Instant Pot Chicken Stew (for Dogs)

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

1. Place all of the ingredients into the Instant Pot or pressure cooker (in order, starting with the chicken) to avoid burn errors.
2. Cook on High Pressure for 10 minutes, allow to release pressure naturally.
3. Stir well to combine the ingredients together, breaking up the bigger pieces.

1. Divide into 5 or 6 containers and store in the freezer. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

1. 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.
2. Serve immediately.

Notes

* If using brown rice, cook on High Pressure for 20 minutes. Natural release.