Keeping cooked, shredded chicken on hand is crucial to making dinner night a pleasure and not a pain. There are tons and tons of recipes out there that call for cooked chicken and I’m going to share with you my latest favorite method for getting tender, delicious cooked chicken without a) buying a rotisserie chicken and b) having to plan ahead.
Frequently, if I have happened to plan ahead, I’ll throw chicken breasts in the slow cooker with low-sodium chicken broth and some simple seasonings and let it cook on low for 4-5 hours until the chicken breasts are just cooked through (too long in the crockpot and they’ll be dry). After the chicken has been shredded and cooled, I will freeze the chicken to use for later. However, I don’t always think to plan ahead and so when I came across this latest method from America’s Test Kitchen, I knew it would be a lifechanger. And it has been. I’ve used this method at least 5-6 times in the last two weeks and I love the result. The chicken is moist and flavorful and I can have cooked, shredded chicken for a recipe in less than 15-20 minutes (plus, you can increase the proportions and freeze to use later). To be perfectly honest, I like the finished product of this chicken much more than the crockpot method. It has more flavor and is juicy and delicious. It’s my new go-to.
I’ve included the how-to below. Also, for your viewing pleasure (and because I love these darn collages so much), I’ve put together a quick view of my top 16 favorite recipes that use cooked, shredded chicken. Armed with this list of recipes and an easy way to get that cooked, shredded chicken, you should be good to go!
How To: Simple Shredded Chicken
Printable Version with Picture
Printable Version
*Makes 3-4 cups of cooked, shredded chicken
INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 (about 2 pounds) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
3/4 cup water or low-sodium chicken broth
DIRECTIONS:
In a large 12-inch nonstick skillet with a lid, heat the olive oil over medium heat until hot and rippling. Pat the chicken dry and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Place the chicken top-side down in the hot skillet and let the chicken cook for 5 minutes until golden brown on top. Flip the chicken, add the water or chicken broth, cover the skillet and let the chicken simmer gently over medium heat for 7-10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through (it will register 160 degrees on a thermometer). Don’t overcook or it might be dry. While the chicken is simmering, add additional water 1/4 cup at a time if the liquid evaporates too quickly. Remove the chicken from the skillet. Let it cool slightly before shredding. The cooked chicken will keep well-covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or can be frozen for up to 2 months.
Recipe Source: inspired by a method from America’s Test Kitchen
I love this, Mel! I always need cooked chicken, and I often buy rotisserie chickens just for the white meat. This is so easy and fast! I love your collages!
Fantastic post! I’m always looking for quick dinners to make during the week.
I was using your crockpot method for shredding chicken, but I’m def. going to give this one a try, thanks!
Anything from America’s Test Kitchen is great! Now my slow cooker will be free for something else on my cook ahead days. Thanks for finding and sharing this method.
Have you heard of the KitchenAid trick to shred your cooked chicken? It is AMAZING. Just turn the mixer on low with the paddle attachement on and it shreds chicken in like 10 seconds. I posted about it here: http://stickafork.net/2011/12/how-to-shred-chicken/
I just tried that kitchenaid trick a few weeks ago.
One word: LIFECHANGING!
I didn’t think it would work and the breasts thunked around in the beginning. I thought it was a bad thing and then it shredded it so good! My jaw dropped. Good thing I did not bet on it cuz I would lost.
Yes. Definitely try the KitchenAid shredding method. 20 or less seconds and the chicken is shredded perfectly.
Wow, this is so helpful. I always end up boiling my chicken which gives me not so wonderful results. I will use this so often! Thanks!
Life changing, indeed.
You are the best. Been wondering about your crockpot method, but now have a new and improved version. My kitchen just gets more and more efficient. Thanks!
Oh how I love you Mel!!! That might sound a bit over the top, but I was a HORRIBLE cook until my sister-in-law told me about your blog!! My husband thinks you are amazing as well. I actually now have a nice list of great recipes that have made me successful in the kitchen.
Thanks for posting a recipe as simple as this because I always seem to overcook my crockpot chicken. I love that your blog makes everything simple and you don’t take for granted that people just know how to do certain things (like how to use yeast, grate ginger, or make plain ‘ol chicken to add to other recipes).
You are AMAZING!
We had a class at church for the women that included recipes to make with a rotisserie chicken, but when I put that thing in the cart and then into my car, I almost can’t stand the smell. (Does anyone else know what I’m talking about?!) I love these ideas of how to cook the chicken, then shred it, and then you even went so far as to plan out what to make with it. You are amazing and provide all I ever need to make good food in my home. Thanks!
Thanks for the tip! I always boiled chicken and while sometimes it came out great, other times it came out too dry. Thanks again!
I have shredded chicken in my Bosch with the whisks and it has also changed my life. Just make sure your chicken is piping hot when you do it. It can break your machine if it isn’t. I love you blog Mel and refer to it often! Have you ever tried pressure cooking chicken? It is a great way to cook fast and keep in nutrients.
I love your site.=)
Thanks! I have been looking for a great way to make shredded chicken to have on hand!
This collage makes a lot of sense to me. I like to think and work in groupings, planning ahead. I appreciate you saving me a step of looking for all the recipes this could work for!
This might be a dumb question~ can you do this with frozen chicken? Or, does it have to be thawed before you put it in the hot pan with the hot oil?
Mel, have you ever pressure canned chicken breasts? It’s super easy and even MORE life changing than this wonderful method because it’s already cooked and you put it on your shelf rather than in your freezer. I can do 10 minute meals for my family with my very own flavorful, ready to go chicken in a quart jar! Email me if you would like to discuss further. I have taught many friends to do this and several classes. It’s is the most meal changing thing I’ve ever learned to do. And, you can do beef, ground meats, pork, or fish–or venison if your hubby is a hunter type.
Yea recipe collages! My family and I have enjoyed meals exclusively from your site for the past week. Thanks for sharing! (And your chicken corn chowder is a HUGE hit with my entire family right down to my obnoxiously picky 6 yo son!)
Many many hugs from rainy Georgia–
Mel, you are my inspiration! I hope Minnesota is treating you well, it is beautiful there.
RuthAnn, I would love to know how you do your pressure canned chicken breasts.
Thanks for the great idea! I can’t wait to try it. I too am always realizing I need shredded chicken for a recipe and realize its too late to do the crock pot method.
Misty – this method works best with thawed chicken, not frozen. The frozen chicken can turn out dry because of the longer cooking time and it also adds a lot more liquid to the pan while cooking.
Thank You Mel~ I thought it would have to be thawed…..that just will require me to think about doing this a little earlier in the day! =) I really appreciate you taking the time to answer my question. I am a faithful Kitchen Cafe reader and use your recipies on a daily basis. Thank You for taking the time to run this great website!
Mel, I just wanted to thank you for having this blog. I’ve never commented but wanted to let you know that I love coming to your blog to find recipes to make the upcoming week for my husband and me. Your pictures are lovely, the directions are easy to understand, and the recipes wonderful. Thanks for all the work you put in so I can have a trusted recipe blog to go to!
I’ve been buying the two-pack of whole birds from Sams and roast them off in my huge LeCreuset. Lilly absolutely loves chicken that way. I always freeze the meat of one bird. It’s very handy, but we eat a lot of chicken and I seem to cook about 4 every ten days! I also refuse to buy chicken stock, so this way I always have some on hand too!
I developed a yummy recipe for chicken and rice soup and David has me make 9 quarts at a time so he always has something for lunch. I also make your green chili enchiladas every few weeks!
Lilly and David like dark meat so I’ll probably continue roasting the whole birds (who can beat 77 cents a pound?) I prefer the white meat so perhaps I’ll double up this weekend. Thanks for the new way to cook the chicken!
Hi Mel! Just wanted to tell you how much I love this blog. I found it a few months go through Pinterest and after browsing through it and pinning a dozen different recipes, I was hooked! Thanks so much for the blog!
Thanks for this, I’m going to try it!! Here’s a tip I saw on Pinterest on how to shred cooked chicken easily, I tried it and it worked! Put the cooked chicken in your stand mixer with the paddle attachment. This method shredded the chicken perfectly and was so much easier!
Well this post and the comments are sure to be life changing for me. I am going to try this method today. And shred chicken in my Bosch? Are you serious? I don’t think I would dare with the whisks, but I am going to try it with the paddles. I just wonder if it shreds it to strings or if it leaves it a little chunkier.
Brilliant!!! Thank you so much. I have been thinking about this a lot lately and I knew there had to be a better way than what I was doing. I tried this today and it was so quick, the chicken was moist and had a great flavor! This is definatley my new way!!!
I tried this method today and it is as life changing as everyone claims. I especially loved the suggestions to use the KitchenAid for shredding the cooked chicken. Unbelievable! It worked perfectly. I used the shredded chicken to make the Chicken Corn Chowder that Mel posted in her collage. Yum!
Used this method tonight and it worked great! Thanks so much for the great tip – the chicken was moist and shredded easily
So thankful for your site! I’ve never made a bad recipe!
I too keep cooked chicken breasts on hand to make many dishes. The method I prefer is to take bone in, skin on chicken breasts, drizzle olive oil, kosher salt and pepper on both sides and bake at 350 degrees for 45 -60 minutes. Internal temp should read 160. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. This type of chicken breast is cheaper and more favorable.
Just did this for the first time today – it turned out great! The chicken is tender and flavorful. Much better than my usual method of baking it. It will be perfect in white chicken chili on this cold, rainy fall day. Thanks!
This post was so timely for me! I needed to make a LARGE quantity of shredded chicken for a charity function. This turned out so flavorful and not-at-all dry. Now I’ve got to make some for myself. As always, you’re the best!
Just made this for use in your delicious tostada recipe and the chicken by itself is amazing, without all the other stuff added yet! This is such a quick and easy way to prepare shredded chicken, I will use it all the time. You are the best EVER!
Yummy recipe for shredded chicken, thanks Mel. But really, the tip about shredding in a stand up mixer is BRILLIANCE.
Terrific! I used more liquid and added some white wine. My chicken breasts were larger than normal. Made chicken quesadillas and chicken tortilla soup.
Love this simple, handy prep recipe. I know I will always use this. Thank you!
Sweet hubby told me, “This is the way I want you to ALWAYS cook chicken from now on.”
Goes to show . . . you can teach this “old mama of many children” new tricks.
Laurel
mama of 12
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[...] prepare filling: Dice or shred cooked chicken (roast chicken, Mel’s Kitchen Cafe method, or your favorite method for preparing chicken). Place in a large [...]
A fast and simple way to shread the chicken is to place the cooked chicken into the bowl of a Kichen Aid mixer and use the regular beater then process on high for about a min or until the chicken is shreaded. I also use this method to shread pork which has been left over from a pork roast. Add BBQ sauce and you have a wonderful pulled pork sandwich.
Thank you this was a huge time saver!
Excellent! Beautiful shredded chicken and sooo quick.
[...] If you’re not up to the task of roasting and shredding a whole chicken you can also use chicken breasts. Here’s a quick how-to on making Simple Shredded Chicken from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe. [...]
I can’t seem to get the collage to work. When I hover over an individual picture I can’t just click on that picture. I worked for me a few weeks ago. Maybe something changed when you did the site redesign?