How to make chicken soup for dogs

Since January is National Soup Month, we'd thought it would be fun to share a chicken noodle soup recipe that is dog approved. We love to cozy up during the winter days with a good bowl of soup so why not share that nice experience with your furry best friend? We based out recipe off of this one here but we made some minor tweaks to it as well as provided alternatives should you want to try them. We hope you and your pup enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 3 carrots
• 1 stalk of celery
• 1 sweet potato
• handful of raw green beans
• 1 cup of water
• unseasoned cooked chicken
• alternative ingredients to use: yellow potato, cooked and peeled peas, and cooked spinach
• ingredients to avoid: mushroom, onion, garlic, chicken bones and excess salt

Steps:

1. Cook the chicken (no seasonings!) anyway you want (i.e. slow cooker)

2. Chop vegetables and place in pot

3. Cover vegetables with water (about 1 cup but add more if needed) and let simmer on low for 1 hour

4. Once chicken is cooked, skim fat off of the broth and take .5 cup as your bone broth and add to veggie pot

5. Shred chicken and add to soup

6. Let cool and you're done!

We also add this as a food topper as extra goodness for our dogs. This soup can be stored in fridge or you can freeze it in small containers for later use.

Great chicken soup can only be made with great quality chicken stock. Try our chicken stock recipe today to put in soups, gravy, casseroles and many other dishes.

Chicken stock: A staple of any kitchen

I keep chicken stock in the fridge or freezer all year but in winter it is a staple in almost everything. I use it to cook vegetables, grains that are cooked by the absorption method, soups, gravy, casseroles, you name it, all dishes are improved with stock.

And did I mention, dogs love it!

Stock is easy-peasy deliciousness, using mostly leftovers and just a little time, too.

So, what do you need to make chicken stock?

Next time you have a whole chicken, remember to save the bones and cartilage, plus any juice or tasty bits, in a pot (a slow cooker is ideal) and add any or all of these:

Ingredients:

• Chicken bones, cartilage and any juice or tasty bits
• Carrot
• Celery
• A small amount of onion is ok (I sometimes use the top/green part of leeks for instance)
• Mushrooms – I use shitake dried mushrooms from the Asian section
• Bay leaves
• Peppercorns
• A spoonful of Apple Cider vinegar
• Parsley

Method:

1. Add all the ingredients to a pot or, ideally, a slow cooker.
2. Cover completely with water, bring to a simmer and turn it down to a low simmer.
3. Let the essence of the stock cook low and slow. The longer it cooks, the more goodness is extracted, and if cooked for 24 hours becomes a ‘bone broth’. You may need to top up with water as it will reduce while cooking, or you can simply dilute it to taste when you are using the final stock.
4. Once cooked, strain through a steel mesh strainer. I usually discard the ingredients, not the stock of course! However, you can save the vegetables for your dog – the carrot, in particular, can be very sweet. I never give cooked bones, no matter how soft they have become, so these are discarded. Essentials Complete 22 has all the calcium (from bones) they need.
5. You may need to remove any fat that settles on top once cooled.

Chicken soup is good for the soul—and the body!

Chicken soup is not only good for the soul, but it is also good for the body too and its goodness is built on the depth and quality of the stock.

Whether for sick dogs or sick humans, chicken soup does wonders.

Giving Chicken Stock to an old dog might just give him or her a new lease on life – and it will help with those aching joints.

The nutritional profile of bone broth

If you would like to know more about the nutritional profile and benefits of bone broth for humans (and this applies as to dogs, too) can be found in this newsletter 

While there are a multitude of recipes on the web, I often make Asian-style with Rice Noodles and Chinese Greens, or traditional with lots of root vegetables.

If you're looking for a more traditional healing version, visit here. Remember to leave out the onion and lentils if sharing with your dog.

Chicken broth is a type of bone broth that’s been growing increasingly popular among paw parents. It’s loaded with nutrients and is good for your dog’s health.

In this article, we’ll teach you how to make chicken broth from scratch and how you can feed your furry friend this nutritious liquid. We’ll also feature some handy tips on how you can stock the extra broth.

Let’s get started!

Table of Contents hide

Is Chicken Broth Safe for Dogs?

Is Chicken Broth Good for Dogs?

How to Make Chicken Broth for Dogs

Step 1: Prepare ingredients and place them in a pot

Step 2: Add water and apple cider vinegar

Step 3: Leave to boil and simmer for 12 – 24 hours

Step 4: Remove the bones or carcass

Step 5: Cool and remove fat from the broth

How to Feed Your Dog Chicken Broth

How to Store Excess Chicken Broth

Freeze the chicken broth

Store the excess in the fridge

Frequently Asked Questions

What ingredients should I avoid adding into the chicken broth?

How much chicken broth can I feed my dog?

Can I give my dog store-bought chicken broth?

Do I need to dilute chicken broth for my dog?

Is Chicken Broth Safe for Dogs?

Yes, absolutely! Chicken broth is packed with health-promoting nutrients and vitamins that can bring about positive health benefits to your dog.

Is Chicken Broth Good for Dogs?

Yes! Chicken broth provides a series of health benefits to dogs including:

Chicken broth is made using bones and cartilage, making it an excellent source of collagen and gelatin, which are known to promote joint health.

Chicken broth is also rich in glycine – an amino acid that can help with detoxing your dog’s kidney and liver.

Glycine found in chicken broth can also help restore your dog’s intestinal lining and protect it from a leaky gut. 

Chicken broth can be used to stimulate your pet’s appetite when he’s sick. It’s a healthy and flavourful addition to your dog’s meal that can help him to eat again.

How to Make Chicken Broth for Dogs

Making chicken broth for your pet at home is relatively fuss-free. It uses a couple of basic ingredients that you can easily find and can be done in a few simple steps.

Check out our recipe for homemade chicken broth below!

Ingredients:
• 1.5kg of chicken bones or 1 whole chicken
• 5.5ℓ of water
• 60ml of apple cider vinegar 
• Carrots (Optional)
• Turmeric (Optional)

Step 1: Prepare ingredients and place them in a pot

Take the chicken bones or whole chicken and place them in a slow cooker or large stovetop pot. If you’re using carrots and tumeric, you can cut them into smaller pieces and add them to the pot too!

Step 2: Add water and apple cider vinegar

Once your ingredients are in the pot, add enough water to cover the bones. Next, add the apple cider vinegar.

 Note!
Apple cider vinegar is an essential part of the recipe. It helps to extract the vital nutrients from the chicken, ensuring that the broth is packed with collagen.

Step 3: Leave to boil and simmer for 12 – 24 hours

After all your ingredients are added to the pot, bring the water to a boil.

Once the water is boiling, reduce the heat and allow the mixture to cook on low for 12 – 24 hours.

 Note!
Leave the broth to cook for 12 hours if you’re cooking the broth on a stove, 24 hours if you’re using a slow cooker.

Step 4: Remove the bones or carcass

Once the broth is ready, strain the mixture and remove the bones. If you’ve used a whole chicken, remove the entire carcass.

 Note!
This step is crucial as the leftover bones are a choking hazard and may crack in your dog’s mouth, causing a splinter.

Step 5: Cool and remove fat from the broth

Store the broth in a container and place it in the refrigerator to cool. Finally, skim and discard the layer of fat on the top of the broth once it’s formed.

 Note!
Removing the fat from the broth is important as too much fat is unhealthy for your dog.

How to Feed Your Dog Chicken Broth

You can leave the chicken broth in his bowl and allow him to consume it as he would water. This helps to increase your pup’s liquid intake, ensuring that he stays well hydrated.

While kibble is great on its own, adding chicken broth to it can help further enhance its taste. This is a common technique used by pet owners to deal with their furry friends who are fussy eaters.

Also, the addition of broth to the dry dog food can also soften it, making it ideal for pets who suffer from dental issues.

You can freeze the chicken broth in popsicle moulds and give them to your pet to help him stay hydrated on a hot day. 

These popsicles are also the perfect treat to help your furry companion cool down after an afternoon of fun in the sun.

After you’ve frozen the chicken broth, you can blend it until you achieve a slushy consistency before feeding it to your dog.

How to Store Excess Chicken Broth

Freeze the chicken broth

Freezing chicken broth allows you to store it for up to 6 months. You can choose to freeze your broth in
• ice cube trays,
• ziplock bags,
• plastic containers or
• glass jars.

 Note!
If you’re storing the liquid in a container or jar, ensure that you don’t fill it to the brim. This gives the liquid space to expand and reduces the risk of the container breaking in the freezer.

Store the excess in the fridge

Another alternative is to store the extra broth in your fridge. However, the chicken broth can only stay fresh in the fridge for about 4 – 5 days. As such, it’s important to consume the liquid as soon as possible.

Frequently Asked Questions

What ingredients should I avoid adding into the chicken broth?

You’re advised to avoid adding the following ingredients:
• Spices
• Onion
• Garlic
• Artificial colouring
• Artificial flavouring

It’s also best to avoid adding excessive amounts of sodium to the broth.

How much chicken broth can I feed my dog?

The standard recommended serving size of chicken broth for a dog is 30ml of broth for every 4.5kg of weight. 

You may give your pet up to 2 servings each day and you can choose to make it a daily or frequent addition to his meal.

If you’re feeding your dog chicken broth for the first time, we advise starting with 1 serving of liquid per day to ensure that it’s suitable for his digestive system. You can begin adding a 2nd serving of broth to his diet once you’re sure that it’s suitable.

Can I give my dog store-bought chicken broth?

Yes, store-bought chicken broth is perfectly safe for your dog. However, do ensure that you check the ingredients before feeding the broth to your pet.

Avoid broths that contain high levels of salt, preservatives or onions as these ingredients are harmful to your dog. As a safe bet, stick to organic, non-GMO chicken broths.

Do I need to dilute chicken broth for my dog?

No, if you’re using homemade chicken broth without any salt, spices, flavourings or colourings, you don’t need to dilute the liquid before serving it to your pup.

Feeding Your Dog Chicken Broth

Chicken broth is a healthy and delicious addition to your dog’s meals. Try out our recipe and let us know how it goes!

Can I give my dog homemade chicken soup?

Is boiled chicken soup good for dogs?

Is chicken soup good for dogs?

Is chicken soup broth good for dogs?