Once your baby starts eating solids, it’s a good idea to engage their appetite as soon as possible by offering them new and tasty things. This chicken purée recipe is easy to make and suitable for babies over 6 months (although you should always check with your paediatrician first).
Iron deficiency is one of the most common childhood nutritional problems. It can affect your baby’s growth and development, as well as their general health, so you need to be sure that your baby is getting plenty of iron-rich foods. If you’re starting with chicken, consider including dark chicken meat (thigh and leg) in your baby’s diet, because it contains about twice as much iron and zinc as the white breast meat.
Chicken Purée Recipe
Ingredients
- 250g skinless chicken thigh, cut into 2cm cubes
- 170g sweet potato, peeled, cut into 2cm cubes
- 80g zucchini, cut into 2cm cubes
- 70g pear, peeled, cored, cut into 2cm cubes
- 90ml water
- 20g butter
Method
Place the sweet potato into a medium saucepan, cover with the water and place a lid on. Bring to the boil and simmer for 3 minutes.
Add the other ingredients and simmer for around 7 minutes, keeping the lid on, until the chicken is cooked through and the sweet potato is tender.
What these ingredients will do for your little one
Chicken
Unless your baby needs to follow a vegetarian diet, it’s a good idea to introduce meats along with other solids at around 6 months. Their iron levels will start to dip at this age and will need restoring through foods. While iron is found in a wide range of non-meat sources (such as legumes and dried fruits), the ‘haem’ form found in meats is the most absorbable. Chicken is a great start to meats because of its gentle flavour and texture.
Sweet potato
Sweet potatoes are tasty with a fantastic texture, making them one of the first foods most think to introduce to a baby’s diet. They’re a great source of fibre, which means that they prevent and relieve constipation. They’re also packed with beta carotene, which is converted into Vitamin A once it enters the baby’s system. What’s more, they’re an immunity booster and have been known to prevent anaemia as well as strengthen bones.
Zucchini
Zucchini are easy for babies to digest when cooked. They contain Vitamin A, which is great for bone growth and the immune system, while also being a rich source of potassium and magnesium.
Pear
Apart from being a popular natural remedy for constipation in young ones, pears contain no sodium, cholesterol or saturated fats. This makes them a great addition to your baby’s diet. They’re easy on the stomach and nutrient-dense, full of potassium, fibre, vitamin C, folate and copper.
Butter
Some might think that butter isn’t ideal for babies, but many consider the opposite to be true. Butter is rich in Vitamin A which is good for vision, skin, and immunity. It also contains traces of Vitamin E, which powers a baby’s growth and development. Finally, butter is packed with saturated fat – the most abundant type of fat in breast milk.
