~ These simple Homemade Dog Treats are the doggy version of that classic comfort food, chicken and biscuits! They’re also the perfect way to use up leftover chicken that might otherwise go to waste. With just 4 ingredients, they’re ultra quick and easy, and they store beautifully in the freezer for weeks! ~
This Recipe Is: • Ready in 30 Minutes or Less • Freezable • Make Ahead •
Our Finny is a seriously pampered pooch with a pretty (ahem …) doggone good life. He’s got a doggy door so he can head out to sun himself on the deck whenever he pleases. He sleeps cuddled next to me, under the covers, every night. And you know he’s my favorite running buddy.
It’s good to be him.
Homemade dog treats, though? Really?
As though I have a whole bunch of extra time on my hands for that little indulgence, right?!?
But actually, I do! These dog treats take just moments to mix together, and with only four ingredients (because we’re not counting that freebie water!), they’re a total breeze!
They’re like home-style chicken and biscuits, in a pup-friendly, treat form!
What makes these dog treats totally THK-terrific, though, is the make-ahead, ready-and-waiting-when-you-are tip on how these treats help you use up chicken that would otherwise go to waste:
Stockpile (and Freeze) Your Bits of Leftover Chicken
As I mentioned in our post for Frozen Dog Treats, here at THK, we have a lot of recipes that start with a rotisserie chicken (such a simple shortcut!). But, when I’m working with a rotisserie chicken, I really hate not using up every morsel of the bird – including the little bits of meat stuck to the bones, and the cartilage and connective tissue that most people don’t eat. It often adds up to more than a cup of chicken I wouldn’t otherwise use! These homemade dog treats are the perfect way to put those extra little bits to great use! I’m so happy to feel like not one bit of the animal went to waste – that I used all I could.
So, instead of preparing chicken just to make this dog treat recipe (now, that really would be a pampered pooch!), I stockpile leftover bits of chicken any time we have some from our own (human) meals. I measure it out and keep it in labeled zipper bags in the freezer.
When I have enough chicken, I can whip up a batch of these homemade dog treats. And Finn is a happy, happy boy!
Chicken You Don’t Want to Use
When you’re chopping or shredding leftover chicken, be careful that you don’t include any bones. And go easy on including too much fat, particularly the fatty skin. I actually don’t recommend including the skin at all, if the chicken has been roasted with a lot of spices or salt that’s still clinging to it.
Similarly, if you’re using leftover chicken meat from a recipe (rather than using up a rotisserie chicken), and the meat is heavily sauced or deeply flavored from cooking spices or marinades, you should probably skip that, as well. To avoid upsetting your pup’s tummy, it’s best to keep things simple.
But What About Cute Shapes?
I see so many darling recipes for homemade dog treats that have been lovingly shaped into things like hearts or doggy bones. But it all just seems like a lot of fuss simply to make people happy. I’m pretty much 100% certain that Finn loves these treats just as much in a plain-old round shape, as he would if I’d spent loads of extra time making them into bones or hearts.
They’re basically just simple drop biscuits you plop onto a baking sheet – as easy as easy gets!
And all that time I saved?
Hey – it’s a few more minutes he and I can spend out running, or just cuddling on the couch. He’d vote for that any day!
Trust me – skipping the cookie cutters keeps these homemade dog biscuits lightning-fast and easy-peasy! And your dog won’t even notice (or care). Dogs don’t judge! They just gobble these down … and ask for more!
Which is exactly why I’m off to make another batch right now …
4-Ingredient Chicken and Biscuits Homemade Dog Treats
These easy Homemade Dog Treats are the perfect way to use up leftover chicken! They're quick to make, and store beautifully in the freezer for weeks!
• Ready in 30 Minutes or Less • Freezable • Make Ahead •
Ingredients
- 2 cups chopped, cooked chicken (see note)
- 2 cups whole wheat flour or white whole wheat flour
- 1 (5.3-ounce) container nonfat plain Greek yogurt
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients, stirring until thoroughly incorporated. Batter will be very thick and sticky.
- Drop batter by level tablespoons onto parchment-lined baking sheets. (Because these dog biscuits spread very little during baking, I crowd them together more than typical cookies, and get all of them onto 2 baking sheets.) Using the back of a spoon, flatten the dog treats slightly.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes, until lightly golden brown.
- Cool completely on wire racks. Store in refrigerator or (for longer storage) in zippered freezer bags in freezer (thaw before serving).
Notes
Chicken: As discussed in the post, this recipe is an opportunity to use up leftover chicken, and we often utilize the bits of unused rotisserie chicken that we have left after making other recipes. Any cooked, chopped chicken will work for this recipe, but be very careful not to include any bones. Also, don't use too much of the fatty chicken skin, particularly if the skin has spicy seasonings or a lot of salt on it. Once you've finely chopped your leftover chicken for this recipe, you can pre-measure it and store it in a labeled, zippered freezer bag in your freezer until you have time to make this dog treat recipe.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 48 servings Serving Size: 1 treatAmount Per Serving: Calories: 33Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 9mgSodium: 7mgCarbohydrates: 4gFiber: 1gSugar: 0gProtein: 2g
Nutrition information should be considered an estimate only, and may vary depending on your choice of ingredients or preparation. No guarantees are made regarding allergies or dietary needs. Always consult a physician or dietician for specific advice and questions.
a doggie biscuit that a person could eat, too (not that you would necessarily want to, just sayin’ you could).
Hahaha, Dorothy! 😉 Oh my goodness, I guess you’re exactly right about that, although I’ve never actually tried eating one! But it’s true – these are so simple and clean and real – no strange ingredients! Because really – why would I want to give my beloved little guy something that wasn’t healthy enough to eat myself?!? That sweet, furry little body of his needs nutritious, energizing foods, too! ~Shelley
My sister has a couple dogs, I’ll have to share this recipe with her! How creative!
Thanks so much for sharing this idea, Sheena! I hope your sister’s pups love these treats just as much as Finn does! ~Shelley
Aww our little dachshund would love these!
Oh, I’m so excited for you to make these! Our Finn is about 12 pounds, and measuring the dough out by the tablespoon makes a nice-sized dog treat for him. How big is your dachshund? If you’d like to make these treats a little bit smaller, just watch carefully during baking, as you might need to cut the baking time back just a little (depending on how small you go). Have fun! 🙂 ~Shelley
This is such a nice recipe! When you put the treats in the refrigerator, do u need to reheat it before giving to the dog? And must I put it in the fridge?
Hi, Michelle! So glad you like this recipe, and great questions! There is no need to reheat these for your pooches, unless you think they’d prefer them that way! But you will definitely want to store them in the fridge since they have ingredients (like chicken) which will go bad quickly, even after they’ve been cooked. 🙂 Hope that’s helpful! ~Amy
These are genius! My pup is gonna love these treats!
I definitely think so! Finny sure does, and he’s really kind of a picky little eater, much more so than our previous dog ever was. I’m even surprised sometimes how Finn seems to get tired of store-bought treats he initially seems to really like … but he never, ever seems to get tired of these! I really hope your pup adores them just as much! 😀 ~Shelley
If I had a pooch, I would treat him every day!
Maybe I should freeze a batch in anticipation of getting a dog!?
Oh my goodness – YES! Yes, I think that’s exactly what you should do! In fact, you just might want to freeze a double batch of dog treats … and then hit Petfinder ASAP! 😉 ~Shelley