Julie Clark
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How to Make Shredded Chicken
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Wondering how you can jump into weekly meal prep? Learn how to make shredded chicken using for chicken casserole, chicken tacos, shredded chicken sandwiches and more.
I’ll be honest. We don’t eat fancy meals. Amongst the creamy cheesecake and sugar cookies, I’m just a mom making quick meals on busy weeknights and make sure my kids have decent lunches to eat. The “how to” I’m sharing today is easy. And it’s all about meal planning for salads and quick dinners like chicken cordon bleu casserole and our shredded bbq chicken recipe.
What is the best chicken for shredding?
If you want easy shredded chicken, the most important thing to remember is to choose boneless skinless chicken. By choosing either boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, you don’t have to worry about separating out any fat or bones which keeps meal prep quick and easy.
Boneless skinless chicken breasts are a classic option, but chicken thighs have a little higher fat content which can make them more flavorful. Either one will work!
What about chicken on the bone? The key to using whole chicken or chicken on a bone to make chicken to shred is that you have to simmer it until the tender chicken falls off the bone. Allow the chicken to simmer in your cooking liquid for 70-90 minutes.
The bonus with bone-in chicken is that you can use the broth from simmering the chicken as chicken stock for soup. It’s delicious!
How to Make Shredded Chicken
Meal prep for chicken! Learn how to make shredded chicken using FOUR METHODS for casseroles, tacos, sandwiches and more.
Servings 12
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 4-5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (family pack)
- salt and pepper (as desired)
- 1 cup chicken broth (or water)
Instructions
In the slow cooker.
- Place the chicken breasts in a slow cooker. Sprinkle with seasoning. Add at least ½ cup chicken broth for 4 chicken breasts, but with more chicken, I usually add up to 1 cup.
- Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. It should be perfectly shreddable at this point!
In the Instant Pot.
- Place chicken broth or water in electric pressure cooker. Add the chicken and seasonings to taste.
- Seal the electric pressure cooker with the lid and turn the vent valve to sealing. Program the electric pressure cooker to cook on “manual” or “pressure cook” for 12 minutes.
- Allow the pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes before quick release. Remove the lid and remove chicken to a large bowl or cutting board. Shred the chicken breasts.
On the stovetop.
- Place the chicken in a dutch oven or large pot. Season with salt and pepper.
- Pour enough water over chicken so that the water is 1" above the chicken. Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat.
- After the water is at a rolling boil, reduce the heat to medium low. The exact time it will take to cook depends on how large the chicken breasts are. Plan for about 10 minutes. Larger breasts will take a little longer and smaller breasts may take a minute or two shorter.Make sure the chicken has reached 165º Fahrenheit internal temperature. Remove the chicken from the pot and shred.
In the oven.
- Preheat the oven to 400º Fahrenheit.
- Place the chicken breasts on a baking sheet or 9×13" pan. Brush with olive oil and season as desired. This helps protect the chicken from drying out.
- Bake for around 20 minutes. The exact timing will depend on how large the chicken breasts are. Make sure the chicken has reached 165º Fahrenheit internal temperature. Slice and shred.
Notes
**Please note. The exact timing for all methods will depend on the size of the chicken breasts, which can vary greatly. Adjust accordingly based on the chicken breasts that you normally buy.**
When we are making basic shredded chicken, we season the chicken with salt and pepper for use in just about any recipe. Other simple seasonings to add are garlic powder and onion powder. You can always add Italian or Mexican seasonings for different flavor.
You should always refrigerate cooked chicken right away. It can be kept in the refrigerator for 3-4 days in an airtight container. Shredded chicken is great in our chicken wraps!
You can freeze cooked chicken for 2-3 months according to the FDA. Place in the freezer in small amounts for casseroles, tacos and soups. You can also follow our guidelines for freezing pork and do the same with chicken.
Nutrition
Calories: 173kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 97mg | Sodium: 247mg | Potassium: 575mg | Vitamin A: 45IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 1mg
Easy Ways to Shred Chicken
When chicken is cooked perfectly, it is really easy to shred. After the chicken rests and cools, it should be tender enough just to shred with your hands!
Shred chicken with a mixer. Set the mixer to low speed and don’t go overboard, but allow the beaters to easily shred chicken. For a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment.
Shred chicken with forks. Take two forks and pull in opposite directions on a cooked chicken breast. Easy as that, you’ve got shredded chicken with no fancy tools.
Shred chicken with shredder claws. If I’m working with extra large chicken breasts or large amounts of chicken, meat shredder claws can be a great option. They grab right into the meat and tear it apart easily. They work perfectly for shredded pork and instant pot pulled pork, too.
You may also love our 15 bean and ham soup, and buttermilk fried chicken breasts.
I would like to mention…being a widower, and that culinary arts wasn’t in my forte.. I boiled my first whole chicken last night and it turned out well. Thank you for the info for me to accomplish that.
That being said, what a freaking mess. If you are going to boil a chicken, you may as well make it more that one at a time.
And if you don’t have a yard to throw the “broth” away…OMG
Thank you for your tips.
I made your homemade taco seasoning on Saturday. I only made half of a recipe just in case. HA!! I was very pleased with the it. I will be making it again.