9 Best Chicken Dog Foods (Reviews Updated 2022)

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Chicken is a lean meat and packs a major lean protein punch for our canine friends. Not only can poultry help build lean muscle mass in dogs, it is also a rich source of Omega 6 fatty acids. Chicken is also an excellent protein source that offers amino acids and glucosamine, which helps promote bone health.

Chicken is a very valuable nutrition source for dogs. If you are seeking to add more lean protein in the form of chicken into your dog’s diet, we have a list of some highly recommended chicken dog food products for your pet.

Best Chicken Dog Foods

Here are our chicken dog food reviews.

1. Honest Kitchen Grain Chicken Dog Food

Honest Kitchen Grain Chicken Dog Food

Honest Kitchen free-range chicken dog food is made with highly concentrated, easily digestible ingredients for maximum nutrition. This dog food is actually dehydrated and will require warm water to make a delicious meal. A ten pound box actually makes 40 pounds of food!

  • Honest Kitchen is made with free-range chicken and dehydrated for easier digestibility.
  • The Honest Kitchen meets the rigorous FDA safety standards to use the label ‘human grade.’
  • This dog food is made with no by-products, preservatives or GMO ingredients
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2. Purina ONE SmartBlend Natural Adult Dry Dog Food Chicken and Rice

Purina One Smartblend Natural Adult Dry Dog Food

Purina ONE SmartBlend is Purina’s premium dog food that uses real proteins as the number one ingredient. This protein is blended with other high quality protein sources to help support your dog’s strong muscles and a healthy heart. This formula is highly digestible, allowing the nutrients in the food to get directly to work.

  • Real Chicken is the #1 ingredient in Purina ONE SmartBlend.
  • Purina ONE features natural sources of glucosamine to help support healthy joints.
  • Formulated with zero filters.
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3. Blue Buffalo Wilderness High Protein Grain Free, Natural Adult Dry Dog Food with Chicken

Blue Buffalo Wilderness High Protein Grain Free, Natural Adult Dry Dog Food

Blue Buffalo combines protein and carbohydrates to support an active and healthy dog. Real meat is the first ingredient in this formula that enhances strong bones and teeth. This formula is also free of grains that contain gluten.

  • Blue Buffalos’s Wilderness formula contains BLUE’s exclusive LifeSource Bits, a blend of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals carefully selected by holistic veterinarians.
  • This formula contains no fillers, including corn, wheat, soy, artificial flavors or preservatives.
  • Blue Buffalo Wilderness contains omega 3 and 6 fatty acids to support skin and coat health.
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4. NUTRO Wholesome Essentials Natural Adult Dry Dog Food Farm-Raised Chicken, Brown Rice & Sweet Potato Recipe

Nutro Wholesome Essentials Natural Adult Dry Dog Food

Each NUTRO recipe is created with real, recognizable ingredients and omits any byproducts, as will as fillers such as corn, wheat, or soy protein. NUTRO sources their ingredients from their trusted farmers and suppliers and cook our recipes in their U.S. facilities.This formula is also eliminates GMO products in their formulas.

  • Farm-raised chicken is the #1 ingredient in NUTRO’s formula.
  • NUTRO is crafted with essential antioxidants, including Vitamin E for a strong immune system.
  • This formula contains Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids to promote a soft coat and healthy skin.
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5. Nature’s Recipe Adult Dry Dog Food with Chicken

Nature's Recipe Adult Dry Dog Food

Nature’s Recipe is a premium dry dog food that helps your dog maintain lean muscle mass. This formula contains natural fiber from barley and oatmeal to enhance the flavor and support optimal digestion. Nature’s Recipe has been creating healthy foods for more than 30 years.

  • The added fiber helps support digestion and immune system health.
  • Nature’s Recipe eliminates added corn, wheat, soy, poultry by-product meal, artificial colors or flavors.
  • The chicken in this recipe helps maintain muscle strength.
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6. Hill’s Science Diet Dry Dog Food, Adult, Small Bites, Chicken & Barley Recipe

Hill's Science Diet Dry Dog Food, Adult, Small Bites, Chicken & Barley Recipe

Hill’s Science is enriched with omega 6s and Vitamin E to give dogs a beautiful skin and coat. The natural fibers in the formula help promote healthy digestion. And, the chicken in this recipe helps dogs maintain lean muscle.

  • Hills Science promotes healthy digestion for your adult dog with natural fibers.
  • Hill Science is the number 1 Veterinarian recommended brand.
  • This recipe was formulated and made in the United States.
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7. Diamond All Life Stages Real Meat Recipe Dry Dog Food with Premium Ingredients with Grain & Real Cage Free Chicken

Diamond All Life Stages Real Meat Recipe Dry Dog Food With Premium Ingredients

The Diamond All Life recipe features a mix of 26% protein, 16% fat and added superfoods. All Life Stages Dog Chicken and Rice Formula provides the energy and muscle building blocks dogs need. Vitamin E ensure adds optimum antioxidants.

  • Diamond All Life is made of real cage free chicken with an optimal amino acid profile.
  • This formula is nutrient rich and digestible with proprietary probiotics.
  • Diamond Life is made in the United States with scientifically advanced food safety protocols.
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8. Rachael Ray Nutrish Zero Grain Dry Dog Food, Poultry Flavors, Grain Free

Rachael Ray Nutrish Zero Grain Dry Dog Food, Poultry Flavors, Grain Free

In Rachael Ray’s formulas, every ingredient has a purpose. In this zero grain chicken recipe, the highest quality protein is mixed with wholesome vegetables for optimal nutrition. A portion of proceeds from each sale of Nutrish is donated to The Rachael Ray Foundation to aid  animals in need.

  • Rachel Ray Nutrish features no artificial flavors, colors or artificial preservatives.
  • S. farm-raised chicken is the #1 ingredient.
  • This grain free chicken features no poultry by-product meal or fillers.
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9. Instinct Original Grain Free Recipe Natural Dry Dog Food with Cage Free Chicken

Instinct Original Grain Free Recipe Natural Dry Dog Food

Instinct intends to deliver pure, real nutrition of raw on every bag of dog food. Each recipe begins with real cage-free chicken and adds wholesome vegetables. Instinct is made without grain, potato, corn, wheat, soy, by-product meals or artificial colors or preservatives.

  • Instinct Original dry dog food is made with 70% real animal ingredients and nutritious oils, 30% vegetables, fruits and other wholesome ingredients.
  • The number one ingredient is responsibly sourced cage free chicken.
  • Instinct is formulated with probiotics to support healthy digestion and omegas for a healthy skin and coat..
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Chicken Dog Food Buying Guide

Best Chicken Dog Food Review

We live in a world that is increasingly health conscious when it comes to what we put in our food. This may be because the population is expanding (both human and animal) and food is more processed and contains more fillers than ever before. While dogs can eat most cooked carbohydrates their ancestry dictates that most dogs tend to benefit from a high-protein diet. Chicken provides an excellent source of lean protein that builds lean muscle mass, supports bones and joints and is rich in Omega 6 fatty acids. If you are looking to add chicken into your dog’s diet for health reasons, it is important to consider a number of factors like the type of chicken used, if there are added fillers and the type of additional ingredients included.

Chicken as the first ingredient

Traditionally, the first ingredient listed on the ingredients is the most prominent ingredient. If you wish to have a dog food that has the most lean protein, look for chicken as the number one ingredient. Equally important, look to see that actual chicken is the first ingredient and not chicken by-product.

Farm raised, free-range, organic or hand sourced

Ideally, a dog food company has a relationship with their lean protein source may deliver the highest quality chicken. If you wish to ensure that your dog is receiving as high quality meat as possible, consider looking for brands that use free range chicken and are manufactured in the United States or Europe, which have stricter regulations.

No added fillers, artificial flavors, preservatives.

Some dog foods will minimize the lean protein and fill dog food with fillers, such as corn or wheat. In addition, try to avoid products that have artificial flavors or preservatives. Dog foods that eliminate these will list them in their advertisements, but it’s always important to look at the ingredient list. Generally speaking, dog foods that are more natural will be less likely to contain these by products. But, it is always important to research and to read the fine print.

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