Age Suggestion
6 months
Iron-Rich
Yes
Common Allergen
No
Chicken may be introduced as soon as a baby is ready to start solids, which is generally around 6 months of age.
Thousands of years ago, humans domesticated a scrawny fowl that had been running wild in the jungles of South Asia since prehistoric times. From that agricultural innovation came the bird we know and love today. Almost the entire chicken can be used to cook delicious dishes, from pâtés of iron-rich chicken liver; to protein-packed stocks filled with collagen from the carcass, feet, and head; to schmaltz, a flavorful fat extracted from the skin.
Yes. Chicken contains many nutrients that babies need to thrive, including vitamins B6 and B12, iron, zinc, choline, selenium, and vitamin B3. Together, these nutrients help support antioxidant activities, fuel cell energy, create healthy blood, promote a strong sense of taste and smell, and boost brain health. Chicken is also a great source of protein, with the full spectrum of amino acids that help develop a growing baby’s brain, muscles, nervous system, heart, skin, and hair.
★ Tip: Chicken is often associated with food-borne illness from bacteria like Salmonella and Campylobacter. Taking the appropriate precautions can minimize the risk: Keep chicken in the refrigerator or freezer—and store it separately from produce. Thaw frozen meat in the refrigerator (never on the counter) and cook chicken to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit (74 degrees Celsius) before serving. Always wash your hands and surfaces that come in contact with the raw meat.
No. Chicken is not a common food allergen. However, cases of poultry allergy have been reported. Chicken has been reported as a trigger for FPIES (Food Protein-Induced Enterocolitis Syndrome), which results in delayed vomiting with or without diarrhea 2 to 4 hours after the ingestion of chicken meat. While rare, certain individuals with fish allergies may have an increased risk of being sensitive to chicken. Some individuals with known allergy to feather and egg also have positive allergy test results to chicken meat. However, this does not commonly result in symptoms after the ingestion of well-cooked meat, as the allergenic protein is heat sensitive. Therefore, routine testing for chicken meat allergy is not recommended in cases of egg allergy.
As you would when introducing any new food, start by offering a small quantity during the first couple of servings. If there is no adverse reaction, gradually increase the amount over future meals.
Yes. Like all meat and poultry, chicken is a choking hazard, so avoid offering large chunks or cubes to babies. To minimize the risk, refrain from cutting chicken in cubes and instead follow our age-appropriate guidelines. Also, be sure not to overcook chicken as this causes it to be dry and more challenging to chew and swallow. As always, make sure to create a safe eating environment and stay within arm’s reach of baby during meals.
For more information on choking, visit our section on gagging and choking and familiarize yourself with the list of common choking hazards.
It's our opinion that it is best to hold off on serving chicken nuggets due to the high sodium content. After 12 months of age, chicken nuggets are fine in moderation though it would be best to only serve on occasion as they are usually highly processed with high amounts of sodium.
Every baby develops on their own timeline, and the suggestions on how to cut or prepare particular foods are generalizations for a broad audience.
Go big! Serve a whole drumstick with the skin and any loose cartilage, pin bones, and fat removed. Babies love to pick up and munch on drumsticks—and it is fantastic for oral-motor skills. Baby will not likely consume much, and this is okay. If a too-big piece of meat is torn off, give baby time to work with the food before intervening. Babies have innate reflexes to help push food forward and spit it out before it gets far enough back to cause choking. Also keep in mind that chicken drumsticks, depending on how they're cooked, can become brittle and easily breakable, especially at the edges. Cooking chicken for longer periods of time at lower temperatures can help prevent the bones from becoming brittle. We strongly recommend checking and testing the bone prior to offering by trying to bend it and pushing on the edges. Strong, firm bones are the way to go. If the bone breaks easily, crumbles at the edges, or splinters, the risk for bone to break off in baby’s mouth increases.
In addition to drumsticks, you can serve chicken breast sliced into strips about the size of two adult fingers pressed together. Once a baby is able to bite and tear food (around 8 to 9 months of age), try serving thinner slices—about the size of an adult pinky finger. You can also serve ground chicken meatballs or meatloaf at this age as ground meats are soft and easy to mash with gums.
Finely shred or slice chicken into very thin strips or offer ground chicken sprinkled on veggies, pasta, or any other dish. At this age, babies can get ambitious and start stuffing and shoveling food in their mouths. While a good learning experience, it can be quite stressful. Nervous? Shred the meat to minimize the risk.
Offer bite-sized pieces of chicken as finger food or let the toddler practice with a utensil. To reduce the risk of choking, refrain from offering chunks of chicken or serving perfectly sized cubes. When you feel a child’s eating skills have developed, increase the size of food by serving a whole drumstick with the skin, pin bones, and loose cartilage or fat removed.
Removing skin from a chicken drumstick.
Removing skin from the knuckle
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