Chicken may be introduced as soon as a baby is ready to start solids, which is generally around 6 months of age.

Need ideas for the best first foods for babies? See our guides.

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. In our modern era, 50 billion chickens are raised as a source of meat and eggs each year. How did the scrappy junglefowl become one of the world’s most consumed proteins? A mix of technological, cultural, and historical forces over centuries have helped ensure a chicken in every pot. Genetic and agricultural strategies have turned the lean-and-mean bird into plump poultry with maximized egg production. These efforts continue today, with lab-grown meat that is spurring conversation around ethics, sustainability, health, and the future of the bird.

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. Introducing chicken to babies can be as easy as passing a drumstick—a terrific shape to hold and munch.

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.

There are many labels for chicken. Free-range, organic, vegetarian-fed, cage-free, pasture-raised… What do they mean, and which one is best?  Labels can help consumers, but sometimes they can be misleading. Some chickens are “vegetarian-fed”, which suggests a certain quality, but the label often means the birds are eating commodity grains like corn and soy. “Free-range” and “cage-free” chickens have access to the outdoors where they can eat a more natural diet of worms and bugs in addition to plant-based foods. Unfortunately, outdoor space is often limited, and many birds do not venture outside; instead, they remain in their (often overcrowded) grow houses where they eat commodity grains. Even “organic” chickens are not necessarily raised outdoors on a natural diet, though the animals are fed food that has been certified as organic.

Chickens raised on pastures have more nutrients, fewer additives, fewer toxins, and fewer pesticides than chickens raised indoors on grains. The downside is that pasture-raised chicken can be prohibitively expensive.

Bottom line: chicken delivers plenty of nutrients to nourish a growing baby. No label is perfect so do what you can with the resources available to you—and if you’d like, learn more about where and how the bird was raised.

★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.

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.

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.

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.