Age Suggestion
6 months
Iron-Rich
Yes
Common Allergen
No
Chicken may be introduced as soon as 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 protein and fat, in addition to choline, iron, selenium, and zinc, as well as vitamins B3, B6, and B12. Together, these nutrients support growth, brain development, energy to play and explore, healthy red blood cells, taste perception, immune health, hormone function, metabolic processes, and more.
★ 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 prepare and serve it in an age-appropriate way. 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 you create a safe eating environment and stay within an arm’s reach of baby during meals.
Learn the signs of choking and gagging and more about choking first aid in our free guides, Infant Rescue and Toddler Rescue.
Yes, while chicken nuggets are typically high in sodium, it is fine to offer them here and there as part of a varied diet, as long as they are modified to reduce choking risk. For babies 9 months and up, you can offer bite-sized pieces or thin slices of chicken nuggets as long as they are soft and not too crunchy. After the first birthday, you can try serving soft, whole chicken nuggets for practice taking bites. If the chicken nuggets have a very firm, crunchy exterior, consider peeling some of the coating off before serving or waiting until closer to 18 months to serve, when most toddlers will have the molars to manage more challenging textures.
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, well-cooked 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 big piece of meat is torn off, give baby time to work with the food before intervening. Babies have innate reflexes at this age to help keep the airway safe and reduce choking risk. 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 long, flat strips about the size of two adult fingers pressed together. Alternatively, offer shredded chicken that has been mixed into a soft, scoopable food like mashed vegetables. You can also serve meatballs or meatloaf made from ground chicken; just make sure the food is cooked all the way through, soft enough that it mashes between your thumb and pointer finger, and larger than baby’s mouth.
Finely shred or slice chicken into very thin strips or offer ground chicken sprinkled on veggies, pasta, or any other dish. Or, serve well-cooked bite-sized pieces of soft chicken meatball or meatloaf for baby to practice picking up with their developing pincer grasp. 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 choking 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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