What Is Chicken Meal in Dog Food, and Is It Good for Dogs?

If you’ve ever turned over a bag of dog food and wondered what “chicken meal” actually means, you’re not alone. You may have also seen ads on social media or commercials on TV claiming chicken meal is bad for dogs. With so much conflicting information, it can be difficult to know what to believe.

Let’s take a closer look at chicken meal in dog food, how it compares with fresh chicken, and what it contributes to your dog’s nutrition.

TL;DR – Chicken meal is a concentrated source of animal protein that can be an excellent ingredient in dog food. Quality and the balance of the complete recipe matter more than the ingredient name alone.

• Chicken meal is chicken rendered down to remove much of its water and fat – think of it like a protein powder for the recipe.
• Fresh chicken is approximately 70% water; chicken meal is approximately 10% water, making meal a more concentrated protein source per pound.
• “Chicken first” does not automatically mean more animal protein – ingredient lists are based on weight before cooking, including water.
• Chicken meal and chicken by-product meal are different ingredients. Chicken meal excludes feathers, heads, feet, and entrails.
• Not all meat meals are bad. Best Breed intentionally uses high-quality, low-ash chicken meal – less bone and more meat-derived material – as part of balanced recipes.

What Is Chicken Meal in Dog Food?

Chicken meal in dog food is chicken that has been cooked, dried, and ground into a concentrated source of animal protein. Much of its water and fat is removed before it is added to the recipe.

Think of it like a protein powder for the food – it supplies concentrated animal protein without carrying as much water as fresh chicken. Chicken meal also contains naturally occurring minerals and some remaining fat and moisture.

What Is Chicken Meal Made Of?

Under AAFCO’s poultry-meal definition, chicken meal is made from clean chicken flesh and skin, with or without bone. Chicken meal does not contain feathers, heads, feet, or entrails.

Fresh chicken used in pet food can include flesh, skin, and bone, too. “Deboned chicken” means the bone has been removed. The main difference is that chicken meal has already been cooked and dried before it goes into the recipe.

What Is Meat Meal in Dog Food?

Meat meal in dog food is a dried, ground ingredient made from animal sources such as beef, pork, or lamb. Chicken meal and fish meal are similar concentrated animal ingredients, but have their own definitions.

The word “meal” generally describes an ingredient ground into small particles, often after drying or cooking. It can refer to animal ingredients, such as chicken meal, turkey meal, and salmon meal, or ingredients such as corn meal and kelp meal. The preparation process depends on the ingredient.

More specific names, such as “chicken meal” or “salmon meal,” tell you which animal the ingredient comes from.

How Is Chicken Meal Processed for Pet Food?

Chicken meal is made through a cooking process called rendering. The chicken is cooked, much of its water and fat is removed, and the remaining chicken is dried and ground into a concentrated animal-protein ingredient.

Once prepared, chicken meal is mixed with the other ingredients in the dog or cat food recipe. It is most commonly used in dry kibble, but can also be used in other pet food formats. To make kibble, the mixture is cooked, shaped, and dried.

Is Chicken Meal Good for Dogs?

Yes – high-quality chicken meal can be an excellent source of animal protein in a complete and balanced dog food. It provides concentrated protein that helps supply the amino acids dogs need for muscle maintenance, tissue repair, and other essential functions.

The benefits of chicken meal in dog food depend on the quality of the ingredient and how it is balanced with the rest of the recipe.

Is Chicken Meal Bad for Dogs?

Chicken meal is not inherently bad for dogs. The common claim that “all meat meals are bad” overlooks important differences in their quality and nutritional value.

Both fresh meats and meat meals can vary in quality. The animal source, the parts used, and the cooking process all affect the protein they provide.

A high-quality chicken meal can contribute valuable nutrition. The word “meal” alone is not a reason to avoid it.

How Does Chicken Meal Affect the Nutritional Value of Dog Food?

Chicken meal provides concentrated animal protein and naturally occurring minerals. Because much of its water has already been removed, it generally supplies more protein per pound than fresh chicken.

Removing water concentrates the protein already present. It does not create additional protein.

Does Chicken Meal Supply Essential Amino Acids?

Yes. Chicken meal supplies essential amino acids that dogs need for muscle maintenance, tissue repair, and normal body functions. 

When dogs digest protein, they break it down into amino acids. These are the building blocks used to maintain muscles, repair tissues, and support normal body functions.

Dogs must get certain essential amino acids from their food because their bodies cannot make enough of them. Chicken meal can help supply those amino acids, but the complete recipe must provide them in the amounts and proportions the dog needs.

The MSD Veterinary Manual’s nutrition guidance explains that protein’s nutritional value depends on its amino acids and how effectively the body can digest and use it.

Why Does Protein Quality Matter?

The crude protein percentage in the guaranteed analysis tells you the minimum protein level guaranteed in the food. It does not tell you how much comes from animal ingredients, how easily it is digested, or whether each essential amino acid is present in the right amount.

Two foods with the same protein percentage can therefore provide different nutrition. The protein sources and the way they are balanced in the recipe both matter.

Processing matters, too. Cooking conditions can affect how easily protein is digested and used. That is why neither ‘fresh’ nor ‘meal’ alone establishes protein quality.

Is Fresh Chicken Better Than Chicken Meal in Dog Food?

No – fresh chicken is not inherently better than chicken meal in dog food, but chicken meal generally provides more protein per pound because it contains much less water.

However, choosing between them involves more than comparing moisture. The quality of the fresh chicken or chicken meal, how much protein each contributes, and how that protein is balanced with the other ingredients in the recipe all matter.

Fresh Chicken vs. Chicken Meal: How Much Water Do They Contain?

Fresh chicken contains approximately 70% water, while chicken meal contains approximately 10% water. Actual amounts vary, but these figures help explain the difference.

For example:

• 100 pounds of fresh chicken at 70% moisture – contains about 70 pounds of water and 30 pounds of chicken solids, including protein, fat, and minerals.
• 100 pounds of chicken meal at 10% moisture – contains about 10 pounds of water and 90 pounds of chicken solids, including protein, fat, and minerals.

Fresh chicken enters the kibble-making process with much of its water still present. As the food is cooked and dried, much of that water is removed, leaving a considerably smaller amount of chicken by weight.

Chicken meal has already had most of its water removed before it enters the recipe, so it loses much less weight during this process.

This is why chicken meal provides more concentrated animal protein per pound than fresh chicken. The difference comes largely from water content – removing water concentrates the protein rather than creating more of it.

“Chicken first” doesn’t automatically mean more animal protein in the finished food. Fresh chicken’s starting weight includes substantial water. If ingredients were ranked after cooking and drying, their order could change.

Fresh chicken: As water is removed during cooking and drying, fresh chicken contributes considerably less weight to the finished food than its starting weight suggests. This reflects water loss, not an equivalent loss of chicken protein.

Chicken meal: Chicken meal has already had most of its water removed before it enters the recipe, so it undergoes less water-related weight loss during cooking.

Why “Fresh Chicken” or “Chicken First” Does Not Tell the Whole Story

According to AAFCO’s ingredient-order guidance, pet food ingredients are listed by their weight as they enter the recipe, including the water they contain.

That means fresh chicken’s water weight helps determine its position on the ingredient list.

Therefore, seeing “chicken” first does not automatically mean the finished food contains more chicken or more animal protein than a food made with chicken meal. Much of that starting weight may be water that is removed during production.

The label stays in its original order after cooking. It does not show a second ranking based on the ingredients’ weights after water removal, and it cannot tell you the exact percentage of meat in the finished kibble.

Compare Where the Protein Comes From and How It Is Balanced

When comparing chicken meal vs. chicken in dog food, look beyond which ingredient appears first. Consider three questions:

• How much animal protein does the ingredient contribute? Fresh chicken’s starting weight includes considerably more water than chicken meal.
• Where does the rest of the protein come from? A food may list chicken first while also getting substantial protein from concentrated plant ingredients, such as corn gluten meal or pea protein.
• How is the protein balanced in the recipe? The food needs to provide enough of each essential amino acid, along with the right balance of other nutrients.

Plant proteins can contribute nutrition, too. However, the total protein percentage does not tell you how much protein comes from animals or whether the food provides the right amino acid balance.

Fresh chicken and chicken meal can both be useful ingredients. Their value comes from the protein they deliver and how they work with the rest of the recipe.

What Is Chicken By-Product Meal in Dog Food?

Chicken by-product meal is a cooked, dried, and ground ingredient made from parts of slaughtered chickens. It can include feet, undeveloped eggs, and intestines – parts that are not included in chicken meal.

Under AAFCO’s ingredient definitions, feathers should not be included in poultry by-product meal except for small amounts that may be unavoidable during processing.

Chicken Meal vs. Chicken By-Product Meal: What Is the Difference?

The distinction in chicken meal vs. chicken by-product meal is which parts of the chicken can be used:

• Chicken meal contains clean flesh and skin, with or without bone. It does not contain feathers, heads, feet, or entrails.
• Chicken by-product meal can include additional parts, such as feet, undeveloped eggs, and intestines.

Both ingredients are cooked and concentrated, but they have separate definitions.

These differences help explain the label. They do not, by themselves, tell you everything about an ingredient’s nutritional quality. By-product meals can provide nutrients, while chicken meal can also vary in quality.

Best Breed chooses high-quality named meat meals and does not use by-product meals in its kibble recipes.

Why Best Breed Uses Low-Ash Chicken Meal

Best Breed has intentionally used high-quality chicken meal for more than 30 years. It provides concentrated animal protein that we can balance with the other ingredients to support a dog’s nutritional needs.

What Does “Low Ash” Mean in Pet Food?

“Ash” is a measure of an ingredient’s mineral content. The name comes from the laboratory test used to measure it – it does not mean ash has been added to the food.

Bone contains minerals, including calcium and phosphorus. Our low-ash chicken meal contains less bone and a higher proportion of meat than higher-ash chicken meals.

We pay a premium for that composition because we want our chicken meal to provide concentrated animal protein while allowing us to balance mineral levels throughout the recipe.

Minerals are essential to a dog’s health. The goal is to provide the right amounts, rather than simply choosing the lowest possible mineral content. Learn more about our choices on our ingredients page.

Why Best Breed Prioritizes Animal Protein

Best Breed relies on high-quality animal ingredients, including chicken, salmon, and lamb, as the primary protein sources across our recipes. We do not rely on concentrated plant proteins such as corn gluten meal to meet overall protein levels.

We balance these animal ingredients to supply the amino acids dogs need for muscle maintenance, repair, and normal body functions. We also consider how that protein works alongside the recipe’s fat, fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

Our chicken meal standards also exclude ingredients from 4D animals – dead, dying, diseased, or disabled animals.

These choices are part of our Common Sense Nutrition approach: choosing ingredients for the nutrition they contribute and balancing them with a clear purpose.

Frequently Asked Questions About Chicken Meal

Is Chicken Meal Safe for Dogs to Eat?

Yes. Properly produced and handled chicken meal can be safely used in dog food. As with any ingredient, appropriate processing, handling, and storage are important. Its name alone does not make it unsafe.

Can Chicken Meal Cause Allergies in Dogs?

A dog allergic to chicken may react to chicken meal because it still contains chicken proteins. Cooking and removing water do not make ordinary chicken meal suitable for a dog with a chicken allergy.

If you suspect a food allergy, speak with your veterinarian. NC State’s veterinary nutrition team explains that a supervised dietary elimination trial is used to identify food allergies.

Is Chicken Meal a Filler?

No – chicken meal provides animal protein and other nutrients. It serves a nutritional purpose in the recipe. The quality of that contribution depends on the ingredient and how it is used.

H3: Does Chicken Meal Contain Feathers, Heads, or Feet?

No. Chicken meal does not contain feathers, heads, feet, or entrails under AAFCO’s poultry-meal definition. It is a different ingredient from chicken by-product meal or feather meal.

Why Do Some Dog Foods Contain Both Chicken and Chicken Meal?

Manufacturers may use fresh chicken and chicken meal together to reach the recipe’s intended protein and nutrient levels. Chicken meal supplies concentrated animal protein alongside the fresh chicken.

Using both ingredients is one way to formulate a food; the overall nutritional balance determines how well the combination meets a dog’s needs.

Should I Choose Dog Food Without Chicken Meal?

There is no general nutritional reason to choose dog food without chicken meal simply because the ingredient is called a “meal.”

A dog with a diagnosed chicken allergy may need to avoid chicken protein in both fresh chicken and chicken meal. Otherwise, consider the quality and suitability of the complete food rather than avoiding the ingredient name.

Are All Meat Meals Bad for Dogs?

No. Meat meals vary in quality, just as fresh meats do. High-quality meals can provide concentrated animal protein and valuable nutrients. The word “meal” alone does not tell you whether an ingredient is nutritious or appropriate for your dog.