Chicken and Greens: homemade cat food recipes
Homemade cat food allows you to have control over the ingredients and quality of your cat's diet. By preparing meals at home, you can ensure that your cat receives a balanced and nutritious diet tailored to their specific needs.
Hard
20 Min
90 Min
110 Min
Description
Chicken and Greens is a homemade cat food recipe that combines tender cooked chicken with nutritious vegetables. The chicken is slow-cooked to perfection, resulting in a tender and flavorful meat. The broth from cooking the chicken is strained and used as the base, enriched with carrots, celery, and barley. Spinach and green beans are added for an extra dose of vitamins and minerals. This wholesome and balanced cat food is not only delicious but also provides essential nutrients for your feline friend. It can be stored in the refrigerator or freezer, making it a convenient option for your cat's meals.
Ingredients
- 3-pound quartered roasting chicken
- 4 cups of water
- 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
- 2 celery stalks with leaves
- 1 cup carrots, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons parsley flakes or half cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1⁄2 cup barley, uncooked
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 3 teaspoon brewer’s yeast
Directions
- Place the chicken, salt, water, and celery leaves in a slow cooker. Cover the slow cooker and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Reduce the heat and cook the chicken slowly for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until the chicken is tender.
- Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and strain the broth into a separate bowl.
- Chill the broth in the refrigerator until the fat rises to the top.
- Skim off the fat from the chilled broth and discard it.
- Remove the fat, skin, and bones from the cooked chicken. Discard them and cut the chicken meat into bite-sized pieces. Set the meat aside.
- Return the strained broth to the slow cooker pot. Add the chopped celery, carrots, barley, brewer's yeast, and lemon juice to the pot. Cover the slow cooker and simmer the mixture for 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes, add the chicken, chopped spinach, and chopped green beans to the pot. Cook for an additional 15 minutes, or until the green beans are tender.
- Allow the homemade cat food to cool before serving it to your cat.
- Any leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to one week, or frozen for up to one month.
- Serve the homemade cat food to your furry friend and watch them enjoy a wholesome and nutritious meal!
Notes
Ensure that the chicken is cooked thoroughly and tender before removing it from the slow cooker.
Skimming off the fat from the chilled broth helps to reduce the fat content in the homemade cat food.
Use fresh parsley if available for a stronger flavor, but dried parsley flakes can also be used.
The barley in the recipe adds texture and fiber to the cat food.
Brewer's yeast is a good source of B vitamins and can contribute to the nutritional value of the cat food.
Adjust the cooking time as needed to ensure that the carrots, barley, and green beans are cooked to the desired tenderness.
Allow the homemade cat food to cool completely before serving it to your cat to avoid any potential burns.
Store any leftover cat food in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week or freeze it for longer storage.
It's always a good idea to consult with a veterinarian before introducing any new homemade cat food to your pet's diet to ensure it meets their specific dietary needs.
