→ See the live ingredient breakdown for Stella & Chewy's
What's actually in Stella & Chewy's?
We analyzed Stella & Chewy's Raw Blend Baked Kibble Cage-Free Chicken Recipe. The first ingredient is chicken — whole, named animal protein, exactly what you want to see leading a dog food. Chicken meal follows at position two, providing concentrated protein with significantly more per-gram punch than the whole meat above it. Two chicken-based proteins opening the formula sets a strong foundation.
Peas arrive at position three, lentils at four, and pea protein at five. That's a legume cluster in the middle of the list, which we'll address. Chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols — a natural preservative) lands at six, followed by pea starch at seven. After that, things get genuinely interesting: dried egg product, natural flavor, flaxseed, and then the headline feature — freeze-dried chicken, freeze-dried chicken liver, and freeze-dried chicken heart. Pumpkinseeds, chicory root, and four probiotic strains close out the formula. Shop on Amazon →
The good stuff
The freeze-dried raw pieces are the star of this formula, and they're what separates Stella & Chewy's from the rest of the market. Most kibble brands add a trendy superfood or two for marketing purposes. Stella & Chewy's includes actual organ meats — chicken liver and chicken heart — freeze-dried right into the kibble blend. Organ meats are among the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet, packed with vitamins A and B12, iron, CoQ10, and a spectrum of micronutrients that muscle meat alone doesn't deliver. This is a genuine nutritional advantage, not a label gimmick.
The gut health package is outstanding. Four distinct probiotic strains — Pediococcus acidilactici, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium longum, and Bacillus coagulans — work alongside dried chicory root as a prebiotic fiber source. That synbiotic combination (probiotics plus prebiotic) is one of the most complete digestive support systems we've seen in any commercial kibble. Most brands include one probiotic strain if they include any at all. Stella & Chewy's includes four.
Taurine is supplemented directly, which is a smart and proactive choice given the grain-free formulation. Rather than hoping dogs synthesize enough taurine on their own, Stella & Chewy's adds it to the formula — directly addressing the DCM amino acid concern that hangs over grain-free diets. Flaxseed provides plant-based omega-3 fatty acids for skin and coat health. Pumpkinseeds contribute zinc and magnesium, two minerals that support immune function and muscle health. No artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives anywhere in the formula.
The company itself adds credibility. Stella & Chewy's is Minneapolis-based, founded in 2003, and B Corp certified — a designation that requires meeting verified social and environmental standards. They've been in the raw and freeze-dried space longer than most competitors have been in business.
The not-so-good stuff
The grain-free legume load is the one meaningful caveat. Peas (#3), lentils (#4), pea protein (#5), and pea starch (#7) — four legume-derived ingredients in the first seven positions. This is a common pattern in grain-free formulas: breaking legumes into multiple named forms (whole peas, pea protein, pea starch) so each appears lower on the list individually, while collectively legumes make up a significant portion of the carbohydrate base.
The FDA's investigation into grain-free diets and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in dogs is worth noting here. No definitive causal link has been established, and Stella & Chewy's proactive taurine supplementation directly addresses the amino acid pathway that researchers have focused on. For breeds predisposed to DCM (Dobermans, Boxers, Golden Retrievers, Great Danes), it's still a conversation worth having with your vet — but the taurine addition is exactly the kind of responsible formulation choice that separates thoughtful brands from careless ones.
The price is premium — roughly $25 to $30 for a 10-pound bag. That's real money, especially for larger dogs. But unlike many premium brands that charge more for marketing rather than ingredients, Stella & Chewy's puts the investment on the ingredient panel where it counts: freeze-dried organ meats, four probiotic strains, and supplemented taurine aren't cheap to include.
How it compares
At A/90, Stella & Chewy's Raw Blend Baked Kibble sits in the A tier, ahead of strong grain-free options like Taste of the Wild (B/78), Blue Buffalo Life Protection (B/78), and Blue Buffalo Wilderness (B/78). It ties the other top grain-free kibbles — Acana (A/90), Fromm Gold (A/90), Orijen (A/90), and Nulo (A/90) — which share its tight legume control and strong animal-protein density at the top of the panel.
Worth flagging: Stella & Chewy's freeze-dried-raw line scores higher under our Fresh Food Rubric v1.0 — see Stella & Chewy's Freeze-Dried (A/90). The Raw Blend Baked Kibble is the kibble-format product, scored under the dry-kibble rubric, which is where the legume cluster shows up as a real penalty. The two products share a brand and a philosophy but score under different frameworks.
Where Stella & Chewy's still earns its premium positioning is in the additions: freeze-dried organ meats deliver micronutrients that vitamin premixes can't fully replicate, the four-strain probiotic blend is a genuine standout across the kibble market, and the proactive taurine supplementation directly addresses the legume-DCM amino acid pathway. Those are real strengths — they just can't fully offset the legume density on the dry-kibble rubric.
Read the full breakdown in our Freshpet vs Stella & Chewy’s head-to-head comparison.
The bottom line
Stella & Chewy's Raw Blend Baked Kibble earns a A grade (90/100) from KibbleIQ — an upper-B kibble whose freeze-dried organ inclusions, four-strain probiotic blend, and proactive taurine supplementation are genuine differentiators. What keeps it out of the A tier is legume density: peas, lentils, pea protein, and pea starch in the first seven ingredients put it in the same legume-cluster bucket as Blue Buffalo Wilderness and Taste of the Wild. If you specifically want the freeze-dried raw concept and your budget supports it, the company's freeze-dried-raw line (A/90) scores higher under our Fresh Food Rubric. If you want a kibble that bridges conventional and raw feeding at a kibble price point, this Raw Blend Baked Kibble is a credible upper-B choice. Shop on Amazon →