Chicken is full of protein, zinc, vitamin B6 and iron. Essential for healthy brain and organ development, it is important to incorporate iron-rich sources into your baby’s diet at around six months of age, as babies’ natural iron reserves start to dwindle at that time. Babyfood blogger Michele Olivier shares her ideas for adding some zing to chicken purée.
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Chicken and orange purée
There's nothing exciting about plain, puréed chicken, which is why I add some orange juice before roasting to give some zing and depth.
Ingredients:
1 boneless skinless chicken breast, cut in half horizontally
1∕2 an orange, sliced • 240 ml (8 fl oz) low- or no-salt chicken stock, formula or breast milk
Method:
Preheat the oven to 200C (400F). Lay the chicken breast pieces out on a large sheet of tinfoil, then top with the orange slices.
Wrap the chicken in the foil to make a pouch with the seams facing up. Place it on a baking tray and bake for 30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked all the way through.
Let it cool to touch, then transfer the chicken to a liquidiser or food processor.
Squeeze any remaining juices from the oranges into the liquidiser and then discard.
Add in 120 ml (4 fl oz) of stock and purée until smooth, adding additional liquid in 60 ml (2 fl oz) increments if needed.
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Chicken, pea, broccoli and chive purée
Make the puree using the main recipe, omitting the orange and adding 120 g (4. oz) chopped broccoli and 80 g (3 oz) peas to the foil pouch.
Bake, cool and purée, adding 1∕2 tablespoon chopped chives to the liquidiser.
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Chicken, carrot, potato and cumin purée
Make the purée using the main recipe – orange slices are optional – adding 2 peeled and chopped carrots and 1 peeled and chopped small white potato to the foil pouch.
Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon ground cumin.
Bake, cool and purée as instructed in the main recipe.
