🐾 Inspired by Raised Right’s fresh, human‑grade recipes.
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Hey Folks! Today I’m sharing the super-simple homemade dog food I make for my Red Golden Retriever, James T.—and he absolutely thrives on it. I order Raised Right meals every month because I genuinely love their clean, human-grade, gently cooked recipes. However, feeding a big, active 60-pound dog premium fresh food 100% of the time adds up fast. So instead, I rotate his Raised Right meals with this homemade chicken stew, which has become the easiest and most reliable homemade recipe I’ve made so far.
After studying the ingredient lists on his favorite Raised Right flavors, I recreated a budget-friendly version at home. The result is a thick, naturally collagen-rich, totally human-grade dog stew that makes the whole kitchen smell like Sunday dinner.
Even better, this dog-friendly chicken stew is easy to batch cook, freezes beautifully, and yields a generous supply of meals. The base is simple—braised chicken thighs, pumpkin, peas, berries, and a few dog-safe add-ins—and it’s easy to personalize for your own pup. I usually end up with about 4 quarts per batch, though the number of servings will vary depending on your dog’s size and appetite. James T. licks his bowl clean in seconds and has had zero issues with this recipe, which gives me complete confidence in keeping it in our rotation.
🐶 Why I Make This Homemade Dog Stew
- More affordable than feeding high-end brand fresh meals 100% of the time
- Human-grade, whole-food ingredients
- Naturally high in collagen for skin, coat, and joint health
- Freezes well for easy meal prep
- Helps stretch store-bought fresh meals like Raised Right
🍗 Inspired by Raised Right
- 🟢 Real ingredients you can pronounce
- 🟢 Limited-ingredient, gently cooked dog food — James T. thrives on Raised Right, which is gently cooked for everyday meals
- 🟢 Dog-friendly veggies like pumpkin, carrots, and peas
- 🟢 Budget-friendly chicken thighs your dog will love — in this recipe, they’re simmered for 90 minutes to pull out extra collagen, giving it a naturally bone-brothy richness
🥕 Easy Variations & Serving Extras
- Swap green peas for frozen broccoli stems or pieces if that’s what you have on hand.
- Swap pumpkin purée for diced carrots or diced sweet potato for the same dog-friendly veggie boost.
- For the fruit element, use blueberries, diced apples, or cranberries—they all work beautifully.
- Optional extras at serving time: a dollop of plain yogurt, a cooked egg, or a sardine (such as Wild Planet, unsalted and water‑packed).
💡 Optional Supplements
- 2 to 3 Tablespoons Four Leaf Rover Better Bones Bone Meal stirred into the stew batch
- 1 small scoop Dr. Harvey’s Herbal Multi-Vitamin & Mineral Supplement — give only once per day at mealtime when serving this meal
- A dropper of green-lipped mussel oil for joint support
💡 Helpful Tips
- ⚠️ Critical Safety Note:
After the 90-minute simmer, all bones must be removed and discarded. Cooked chicken bones can splinter and cause serious harm. Chicken thighs are the safest cut because each has only one large bone, making them easy to remove. Carefully check each piece—count them in, count them out. No cooked bones should ever go in the dog bowl. Full stop. - Serve warm or cold—whatever your dog prefers. On blazing Florida afternoons, I dish it up chilled; in winter, room temp. Truth is, I’m just guessing at James T.’s taste buds.
- Freeze in larger containers to save time
- Adjust portions for your dog’s size, breed, and activity level
- Keep in mind any extra treats your dog may have helped themselves to that day
⚠ 🚨My Samoan attorney would like me to say the following:
This recipe is inspired by Raised Right’s ingredient philosophy but is not affiliated with or endorsed by Raised Right. It is a homemade version created for personal use and should not be considered a substitute for professional veterinary dietary advice.
This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you. Thanks for your support!
Easy Homemade Chicken Dog Food Stew (Inspired by Raised Right’s fresh, human‑grade recipes.)
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Place chicken thighs in a large pot and cover with purified water (about 1 inch above the thighs.)
- Simmer gently for 90 minutes. Reserve one mason jar of broth for human use, if desired.
- Turn off heat. Remove all bones.
- Stir in pumpkin, peas, cranberries, mint, flax meal, and bone powder. Shred meat if needed.
- Ladle into quart‑size containers for refrigeration or freezing.
- Add blueberries either now or just before serving.
- Cool completely, store, and feed as needed.
- Serving Tip (Florida style): On sweltering afternoons, serve chilled straight from the fridge. For a warmer option, microwave 20 seconds and stir. Either way, James T. devours it—often lobbying for round two or a dollop of plain yogurt for dessert.
Notes
- Purified water is recommended, since tap water may contain chlorine and other contaminants that are not ideal for dogs.
- I like to reserve a mason jar of bone broth separately—either for my own use or to add later when thinning out dog food. Raised Right meals tend to be quite thick, so this helps adjust the texture when serving.
🐾 More Homemade Dog Food Recipes to Explore
- No Bake Coconut Snowball Dog Treats — Quick, no‑bake coconut treats your pup will love.
- Oat and Banana Blueberry Pancakes for Family + Dogs — Fluffy, fruity pancakes made for sharing.
- Healthy Blueberry Pup‑accino — A frothy blueberry treat that feels special.
- No‑Bake Pumpkin Dog Treats — Easy pumpkin bites that dogs drool over.
- James T.’s Pup Puff (Doggy Dutch Baby!) — A playful, oven‑baked puff just for pups.
If you enjoyed this recipe and would love to see more, join me on YouTube, X, and Instagram! You can follow James T. on his page here and on Instagram, @WarpSpeedWags . Please comment, like, and share. It really helps! I would love to hear from you . And if you made this recipe, how did it go for you?
5 responses to “Easy Homemade Chicken Dog Food Stew”
My sister-iin-law serves her dogs the exact same food they eat – yes, modified if needed for the dog’s health, but the point is she makes them real food, not dried pellets….your stew looks great and clearly passed the taste test!
That’s so good to hear, John! Dogs are a family member to cook for too:)
James T. is one lucky dog! The chicken stew is a good option for people who care about what their pet eats. 🙂
Thanks, Nancy!
It looks like James T. really enjoyed that recipe a lot.