How to Cook Soft Chicken for Toddlers

You know that chicken is nutritious for your little one, but when you serve your toddler chicken that is tough to chew, your yummy dish can quickly become a choking hazard. Keep your child safe and nourished by softening chicken before serving it to him.

Cut up two raw chicken breasts on a cutting board using a knife. Make sure that the pieces are at least one-half inch small to be sure that the meat will soften easily. You can use standard, natural or organic chicken, but you should always check the label to see if the chicken includes any additives. The best rule of thumb is to avoid additives, so carefully read those labels and be sure you understand what kind of chicken you are purchasing.

Fill a soup pot with 4 cups of chicken broth, and add in the chopped-up chicken pieces. If you do not have any chicken broth on hand, simply add in water and one-half teaspoon of salt. The chicken broth adds flavor to the soft chicken, but is not necessary to soften it.

Heat the chicken pieces over medium-high heat until the broth begins to boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. If you have a stove top that regulates temperature by degrees Fahrenheit, heat the chicken pieces and broth at 375 degrees Fahrenheit until the broth boils, then reduce the temperature to around 250 degrees Fahrenheit.

Simmer the chicken pieces for an hour. The broth will reduce, and the chicken will soften. Take a piece out to test how soft the chicken is. It should feel mashable between your fingers.

Strain the chicken broth using a fine-mesh strainer. You can either save the broth for later use or you can discard it. The chicken can either be served as is, or you can puree the soft chicken using a food processor.

Tips

If you do not want to cook chicken on a stove top, you can bake it in the oven to make it soft enough for your toddler. Simply fill a glass baking dish with 4 cups of broth or water, and add in the chopped-up chicken pieces. Cover the dish, and bake it at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes.

Warnings

Always allow the soft chicken to cool until it is lukewarm before serving it to your toddler.