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ZIWI Peak Air-Dried Chicken is a ready-to-serve recipe made with chicken, organs, bone, and New Zealand green mussel. The trade-off is price. Using the 2.2 lb bag, a dog with a 1,000-calorie daily budget would cost about $12.00 per day to feed entirely on this recipe. A 100-calorie topper would cost $1.20 per day for the ZIWI portion.
Quick verdict. Chicken is worth considering if you want a calorie-dense topper or can budget for it as a main meal. Its nutritional adequacy statement covers adult dogs, including large adults, but excludes puppies expected to weigh 70 pounds or more when grown. ZIWI’s Original Air-Dried Lamb has different large-size growth wording. This review covers the Original Air-Dried Chicken Recipe for dogs and is based on the U.S. label and listed prices.
Ingredients in ZIWI Peak Air-Dried Chicken
The animal ingredients on ZIWI’s U.S. list are chicken, liver, bone, necks, heart, cartilage, and New Zealand green mussel. Chicken is the only land-animal source listed. The mussel is a separate animal ingredient and matters if you are screening the recipe for specific proteins.
The formula also lists parsley, dried apple pomace, chicory-root inulin, kelp, salt, a preservative blend, added vitamins, and minerals. If your dog is on a veterinary diet or is avoiding a particular ingredient, check the actual bag and ask your veterinarian before adding a topper. ZIWI U.S. Chicken Recipe ingredient list
Guaranteed Analysis, Calories, and Life Stages
| Measure | ZIWI U.S. label |
|---|---|
| Crude protein, minimum | 38% |
| Crude fat, minimum | 30% |
| Crude fiber, maximum | 3% |
| Moisture, maximum | 14% |
| Ash, maximum | 12% |
| Taurine, minimum | 0.23% |
| Glucosamine, minimum | 1,000 mg/kg |
| Chondroitin sulfate, minimum | 3,000 mg/kg |
| Calculated metabolizable energy | 5,000 kcal/kg, or 474 kcal per level cup |
At 5 kcal per gram, a 20-gram portion provides 100 calories. A kitchen scale makes small portions easier to measure. If your dog needs a fat-restricted diet, share the label with your veterinarian before changing foods. ZIWI U.S. Chicken Recipe guaranteed analysis
ZIWI states that the recipe is formulated to meet AAFCO dog food nutrient profiles for all life stages except growth of large-size dogs, defined as dogs expected to weigh at least 70 pounds as adults. That distinction is about growth. Large adult dogs fall within the label’s stated coverage. For a puppy, check the nutritional adequacy statement on the specific bag. ZIWI U.S. Chicken Recipe · FDA guide to complete and balanced pet food
Price Check and Daily Feeding Cost
ZIWI’s U.S. store listed the 16 oz bag at $29.98 and the 2.2 lb bag at $59.98 on November 10, 2026. The examples use net weights of 454 g and 1,000 g, respectively, and exclude shipping, tax, and discounts. Prices can change. 16 oz bag · 2.2 lb bag
| Example | ZIWI per day | Daily cost, 2.2 lb bag | Daily cost, 16 oz bag |
|---|---|---|---|
| 300 kcal entirely from ZIWI | 60 g | $3.60 | $3.96 |
| 1,000 kcal entirely from ZIWI | 200 g | $12.00 | $13.21 |
| 100 kcal from ZIWI in a 1,000 kcal diet | 20 g | $1.20 | $1.32 |
These are cost examples. For the 2.2 lb bag, divide $59.98 by 5,000 kcal and multiply by the calories supplied by ZIWI. At 1,000 kcal per day, that bag lasts five days as a full meal. At 100 kcal per day, it lasts 50 days as a topper.
The topper row shows the cost of the ZIWI portion. If you use it to replace 100 calories of your dog’s current food, the regular food supplies the remaining 900 calories in this example. The total bill depends on the price of those 900 calories. For a starting portion, use the feeding directions or ZIWI’s calculator and take your dog’s individual needs into account. ZIWI feeding calculator
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Ready to serve without mixing with water.
- Named chicken ingredients and a clearly listed seafood ingredient.
- Useful in small, weighed portions when you want to compare topper costs.
Cons
- The cost adds up quickly as a full diet, especially at higher daily calorie needs.
- The label excludes large-size puppy growth.
- The high calorie density makes it easy to add more calories than intended when scooping by eye.
ZIWI Peak Chicken vs. Beef vs. Lamb
The three Original Air-Dried recipes are close in calorie density. The more important differences are the main meat and the wording for large-size puppy growth. All three list New Zealand green mussel.
| Recipe | kcal/kg | kcal per level cup | Large-size growth on U.S. label |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 5,000 | 474 | Excluded |
| Beef | 4,900 | 465 | Excluded |
| Lamb | 4,950 | 469 | Included |
Figures and life-stage wording are from ZIWI’s U.S. product pages. Confirm the statement on the bag you buy. Chicken label · Beef label · Lamb label
For more on the other recipes, see our ZIWI Peak Air-Dried Beef review and ZIWI Peak Air-Dried Lamb review.
Bottom Line
The Chicken Recipe makes the most financial sense as a measured topper or as a main meal for a dog with lower calorie needs. At the prices checked, the 16 oz bag has the lower upfront cost, while the 2.2 lb bag costs less per calorie. Start with the adequacy statement and ingredient list, then use your dog’s actual calorie needs to decide whether the daily cost fits your budget.