Yes, dogs can eat chicken!
Plain, cooked, boneless chicken is safe and is one of the most common protein ingredients in dog food. Never feed cooked chicken bones, which can splinter.
| Can dogs eat it? | Safe |
| Calories | About 47 kcal per ounce of cooked chicken breast |
| Main benefit | Lean, high-quality protein |
| Main risk | Cooked bones can splinter and cause choking or gut injury |
| Puppies? | In tiny amounts once on solid food; puppies have sensitive stomachs |
Free · instant · based on veterinary formulas
Vets recommend keeping all treats under 10% of daily calories. One ounce of cooked chicken breast has about 47 kcal. The chart shows the most a typical spayed or neutered adult dog could have in a day if chicken were the only treat.
| Dog weight | Daily treat budget | Max chicken per day |
|---|---|---|
| 10 lb (4.5 kg) | 35 kcal | 0.7 × ounce of cooked chicken breast |
| 20 lb (9.1 kg) | 59 kcal | 1 × ounce of cooked chicken breast |
| 40 lb (18.1 kg) | 98 kcal | 2 × ounce of cooked chicken breast |
| 60 lb (27.2 kg) | 133 kcal | 2.5 × ounce of cooked chicken breast |
| 80 lb (36.3 kg) | 166 kcal | 3.5 × ounce of cooked chicken breast |
Eating more than the recommended amount usually causes nothing worse than an upset stomach: soft stool, gas or vomiting. Skip treats for the rest of the day, keep fresh water available and call your vet if vomiting or diarrhea lasts more than 24 hours or your dog seems unwell.
Related: My dog ate a chicken bone
Planning treats? Check your dog's full daily needs with the dog food calculator or dog calorie calculator.
Yes. Plain, cooked, boneless chicken is safe and is one of the most common protein ingredients in dog food. Never feed cooked chicken bones, which can splinter.
No. Cooked chicken bones splinter easily. If your dog swallowed one, call your vet for advice.
Only plain meat with skin and bones removed. Many rotisserie chickens are seasoned with garlic, onion and salt.
As a small topper within the treat allowance, yes. Feeding only chicken is not a balanced diet.
Yes, in very small amounts once they are eating solid food. Puppies have sensitive stomachs, so offer a tiny piece and stop if you see loose stool. Most of their calories should come from a complete puppy food.
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This guide is general information for healthy adult dogs. Dogs with medical conditions (such as diabetes, pancreatitis, kidney disease or food allergies) may need different advice from their vet.
Safe
Yes. Plain, cooked, boneless chicken is safe and is one of the most common protein ingredients in dog food.