if this question has been asked but dies this recipe freeze well?
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Hello Marci! So glad you love the recipe. Hope your pup does too! Thanks so much for your question. Yes, this recipe does freeze well. Please let us know if we can help with anything else.
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Hi can anyone please provide a homemade batch of dog food made with lamb ?
Im going crazy looking. Maybe with brown rice and sweet potatoes n carrots n green beans to start I just don’t know what else to add. Small Shih Tzu. I have annamate vitamins made for homemade food and wild salmon oil to add.
thank you.
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Hello Noel! So sorry we missed your comment. We’ll be happy to work out a homemade dog food recipe featuring lamb , but it sounds like you are already on your way to making something marvelous. I would sauté the ground lamb or lamb cubes (whichever you might be using) in olive oil until cooked, then boil your sweet potatoes, carrots and green beans all together until soft. Add the veggies to the lamb, throw in a pinch of salt and toss together. Let cool before serving. And then your dog food is ready for consumption. The only other thing you might choose to add is cooked rice (white or brown) or oatmeal for a bit of extra bulk/grain power, but its not necessary when using three vegetables.
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Do you leave the skin in the food or remove it?
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Hello there! Thanks for your question. Yes, we do leave the skin on – it’s a source of collagen, fat and extra protein. Let us know if we can help with anything else!
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I love how easy this recipe is to make!!
Our dog is getting up there in years- are there any special considerations we need to be aware of for older dogs?
Thanks!!
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Hello Kenny!
Thank you for your question. Indie is a senior dog too. She just celebrated her 11th birthday.
If you are concerned about your older pup’s specific breed requirements as he/she ages, I would check with your vet. There are supplements like Cosequin Senior that you can give your dog in addition to homemade food, which will help with joint care if that’s an issue. It is important that senior dogs get enough protein, so you want to make sure that there is at least 1/3 protein, 1/3 veg and 1/3 grain in each meal. Having said that, it’s tricky to recommend anything beyond this recipe without knowing more specifics about your pup’s age, breed, eating habits, and energy/activity levels since there are so many variables that can affect their appetite and diet.
As mentioned earlier, Indie is a senior dog and eats this recipe on a regular rotation with no added supplements or special dietary additives. Lately, she’s loved eating this chicken recipe with quinoa in place of rice or lentils. We are always just striving for variety to make sure she gets a well-balanced mix of nutrients and minerals.
Soon, here on the blog, we’ll be sharing more of Indie’s favorite homemade dog food recipes, so stay tuned on that front. In the meantime, hope your pup loves this one pot chicken recipe as much as Indie!
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I have a 9 lb. shih Tzu puppy (female) who is 8 months how much of this should I feed her?
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Hello Nikki! Thanks so much for stopping by the blog. So sorry for the delay in getting back to you.
As far as your pup goes, you may want to check with your vet on the appropriate food amounts to feed your little pal to make sure she is not eating too much or too little begin with. But a general rule of thumb is to do an even swap in weight of what you were feeding her before you transitioned to an all natural homemade diet. So for example, if she was eating a pound of dry kibble per meal, you can swap it out with a pound of freshly cooked food per meal and see how that goes.
There will be a definite trial period to sort through when transitioning from commercial food to a homemade diet as far as how much food and how often, but your pup will let you know all about it in her eagerness to eat and clean her bowl at each meal. Keep your eye on her ribs and her energy level to make sure she is not getting too plump (too much food) or too lethargic (not enough food).
Hope you two have a grand time exploring a wide variety of foods together! Good luck and keep us posted on how it’s going!
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I have a 20 yr old pug mix and she has few remaining teeth. Will the veggies be soft enough to mash? And just to be clear—you add no liquid other than the olive oil, correct?
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Hello Debbie! Oh your sweet senior pup!
Yes, absolutely the sweet potatoes will be soft enough to mash for sure, And if the carrots still have a little bit of crunch to them after the hour cooking time is up, you can just remove the chicken and sweet potatoes from the pot and let the carrots simmer in the broth a little bit longer if need be.
Also, you are correct on the liquid question. There is no other liquid added besides olive oil. As the carrots, sweet potatoes and chicken cook together they create their own broth.
Hope your sweet pug loves this recipe so much and that she has an easy time digesting it. Let us know if we can help with anything else.
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Just wanted to give an update. My pup loves this recipe! She has always been a picky eater, and even with her preferred food it would be hit or miss. Since I began feeding her this food, she eats every bite every time! She gets so excited when she knows it’s feeding time. For anyone else with a senior dog, I remove the potatoes and pour the broth over them and mash them just like I would for mashed potatoes. I then mash the carrots and chop up the chicken, to make everything more easily chewable for her. Thank you for sharing the recipe with us!
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Debbie! This is such WONDERFUL news! I’m so glad you popped back in with an update and that your pup loves this recipe! That’s such a great idea to mash up the sweet potatoes and carrots for her using the broth – that way they retain all those good nutrients. Well done you! Thank you again so much for sharing an update. Your message made our day here in the Vintage Kitchen. Cheers to you and your pup.
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Blessings from Scotland 🙏♥️…We have a 5 month old cavapoo named Alfie who has been a worry when it comes to feeding time as he just turns his nose up some days. When we got him I got his food delivered from a company called pure and unfortunately he ate it for about a week and then refused to eat it. We then ordered his food from a company called butter box and up until a couple of weeks ago he is now refusing to eat this also.We definitely want the best for our gorgeous boy and today going shopping to buy chicken,beef mince and veggies.Our fear is that we don’t give him all the nutrients he needs.I just feel in my gut that cooking him home cooked food will be better for him.I have been watching loads of videos on cooking for your dog and for me it’s been a bit overwhelming and then at 5.00am this morning your video popped up♥️….You make it less scary to go this route and simplify the process.I know that we will need to add different proteins to Alfie’s diet but we will start off with the chicken and beef mince.Thank you.Xx
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Hello Anne and Alfie! So glad you guys are going to try our one pot chicken recipe! I know it can seem daunting to start on a homemade food route, but press on anyway. You both will see the benefits so quickly and Alfie (hopefully!) will love his new homemade food.
We suspect, based on what you mentioned about Alfie’s previous eating habits, that he might be a true gourmand at heart. That means he will appreciate the variety of foods that will be available to him on weekly basis. By changing his meals up every few days, you’ll keep him interested in eating and curious about what’s in his food dish. And then you’ll start to notice his preferences for certain types of food and you can build a foundation from there. That’s the fun part. Our pups have so much personality when it comes to eating!
Also, just a quick note – we don’t have any videos of dog food recipes – just blog posts with photos. So hopefully that’s what you meant in your message. I wouldn’t like to endorse a video recipe that we haven’t made for Indie. All of our dog food recipes have been successfully tested (and eaten!) for a decade by our happy, healthy pup. You can find more of them in the vintage recipe section too.
A big cheers to you and Alfie! Please keep us posted on how things go. Can’t wait to hear which foods your little guy falls in love with best. Thanks so much for stopping by to say hello. – All my best, Katherine
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So thankful I found your page today. Our blue heeler has developed some gastro issues from his commercial brand food. I was looking for a good simple recipe for homemade food for him. This fits the bill! Question… do you feed this to your pup once a day? Thanks!
-Miriam
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Hello Miriam! We are so glad that you found a new recipe to try for your pup. Hope it helps conquer those digestion issues. Indie ate this meal twice a day, in the morning and at night. We rotated this recipe throughout the month with a host of other pup-friendly meals, so that she had variety and wasn’t eating the same thing everyday. You can find more meal suggestions on the blog here as well… and please keep us posted as to how the one-pot recipe goes!
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