Chicken and rice recipes are among the most popular and common dog food formulas. Virtually every brand and formula offers a chicken and rice recipe, and for good reason!
Chicken is a lean, healthy, complete protein that’s affordable and highly digestible. Similarly, rice is also a budget-friendly grain that provides fiber and carbohydrates. That said, not all chicken and rice recipes are created equal. Different brands and ingredients offer different quality and nutrition, so you have to do your homework.
Fortunately, we’re here to help! Here are our choices for the best chicken and rice dog food, based on reviews from pet owners like you.
A Quick Comparison of Our Winners (2024)
The 10 Best Chicken & Rice Dog Foods
1. Ollie Fresh Dog Food Subscription – Best Overall
| Main ingredients: | Chicken, carrots, peas, rice, chicken liver, potatoes, spinach, dicalcium phosphate, whole dried eggs, fish oil |
| Protein content: | 10% |
| Fat content: | 3% |
| Calories: | 1,298 kcal ME/kg |
Ollie Fresh Chicken Recipe is the overall best chicken and rice dog food. The fresh dog food recipe contains minimally processed foods with real animal protein and organ meats, fruits, veggies, and superfoods. Reviewers noticed positive results like less itchy, better-quality stool, and more overall energy.
Ollie dog foods come in multiple varieties that can be purchased with a convenient subscription that ships directly to your door. The food also comes in a convenient resealable plastic container to ensure freshness. Having a subscription does take some planning, however. You can’t pick up the food in the store if you run out. You also need space in your freezer to store your dog’s meals, which can be considerable if you have large dogs or multiple dogs. It’s also expensive if you’re on a budget.
Pros
- Fresh ingredients
- Good results
- Convenient packaging
Cons
- Only available with a subscription
- Requires freezer space
- Expensive
2. Pedigree Adult Complete Nutrition Dry Food – Budget Buy
| Main ingredients: | Ground whole grain corn, meat and bone meal, corn gluten meal, animal fat, soybean meal, natural flavor |
| Protein content: | 21% |
| Fat content: | 10% |
| Calories: | 309 kcal/cup |
Pedigree Adult Complete Nutrition Roasted Chicken, Rice & Vegetable Flavor Dry Dog Food is a good option if your budget is smaller. The food is filled with essential nutrients like B vitamins, zinc, and omega fatty acids in a delicious roasted chicken formula. The special fiber blend supports healthy digestion, and the crunchy texture helps to keep teeth clean.
Pedigree is made in the US with globally sourced ingredients and no artificial flavors, sugar, or high fructose corn syrup. Reviewers love the quality of the food for the price, though some reviewer’s dogs experienced digestive upset or wouldn’t eat it.
Pros
- Complete and balanced nutrition
- Crunchy texture for teeth cleaning
- Budget-friendly
Cons
- May cause digestive upset
- May not work for picky eaters
3. Dr. Tim’s Highly Athletic Momentum Formula Dry Food
| Main ingredients: | Chicken meal, brown rice, chicken fat, ocean herring meal, dried plain beet pulp, dried egg product |
| Protein content: | 35% |
| Fat content: | 25% |
| Calories: | 518 kcal/cup |
Dr. Tim’s Highly Athletic Momentum Formula Dry Dog Food is the choice for chicken and rice designed for athletic and working dogs. The high-protein formula has plenty of protein and nutrients that can support your dog’s vigorous lifestyle. The food is slow-cooked and all-natural with high-quality ingredients and probiotics, prebiotics, and antioxidants for digestive and immune health.
There’s no wheat or soy in this food that may upset sensitive stomachs. The omega-fatty acids also promote a healthy coat and skin. Reviewers noted that they feed lower volume, so they get more value for the higher price, but it is expensive. Also, this food is designed for working dogs and athletes or competitors, so it may not be suitable for less active dogs.
Pros
- Designed for athletic and working dogs
- High protein for muscle health
- Probiotics and antioxidants for digestive health
Cons
- Expensive
- Not suitable for less active dogs
4. Purina Pro Plan Puppy with Probiotics Dry Food
| Main ingredients: | Chicken, rice, poultry by-product meal, corn gluten meal, beef fat preserved with tocopherols, soybean meal, whole grain wheat, whole grain corn |
| Protein content: | 28% |
| Fat content: | 18% |
| Calories: | 406 kcal/cup |
Purina Pro Plan Puppy Shredded Blend Chicken & Rice Formula with Probiotics Dry Dog Food is a good choice for your growing puppy. Real chicken and rice are the first ingredients for protein and energy. Formulated to be highly digestible, this food provides optimal nutrition for a growing puppy’s needs. The combination of hard kibble and tender shredded pieces makes this food comfortable to eat for puppies.
Formulated for puppies under one year and nursing or lactating dogs, this food has DHA for brain and vision development, antioxidants for immunity, and live probiotics for digestive health. Some reviewers had issues with quality control in their kibble bags, such as worms or beetles.
Pros
- Real chicken and rice
- Optimal nutrition for puppies
- DHA, antioxidants, and probiotics
5. Purina Pro Plan 30/20 Dry Dog Food
| Main ingredients: | Chicken, corn gluten meal, rice, beef fat preserved with mixed tocopherols, poultry by-product meal, whole grain corn |
| Protein content: | 30% |
| Fat content: | 20% |
| Calories: | 484 kcal/cup |
Purina Pro Plan 30/20 Chicken & Rice Formula Dry Dog Food is next on our list of chicken and rice dog foods. Real chicken is the first ingredient in this adult maintenance formula for the optimal blend of protein and fat. This food supports your dog’s lean muscle and metabolic needs with lean, healthy protein. Additional nutrients like DHA, EPA, B vitamins, arginine, and antioxidants support cognitive health and a healthy heart.
All Purina Pro Plan dog foods are rigorously tested for quality and safety and manufactured in Purina-owned US facilities. There are no peas, legumes, or potatoes in this recipe, which have been implicated in the FDA statement on nutritional dilated cardiomyopathy1. Most reviewers saw good results in their dogs with this food, but some complained of the high price and the recent rising prices.
Pros
- Optimal protein/fat blend
- No peas, legumes, or potatoes
- Made in the US
6. Diamond Naturals All Life Stages Dry Dog Food
| Main ingredients: | Chicken, chicken meal, whole grain brown rice, cracked pearled barley, white rice, dried yeast, chicken fat |
| Protein content: | 26% |
| Fat content: | 16% |
| Calories: | 421 kcal/cup |
Diamond Naturals Chicken & Rice Formula All Life Stages Dry Dog Food offers nutrition for all breeds and life stages with cage-free chicken as the first ingredient and real fruits and vegetables, such as kale, blueberries, and coconut. This food also contains antioxidants for overall well-being and species-specific K9 strain proprietary probiotics for digestive and immune health.
All Diamond foods are made in the US with quality ingredients from trusted domestic and global sources. There are no wheat or artificial flavors or colors in this food. Diamond Naturals Chicken & Rice is widely available at local retailers and online. Some reviewers had problems with digestive upset, hard kibble, or picky eaters.
Pros
- Complete and balanced nutrition
- Antioxidants for overall health
- Probiotics for digestive and immune health
Cons
- May cause digestive upset
- Kibble is hard
- May not work for picky eaters
7. Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Adult Dry Dog Food
| Main ingredients: | Deboned chicken, chicken meal, brown rice, barley, oatmeal, pea starch, flaxseed, chicken fat, natural flavor |
| Protein content: | 24% |
| Fat content: | 14% |
| Calories: | 421 kcal/cup |
Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Adult Chicken & Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food features real meat, whole grains, garden vegetables, and fruit for optimal nutrition. Protein-rich deboned chicken is the first ingredient, followed by a natural source of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. LifeSource Bits add a precise blend of nutrients that are enhanced with the Super 7 antioxidant-rich ingredients.
This food is made with no wheat or soy. Some reviewers saw good results, but others noted that their dogs wouldn’t eat the food or suffered digestive symptoms like gas, loose stool, or general discomfort. Some reviewers had concerns about quality control as well.
Pros
- Real meat, whole grains, and produce
- LifeSource Bits for precise nutrition
- No wheat or soy
Cons
- May cause digestive upset
- Some dogs don’t like it
- Quality control issues
8. Wellness Large Breed Complete Health Adult Dry Food
| Main ingredients: | Deboned chicken, chicken meal, ground brown rice, barley, peas, oats, chicken fat, salmon meal |
| Protein content: | 26% |
| Fat content: | 12% |
| Calories: | 340 kcal/cup |
Wellness Large Breed Complete Health Adult Deboned Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food is specially formulated to provide whole-body nutrition support for large breed dogs. Premium proteins and wholesome grains support your dog’s energy needs, while omega fatty acids and probiotics support skin, coat, digestive, and immune health.
Wellness is made without GMOs, artificial preservatives, or fillers. Many reviewers were happy with the results from this food, but others ran into issues with their dogs not liking the food or experiencing worse skin issues or digestive upset. Also, this dog food is formulated for large breeds and may not be suitable for medium or small dogs.
Pros
- Premium protein and grains
- Omega fatty acids for skin and coat health
- No preservatives or fillers
Cons
- Not suitable for small or medium breeds
- May cause skin allergies or digestive upset
9. Merrick Classic Healthy Grains Adult Dry Dog Food
| Main ingredients: | Deboned chicken, chicken meal, brown rice, barley, turkey meal, oatmeal, chicken fat, quinoa, salmon meal, natural flavor |
| Protein content: | 26% |
| Fat content: | 16% |
| Calories: | 393 kcal/cup |
Merrick Classic Healthy Grains Real Chicken + Brown Rice Recipe with Ancient Grains Adult Dry Dog Food features real deboned chicken as the first ingredient and a precise blend of essential vitamins and minerals for a complete and balanced diet. Ancient grains and brown rice aid in digestion and support energy needs, while omega fatty acids promote a healthy coat and skin. There’s also a mix of glucosamine and chondroitin for hip and joint mobility.
This food has no peas, lentils, or potatoes. All Merrick foods are made in Hereford, TX, and cooked in the US from globally sourced ingredients. Reviewers had problems with their dogs not eating the food or problems with consistent quality between bags.
Pros
- Deboned chicken, ancient grains, and brown rice
- Glucosamine and chondroitin for mobility
- No peas, lentils, or potatoes
Cons
- Some dogs don’t like it
- Inconsistent quality
10. Rachael Ray Nutrish Dish Dry Dog Food
| Main ingredients: | Chicken, chicken meal, dried peas, brown rice, brewers rice, pea protein, poultry fat, whole flaxseed, dried plain beet pulp |
| Protein content: | 26% |
| Fat content: | 14% |
| Calories: | 364 kcal/cup |
Rachael Ray Nutrish Dish Natural Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe with Veggies & Fruit Dry Dog Food offers complete and balanced nutrition for dogs of all breeds at all life stages. Real chicken is the first ingredient to support organ and muscle health, and brown rice offers a low-fat, high-fiber carbohydrate for digestive health and energy. It also contains vitamins, minerals, and fiber for vitamins and minerals.
No fillers, wheat, soy, or gluten is found in this food. A portion of the proceeds benefits the Rachael Ray Foundation. Several reviewers complained about quality control and plain, monochromatic kibble that lacks all the “real food” ingredients like carrots or peas.
Pros
- Complete and balanced nutrition
- High fiber for digestive health
- No fillers, wheat, soy, or gluten
Cons
- Quality control issues
- Plain, unappetizing kibble
Buyer’s Guide: Finding the Best Chicken & Rice Dog Food
Finding the right dog food is about choosing the right brand and the best ingredients. Here are the benefits of chicken and rice dog foods, plus what to look for in a good brand.
Chicken is one of the leanest sources of complete animal protein, which is why it features so heavily in pet food recipes. It’s also a commonly farmed animal that’s easy to source and relatively inexpensive. Look for brands that use real chicken, not chicken by-products or meal, as the primary ingredients.
Chicken nutrition varies with the part of the chicken it comes from, but generally, it contains about 165 calories per 100 grams, as well as 31 grams of protein, 0 grams of carbohydrates, and 3.6 grams of fat.
Like all animal protein, chicken has a complete amino acid profile, and it’s rich in iron, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, potassium, niacin, and vitamins B, A, and C.
White and brown rice are good sources of carbohydrates and are highly digestible for dogs. Most dogs can eat rice comfortably, as long as they don’t have a rice allergy.
The difference between them is that brown rice is the whole grain, which includes the outer coating, and white rice has the bran and germ removed along with a lot of the nutritional content. The tradeoff is that white rice is generally more digestible, but it’s lower in key nutrients like thiamine, manganese, magnesium, iron, zinc, and more. If your dog has a sensitive stomach, look for a brand with white rice. If your dog needs extra nutrients, consider brown rice.
A 100-gram serving of white rice has about 130 calories and 2.7 grams of protein, 0.3 grams of fat, and 28 grams of carbohydrates. The same serving of brown rice has about 111 calories with 2.6 grams of protein, 0.9 grams of fat, and 23 grams of carbohydrates.
Final Thoughts
Chicken and rice dog food is widely available from most dog food brands, but not all formulas are equal. Our top pick is Ollie Fresh Chicken Recipe, which is freshly prepared with real ingredients and shipped directly to your door. If you’re on a budget, Pedigree Adult Complete Nutrition Dry Dog Food has all the nutrition your dog needs for the money.
Happy shopping!
Featured Image Credit: Dmytro Zinkevych, Shutterstock
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