Baby Food Recipe :: Chicken/Turkey Purée

Chicken and turkey are great "first meats" to offer to babies 8+ months. Both poultry products are high in protein and iron and are also easily digestible. 

The lean white meat often found in the breast is high in protein while the dark meat found in legs and thighs offer higher amounts of iron but also have more fat. Either way, whether you choose white or dark meat your baby is sure to be satisfied with this basic chicken recipe.

Note: this recipe can be used for either chicken or turkey.

Ingredients:
Chicken or turkey (your choice of cut)

1 tsp Olive oil

1/4 cup of liquid ( low-sodium vegetable stock, low-sodium chicken broth, or water) for every cup of chopped cooker chicken

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees Farenheit 
• Lightly oil baking dish with olive oil
• Rinse chicken in cold water and dry
• Place chicken in baking dish (if using skinless chicken lightly coat the chicken in olive oil)
• Place aluminum foil over baking dish and place dish in oven
• Bake until the juices run clear (this should equate to roughly 20 minutes per pound)
• Remove chicken from oven and cool
• Dice chicken into small cubes (see picture at the bottom of the post) 
• Place chicken cubes in blender / food processor 1/2 cup at a time and purée while alternating liquid and chicken until desired consistency is reached

Note: If your baby has already been introduced to seasoning please feel free to add those seasonings to the chicken just before baking. Remember, NO SALT.

Storage:
Store in an air tight container for up to 3 days or place chicken purée in ice cube trays. Once the chicken is frozen transfer the frozen chicken cubes into a freezer safe bag and store for up to 3 months. 

Each cube = roughly 1 ounce. As your child is introduced to new fruits and vegetables mix the thawed chicken cube in for a complete meal. Some suggestions include: apples, peas, rice cereal, avocados, and sweet potatoes.