This homemade dog food recipe combines chicken breast, lean ground beef, quinoa, a small amount of brown rice, squash, and finely chopped vegetables. It produces a soft, porridge-like meal that is easy to divide into portions for a small dog.
However, the ingredients below are only the food base. They do not automatically make a complete and balanced diet for every dog. Long-term homemade dog food requires a supplement plan matched to the exact ingredients, amounts, and daily portion.
Chicken and Ground Beef Dog Food Ingredients
Weigh the ingredients before cooking. Use plain ingredients without salt, oil, sauces, onion, garlic, or seasoning.
| Ingredient | Amount | Preparation |
|---|---|---|
| Boneless, skinless chicken breast | 280 g | Cut into small pieces |
| 90% lean ground beef | 245 g | Break into small pieces |
| Quinoa | 70 g | Rinse thoroughly |
| Medium-grain brown rice | 14 g | Rinse before cooking |
| Kabocha squash | 140 g | Remove seeds and chop |
| Green cabbage | 175 g | Finely chop |
| Carrot | 70 g | Finely chop |
| Shiitake mushrooms | 35 g | Remove tough stems and chop |
| Bok choy | 35 g | Finely chop |
| Broccoli sprout powder | 1/4 teaspoon | Use only if included in your dog’s nutrition plan |
How to Make This Homemade Dog Food
- Wash your hands and clean the cutting board, knife, bowls, and cooking equipment.
- Rinse the quinoa and brown rice under running water.
- Cut the chicken into small pieces and break apart the ground beef.
- Finely chop the squash, cabbage, carrot, mushrooms, and bok choy. Smaller pieces help distribute the vegetables evenly throughout each portion.
- Place the meat, grains, and vegetables in a pressure cooker or heavy pot.
- Add enough water to meet your cooker’s minimum-liquid requirement and create a soft consistency. Do not add broth unless it is plain and confirmed free of onion, garlic, and excessive sodium.
- Cook until the grains and vegetables are soft and the meat is fully cooked. The finished mixture should reach at least 165°F throughout because it contains chicken. Ground beef alone should reach at least 160°F.
- Stir thoroughly so the meat, grains, and vegetables are distributed evenly.
- Let the food cool before adding any heat-sensitive supplements specified in your dog’s individual recipe.
- Weigh the complete cooked batch and divide it according to your dog’s calculated daily calorie allowance.
Why the Supplement Amounts Are Not Included
Louie’s version included a separate combination of calcium, lecithin, iron, zinc, copper, manganese, vitamin B12, vitamin D3, and vitamin E. Those amounts were calculated for his recipe, body size, calorie target, and the concentrations of the specific products used.
Capsules, drops, powders, gels, and scoops are not standardized measurements of nutrients. One brand may contain a very different amount per capsule or scoop than another. Copying another dog’s supplement amounts can create a deficiency or an excess.
UC Davis advises following a professionally formulated homemade recipe exactly because ingredient substitutions and supplement substitutions can change its nutritional balance.
This matters even when the ingredient list appears nutritious. In a UC Davis review of 200 published homemade dog food recipes, only 10 met minimum essential nutrient recommendations.
Can You Remove the Brown Rice?
This batch contains only 14 grams of brown rice, but that does not mean it can automatically be removed from a professionally balanced recipe. Changing or eliminating an ingredient may alter calories, fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
When testing a possible food reaction, change only one planned variable at a time and keep a written record of the ingredients, treats, stool quality, appetite, itching, and skin changes. A reaction that improves after an ingredient is removed does not prove that ingredient was the cause.
Dogs with recurring skin inflammation, digestive symptoms, or suspected food reactions should have their diet trial planned with a veterinarian. Treats and chews must also be included in the ingredient record.
How to Store the Finished Food
- Cool the food promptly in shallow containers.
- Refrigerate the portions that will be used within three to four days.
- Freeze the remaining portions in individually measured containers.
- Thaw frozen portions in the refrigerator rather than on the counter.
- Discard food that has remained at room temperature for an extended period.
- Wash the bowl and preparation tools after every use.
USDA guidance recommends refrigerating cooked poultry leftovers within two hours and using refrigerated portions within three to four days.
Louie’s Experience With This Recipe
Louie is a small Yorkshire Terrier weighing about 7 pounds. He previously refused plain squash, but he ate it readily after it was cooked and mixed with the chicken, beef, quinoa, and vegetables.
The small amount of brown rice was included while his skin reactions were being recorded. I did not consider a reduction in new bumps proof that brown rice, mushrooms, or another single ingredient was responsible. His food, treats, and skin changes still needed to be evaluated together.
Final Recipe Notes
This chicken and ground beef mixture can be a practical base for homemade dog food, especially for dogs that prefer a soft, moist texture. The ingredient list alone is not enough to determine the correct daily portion or long-term nutritional balance.
Before using it as a dog’s regular diet, have the complete recipe reviewed for that dog’s age, weight, body condition, health history, medications, and calorie needs. Follow the finalized ingredient and supplement measurements without making casual substitutions.