Some dogs will pick every grain of rice out of the bowl and leave it in a neat pile beside them. If that sounds familiar, this chicken sweet potato broccoli dog food recipe solves it: sweet potato does the job rice was doing, only softer and sweeter, which helps enormously. Lean chicken breast keeps it light, and the whole thing is done in half an hour.
Chicken breast is a high-protein, low-fat source; this formulation delivers about 110 g protein and 21 g fat per 1000 kcal, with olive oil restoring essential fatty acids. Sweet potato and oats provide a mix of soluble and insoluble fibre (15.2 g/1000 kcal) that supports the gut microbiome and stool quality; the recipe is rice-free for dogs that leave rice in the bowl.
Ingredients (standard batch)
| Ingredient | Amount | Preparation |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken breast | 1.8 kg | diced |
| Sweet potato | 1 kg | peeled and diced |
| Broccoli | 400 g | small florets (peeled diced stems also fine) |
| Rolled oats | 250 g | |
| Olive oil | 20 g (about 1.5 tbsp) | stirred in off the heat |
This batch yields about 3.2 kg of food (about 4,058 kcal), roughly 7 days for a 10 kg adult dog.
Method
- Put the sweet potato in a large pot, cover with water and boil for 10 minutes.
- Add the diced chicken and simmer for 10 minutes until fully cooked.
- Add the broccoli and cook for 5 minutes.
- Off the heat, stir in the oats and rest 3 minutes until thickened, then stir in the oil.
- Cool and portion per the dosing table.
Estimated nutrient analysis (base recipe, before supplements)
| Item | Per 100 g | Per 1000 kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Metabolisable energy | 125 kcal | – |
| Crude protein | 13.8 g | 110 g |
| Fat | 2.6 g | 21 g |
| Carbohydrate | 11.3 g | 90 g |
| Dietary fibre | 1.9 g | 15.2 g |
| Calcium | 22 mg | 0.18 g |
| Phosphorus | 138 mg | 1.10 g |
The base recipe supplies only 0.18 g of calcium per 1000 kcal, far below an adult dog’s requirement, so supplementation is essential. Adding Eggshell Calcium Powder as per the table below (this recipe needs about 3.0 g per 1000 kcal) brings calcium to 1.32 g/1000 kcal (the AAFCO adult maintenance level), with a calcium to phosphorus ratio of about 1.2:1 (ideal range 1.2 to 2:1). Daily Multi for Dogs, dosed by body weight, supplies 20 essential vitamins and minerals. Together they make the meal complete and balanced.
Feeding and supplement dosing (two meals per day)
| Dog weight | Daily energy need | Daily food | Batch lasts | Daily Multi (per meal) | Eggshell Calcium (per meal) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 kg | 251 kcal | about 200 g | about 16 days＊ | 0.5 g | 0.4 g (about 1/8 tsp) |
| 5 kg | 368 kcal | about 290 g | about 11 days | 1 g | 0.6 g (about 1/4 tsp) |
| 10 kg | 619 kcal | about 490 g | about 7 days | 1.5 g | 0.9 g (about 3/8 tsp) |
| 20 kg | 1,040 kcal | about 830 g | about 4 days | 2 g | 1.6 g (about 5/8 tsp) |
| 30 kg | 1,410 kcal | about 1,120 g | about 3 days | 2 g | 2.1 g (about 7/8 tsp) |
*For small dogs one batch lasts beyond the 2-week freezer guideline – scale the batch down proportionally. If you feed once daily, combine both meal portions of the supplements. Stir supplements in only after the food has cooled to just warm. Energy needs follow NRC (2006) MER = 110 kcal x BW(kg)^0.75 and vary about plus or minus 15% with neuter status and activity; weigh your dog every 2 weeks and adjust to body condition score.
Storage
Let it cool, then divide it into daily portions. Three days worth goes in the fridge (4°C) and the rest straight into the freezer, where it keeps for two weeks. Move tomorrow’s portion down to the fridge the night before, and warm it in a bowl of hot water before serving. Skip the microwave: it heats unevenly and leaves scalding pockets next to frozen ones.
Clinical notes
- Excess cruciferous vegetables can cause flatulence – keep to the recipe proportion; peeled stems are fine to use.
- Cook all meat and fish right through (core temperature above 75°C), and add no salt, sugar or seasoning at all. It will taste bland to you, which is exactly right for your dog.
- Onion, garlic, chives, grapes and chocolate are toxic to dogs. No amount is safe, and there is no exception to this one.
- Give your dog a week to change over, adding a little more of the new food each day, and keep an eye on stools, skin and appetite as you go. There is no prize for rushing it.
- These recipes are formulated for healthy adult dogs. For puppies, pregnant or nursing mothers, seniors, or any dog with a medical condition, talk to your vet before you start.
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