Your dog will love this hearty stew made with chicken, peas, green beans, sweet potatoes, oats, and rice. It’s made super simple and economical in an Instant Pot.
Before we jump in, I’d like to introduce you to our two sweet girls, Kiska and Laynie.
These two girls are a bunch of fun, very sweet, and super adorable. We enjoy taking them everywhere, but especially on walks and whenever we go camping. And in case you’re wondering, Laynie is an Australian Shepherd and Kiska is a mix of Australian Shepherd and something special. They’re also Daddy’s girls. Big time. They follow my husband everywhere.
Kiska has been with us for thirteen years, and we adopted Laynie when she was four years old. She’s twelve now. Needless to say, they captured our hearts the instant we met each of them.
I must confess that I am a little hesitant to post recipes for my dogs on my blog, primarily because my husband and I strive to eat a plant-based diet. And yet, our girls are such a part of our life that we truly consider them dear family members. Just like you consider your pets, I’m sure. For this reason, I hope you and your dog(s) will enjoy and benefit from this recipe.
Over the years, I’ve made several treats and dog food combinations, but this Instant Pot Chicken Stew is the one I make the most. And yes, there are several reasons for this. First, I did a bunch of research way back when to ensure I was providing healthy food for my dogs. I didn’t want to hurt them in any way. Second, it’s much cheaper than commercially prepared dog foods (canned or refrigerated). And most importantly, they both love it.
So let’s look at the first reason. When I initially googled what I could feed my dogs, I learned that they truly are omnivores, which means they can eat a bunch of different foods. And as everyone knows, it’s important to not switch up your dog’s food too much. For this reason, we always use about three-quarter kibble whenever we add anything to their diet. That way, their stomachs don’t get upset and we know they’re getting the proper nutrients and minerals that are appropriate for dogs their age. (We use Bil-Jac for seniors.) But I assure you, our dogs enjoy a variety of foods, just like we do.
As it turns out, chicken and peas are great sources of protein, while sweet potatoes, green beans, oats, and rice provide a variety of nutrients and dietary fiber. All of these are excellent food sources for dogs. While you can include a lot of different foods in your dog food topper (like apples, pumpkin, and blueberries), it’s important to avoid things that are harmful to dogs. Click here and here to learn more about what dogs can and can’t eat.
The second reason is because preparing your own dog food can be much cheaper. Canned and refrigerated dog food can be very expensive. And since we have two dogs that eat twice each day, a little can of dog food doesn’t last very long – and lots of little cans of dog food can add up rather quickly. It’s also hard to find food that resembles actual food. Most “wet” dog food is ground up and looks like pâté. Plus, I don’t want their food packed with unnecessary fillers or byproducts.
Besides, if you’ve read any of my posts, you’ll know that I sincerely appreciate color and texture. I also want to give my dogs the best diet possible. After all, Kiska has been my trusty co-worker since COVID-19 hit; though she does snore during some of my more mundane conference calls….
And third, my dogs LOVE this Instant Pot Chicken Stew for Dogs as a dog food topper. We actually believe it’s their favorite. Kiska is super picky, which is why we started buying wet food as a food topper in the first place. Whenever we traveled, she refused to eat for days at a time. I’m sure you’ll agree this was alarming. We quickly learned that our picky girl would eat most of her food if we put some chicken on it. But she wouldn’t eat just any chicken. Seriously, she is very picky.
And I know they love this Instant Pot Chicken Stew for Dogs because they perk right up whenever I make it. They start watching me intently, waiting for something exciting to occur… like dinner!
After cooling the Instant Pot Chicken Stew for Dogs, I stir the mixture a little and break up any large pieces of meat. Then I portion the mixture into sealable plastic freezer bags or plastic containers and freeze them. This makes it super convenient for longer-term storage so that the Chicken Stew doesn’t spoil. It also makes it super convenient for batch cooking, meal prep, and travel.
Oh, and as a bonus, when these ingredients are cooked together in a pressure cooker, a nice gravy is created. We just place the portioned amount in a small bowl and add hot water to warm it up before mixing it into their kibble. Our dogs absolutely love it! And as mentioned, you can swap out a few of the ingredients if your dog is allergic to any of the items in this recipe. But be sure to check that the item is dog-friendly.
I hope your dog(s) enjoy(s) this Instant Pot Chicken Stew for Dogs as much as my dogs do. And I promise to post some of their other tasty treats for you soon.
I’m just starting out and would love to see your results. Please leave a comment and rate it down below, tag a picture @pebblesandtoast and #pebblesandtoast on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook! Enjoy!!
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Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- ½ cup light brown or white rice*
- ½ cup rolled oats
- 1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped
- 2 cups green beans
- 1 cup green peas
- 3 cups of water
Instructions
- Place all of the ingredients into the Instant Pot or pressure cooker (in order, starting with the chicken) to avoid burn errors.
- Cook on High Pressure for 10 minutes, allow to release pressure naturally.
- Stir well to combine the ingredients together, breaking up the bigger pieces.
- Divide into 5 or 6 containers and store in the freezer. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- Stir in a portion into your dog’s kibble, or add with a little hot water to warm it up before mixing it into their kibble.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
* If using brown rice, cook on High Pressure for 20 minutes. Natural release.
Instant Pot Chicken Stew (for Dogs)
Equipment
- instant pot
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- ½ cup light brown or white rice*
- ½ cup rolled oats
- 1 sweet potato peeled and chopped
- 2 cups green beans
- 1 cup green peas
- 3 cups water
Instructions
- Place all of the ingredients into the Instant Pot or pressure cooker (in order, starting with the chicken) to avoid burn errors.
- Cook on High Pressure for 10 minutes, allow to release pressure naturally. Stir well to combine the ingredients together, breaking up the bigger pieces.
- Divide into 5 or 6 containers and store in the freezer. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- Use a portion with your dog’s kibble.
Have you tried it with white chicken meat? Thank you!
Hi there! No, I haven’t tried using white chicken, but don’t see why you can’t. Let me know how it turns out for you.
I apologize if this has already been asked, but I have a question about the rolled oats. Are they old fashioned or quick cooking rolled oats? Thanks.
Hi, Karla. I prefer using rolled oats, but you can use whichever type of oats you have.
My dog is loving this recipe. I figured out the total calories of this recipe as well as the Clark needs of my dog. Thank you very much. I made it in the instant pot because I wasn’t sure how to do it in my slow cooker. I wish I read the comment section first. I will try it in my slow cooker next time.
Hi, Laura. I’m so glad your dog enjoys eating this stew. And yes, this is a very versatile recipe – both the Instant Pot and slow cooker work well. Thank you for letting me know how it turned out for you.
Hi Rachael. I’m making the chicken stew for my20# poodle today. I can’t wait for him to try it. I followed the recipe except I added a frozen bag of carrots,corn and green beans cuz I had them. I measure out 1/2 c and put it individual muffin tins to freeze to make it simpler to pull out when needed. I also used chicken thighs from Costco and I took the skin off when done cooking.That skin gives me the creeps. 😬Anyway Thanks for sharing. I’m always looking for a healthier way of eating for my dog.
Hi, Pam. I’m so glad that you are modifying this to suit what you have. It’s a very versatile recipe and a great way to sneak in extra veggies. And I love your pro tip to freeze it in portions for your pup. So smart! Thank you for sharing.
Hi Rachel, I read that broccoli stalks and corn(in moderation are good for dogs. Have you ever tried these and if so, how do you prepare your stalks? Also I read that sardines packed in water are stinky but good for dogs mixed in a meal, on top. Your thoughts? Also do you use apple in your chicken stew? Thanks!!!!
Hi, Jackie. I apologize for the delay in getting you an answer. According to Well Beloved, “Broccoli is a safe and tasty treat for our canine companions and it can even provide them with health benefits. Dogs can eat broccoli stems and florets – fresh, frozen, raw or cooked. Just remember to start out by feeding them a small amount to make sure it doesn’t cause any tummy issues and only ever let them eat it in moderation.” I hope this helps. Also, you can modify this recipe to your hearts content. It’s quite easy to modify a stew recipe like this. If your dog likes sardines or apples, throw them in. I would add a little to start, just to be sure you don’t waste a whole batch.
Karen here again. My 16 yr old Mini Schnsuzer Yorkie mix, Hairy, has on-set kidney disease and hate kibble ( it I still add it to his meals)., he had next to no teeth and arthritis but still does 30 stairs up & down 4-5 times a day.
But he’s starting to turn his nose up at my current homemade kidney friendly food. Kidney diets are low on protein, high on moisture and low-low-low on sodium and phosphorus – so I’m going to try your beef & your chicken stew, but having an idea on the nutritional values would be helpful. Thanks
Hi, Karen. I’m sorry, but I don’t usually calculate the nutritional breakdown for recipes. I highly recommend you paste the recipe link into a website that calculates it for you. If you don’t have one already, you can try https://samsungfood.com/recipe-nutrition-calculator/ It truly depends on how much you feed your dog. For instance, if you make this recipe and get 10 servings, each serving has about 20g of protein. Keep in mind, you can always modify any of these recipes by reducing the amount of meat while increasing the veggies. This will decrease the amount of protein.
I am excited to try this! I would do it right now but my meat is frozen. Can you advise a cooking time for this recipe with frozen boneless chicken thighs?
Hi, Sue. You can use the frozen meat. Just add 5 minutes to the recipe to ensure it’s cooked through.
What about vitamins and other crucial minerals?
All 3 of my dogs LOVE this recipe. I normally buy wet food/canned food to top their kibble but doing that has been getting quite expensive. I found this recipe to find other topping alternatives and I am so glad I decided to give this a go. All of my dogs get so excited for mealtime – both the seniors and young blood. By the end of it, they are licking their bowls clean! I have also noticed their stool has improved drastically. I’ve tried all sorts of different stool firming recipes but this recipe has helped the best. So excited to check out the other recipes on this site.
Hi, Rochelle. I’m so glad they enjoy this stew. It’s so easy to make and really is much more affordable.
Lil Bit, my 8 1/2 pound, elderly, terrier mix, loves her/your chicken stew. She will finally gobble her food and lick the bowl clean. I think it’s her Chihuahua heritage that makes her ignore water. That said, her kibble gets enough water to make it into a gravy. Thank you!
I too, am an aspiring vegan, mostly because I hate how animals are cruelly raised and slaughtered. Many of them have the very same feelings that we, and our pups, do. I try to only buy humanely (pasture) raised chicken, Most chicken comes from Tyson factory farms, which I avoid.
I found this doggy recipe and decided to see if my yorkie would like. I have been having trouble getting her to eat her kibbles and I’ve tried a few. Right now using Nutra. Which she has a habit of not eating andthen I have tried cooking chicken and mixing in kibbles and she would eat chicken and lap Up the juice and push kibbles to the side. Also tried various canned foods (not cheap) same if she would even eat. Well yesterday I made your chicken stew. At supper time put about 1/8 cup kibbles and about 2 tablespoons of stew and mixed. She licked the bowl clean. Again this morning and tonight the same. Then her after dinner treat that she loves 5-6 pieces cut frozen green beans. Thank you One pot of stew will be a couple weeks or more food for her. She liked better than just chicken. Also another treat for her is raw carrot. Which she doesn’t get often. I will probably scramble a egg and mix a little in her breakfast.
Can I feed this as straight meal instead of a topper?
Hi, Glenys. Like us, dogs are omnivores. They can eat just about anything you can. But just because they can doesn’t necessarily mean they should. We mostly use this as a topper (mix it in) to ensure our dog gets all of the right nutrients (like glucosamine since she’s older, etc). But sometimes, we give her this alone and she loves it. A lot of it depends on the nutritional profile of the kibble you buy. If it’s not the best, serving this alone may be better for your pup. I hope this helps. Let me know if your dog enjoys this as a meal or topper.
Could you give any suggestions on shopping out any of the ingredients & the amounts youd use please x
Hi, Maggie. Thanks for stopping by. First, I use the amounts listed in the recipe, but I’ve listed them here so that you have them.
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
½ cup light brown or white rice*
½ cup rolled oats
1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped
2 cups green beans
1 cup green peas
3 cups of water
As for shopping, I purchase the boneless chicken thighs in the poultry section of my local grocery store. I use the rice and oats from my pantry. If you don’t have any rice or oats, I recommend buying a 1 pound bag of rice and one container of rolled oats. They’re both inexpensive and last a while in your dry pantry. You’ll be able to make this multiple times for your pup. I normally pick up an orange sweet potato in the produce section, but I’ve also used the precut sweet potato in the frozen food section. I buy a bag of frozen cut green beans and a frozen bag of green peas. I keep both of these in the freezer and use what I need, saving the rest for later. And I use tap water or purified water, depending on where I live. While in Japan, my tap water is very good.
– I hope this answers your question. And I sincerely hope your dog enjoys this Chicken Stew!
If I could post a picture of Kato DEVOURING his dinner, I would. Up next is the beef recipe!
Thanks, Kaity! I’m so glad Kato loves this dog food recipe!! Thank you for rating this recipe on behalf of Kato!
Are the peas and green beans frozen or fresh?
Either fresh or frozen work in this recipe. I usually use frozen for convenience. Let me know if your pup likes it!
Can you make this recipe in a crockpot instead?
Hi, Penny. Absolutely! The times will depend on your crockpot’s heat settings. On a low setting, it should be ready in 7-8 hours. On high setting, it may be ready in 4-5 hours. The key is to make sure the chicken is fully cooked, or reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Everything else should remain the same. Please let me know how it works for you.
Thank you so very much for sharing all of this! I, too, have aussies and aussie mixes! Love them so much. I am also a vegan, like you, so cooking the meat is not such a “fun” thing for me, but will di it for the pups. You’ve inspired me. Right now I am feeding my puppies a raw freeze dried food, but that is so expensive and I want to be able to offer them something nutritious but less costly. So now I am inspired!
Nikki, you are so very welcome. Aussies are the sweetest, aren’t they! I just adore them. And I truly enjoy creating and sharing these recipes with you. I hope your puppies like this food!