Baby Led Weaning Chicken: 2 Amazingly Delicious Recipes for Babies
Do you have a baby starting with solids foods? baby led weaning chicken is good for babies. Babies are ready for chicken or any other meat from 6 – 9 months. This is because they can sit up on their own, and grab food into their mouth.
Parents need to be extra cautious during baby led weaning chicken with babies, because chicken is a common choking hazard. Therefore, knowing how to cut chicken for baby led weaning becomes unavoidable.
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Preparing Chicken for Babies
Preparing chicken for a baby has to do with cooking, cutting into the required piece, and serving your baby. There are chicken recipes that make mealtime awesome. Some of which are simple and have less time to prepare.
Some simple chicken recipes include meatballs, shred chicken salad, drumstick roll, roast chicken, etc. Chicken breast has more flesh and great for baby led weaning.
How to Cook Chicken for Baby Led Weaning?
Cooking chicken for baby is either by boiling or using an oven, this two means will get it cooked and soft for baby to consume. Chicken can also be an attachment to other meals, whichever way you choose to use chicken for baby led weaning make sure they are soft and easy to eat.
Let me give two simple chicken recipes, I prepared them for my baby (Lisa) when she started on solid foods. The following recipes are simple and easy to cook anytime any day.
#1 Boiled Chicken
Boiled chicken is one way to cook chicken for babies starting with solid food. When cooked, chicken can be used as finger food for your baby. Just cut into the appropriate size.
Ingredients:
- 9-ounce boneless chicken breast or thighs, with no skin,
- Chicken stock
- Dry parsley,
- Salt
Instructions
1. In a medium pot, put the boneless chicken, add the stock, garlic, parsley, and pinch of salt (if needed).
2. Leave to a boil over medium heat for 12-15 minutes.
3. Turn down the heat, leave for 10 minutes, or until chicken is properly cooked.
3. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
4. Cut chicken into sizes and serve
#2 Roast Chicken
This classic roast chicken recipe is very simple and easy to make. You can’t it wrong even if you are a dummy.
Ingredients:
- Whole Chicken
- Olive Oil
- Carrot
- Ginger Powder
- Potato
- Ground Garlic
- Black Pepper
- Tiny salt
Instruction:
1. Heat oven to 230oC
2. Wash and clean up the chicken. Mix all spices in a little bowl (ginger, garlic, black pepper, and salt).
2. Spread oil and the mix spices on your chicken skin and rub thoroughly, for seasoning.
3. Clean and cut the potato and carrot into desired pieces, scatter them around the chicken in the oven-safe pot
4. Transfer chicken into the oven. And leave for 60 -120 minutes, depending on the size of the bird.
5. Remove from oven, allow to rest for 8 -10 minutes.
6. Take a small portion, remove skin and bone, cut into the desired size and serve your baby, mainly cut from thigh, and breast.
Note: The other remaining portion can be used during family meal-time.
Also Read: Baby Led Weaning Sweet Potato
How to Cut Chicken for Baby Led Weaning?
Cutting chicken bigger or smaller depends on your baby’s eating ability and age. Because children are different and so are their abilities too.
Chicken can cause a choking hazard. Therefore, your comfort level should determine if you are ready to start baby led weaning with chicken.
How to Cut Chicken for Baby by Age?
For 6 to 9 months old: Give baby chicken with no skin and bone removed. Cut chicken into a rectangular form or to the size of an adult finger.
For 7 to 8 months old: As your child improves at getting smaller bits of food, you can descend in size, to a long-thin piece, the size of a grown-up pinky finger.
For 9 to 18 months old: This is an ideal moment or opportunity to drop in the size of the chicken. But, if the baby still finds it difficult to feed, you can try shredding the chicken and observe how your baby reacts.
For 18 to 24 months: when the baby has developed great chewing, and swallowing skills scale down to bite-size pieces. Offer drumstick, skin removed, if you are comfortable with your baby’s ability to handle it.
Can you give baby shredded chicken?
You can give your baby shredded chicken at 8 months. Some parents may not be comfortable with cutting the chicken into a chunk of a small piece, it is okay if you shred the chicken. For my baby, I do shred the chicken for her, until I observed she was capable of handling and crushing the flesh.
Can I give chicken to my 6 months old?
Yes! You can. As much as your baby is 6 months old, can hold his/her head up and he/she can sit in a highchair. Then, your baby is ready for baby led weaning chicken. Chickens are a good source of protein, like-wise other meats. They also provide iron for your baby. They are not difficult to introduce and can serve as finger food for babies.
How do you tell if chicken is done?
You can tell if a chicken is properly cooked or done by observing the color and the juice that comes out. A chicken that is done appears opaque and the liquid coming out when there is a cut is usually clear.
Also when you can insert a fort or knife – it should give way easily. This tells you, the chicken is cooked or done.
Also Read: 10 Delicious Vegetable Recipes for Toddlers
Caution
Before starting baby led weaning chicken or any other meats with your little angel, it is advisable to be on the safe side. That is, contacting a registered dietitian or a pediatrician for advice.
Among other things, make sure that:
- Eating position and environment is conductive
- You give baby the right Food
- Your baby is old enough and ready start BLW
- Visit a pediatrician for the right approach for BLW
- You do not give baby food in the mouth with your finger
- You always keep an eye on your baby when eating
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