Simple Shredded Chicken: A Quick How-To
Check out this post for a simple how-to on cooking and shredding chicken to use in any meal that calls for cooked chicken!
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.
Also, below the how-to/recipe, I’ve given a one-stop guide to my favorite recipes that call for cooked chicken.
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.
Simple Shredded Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 about 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Salt and pepper
- ¾ cup water or low-sodium chicken broth
Instructions
- 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.
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: inspired by a method from America’s Test Kitchen
Best way to cook chicken for soups, salads, other recipes!
Am I the first to ask if I can throw frozen chicken breasts into the skillet?
Using frozen chicken may mean it will cook unevenly over overcook so it’s best to use fresh chicken breasts (or frozen ones that have been thawed)
Excellent!!! We added about 3 ounces of mozzarella cheese along with the pesto, chicken, etc and let it get all melty. So yummy… Thank you!
This is the best way I’ve seen yet for cooking chicken to shred! My new go to recipe, I just made it to use for chicken enchiladas and it was perfect!
Hi Mel! I just have to say- thank you for sharing your amazing recipes and tips with us! I have made so many of your recipes and they are always met with rave reviews and full tummies!
Just a couple of questions:
How would I change the cooking time of the chicken if they were one inch, bite size pieces? (Often times -because of being short on time- I will buy the refrigerated tenderloin pieces and cut them into one inch, bite size pieces.)
Also- I have a convection oven and I always tend to overcook anything that goes in there. Is there some sort of rule of thumb you use to convert cooking times from a regular oven to a convection oven? Specifically for your sweet and sour chicken. I am dying to try it, but I don’t want to ruin it by overcooking it!
You are the best!!!
Hey Natalie – for really small pieces, I think you would only need to cook for a few minutes (probably 4-5 minutes total). They’ll cook super fast! For my convection oven, I always use 25 degrees less than the recipe (if written for a standard bake oven) and often I’ll check several minutes early since things usually cook a bit faster.
I keep reading that chicken thighs are more flavorful than breasts. Would I need to make changes to this recipe for dark meat?
Yes, you would need to cook it longer as thighs take longer to cook than chicken breasts.
I made this to use for chicken in your Mexican Chicken Sweet Potato Skillet recipe and was impressed with the speed, ease and result of preparing the chicken this way. Will use this recipe now on for fast chicken! I cubed it after cooking and it was great.