How to Make Shredded Chicken
This easy shredded chicken recipe makes flavorful, moist and tender shredded chicken. It’s great for meal prep, salads, casseroles and more!
Use this chicken in my Chicken Salad Recipe, Chicken Enchilada Casserole or Chicken Pot Pie.
This Shredded Chicken is an Easy Dinner Staple
Many of my favorite dinner recipes call for shredded chicken, and today I’m sharing my easy recipe for making the best moist, tender and flavorful shredded chicken. It’s been years since I first shared my Instant Pot Shredded Chicken and Crockpot Shredded Chicken recipes. I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to share my basic stovetop method for how to make shredded chicken!
Just like my Poached Chicken recipe, I make this shredded chicken often as the basis of easy meals. It’s so versatile! A few simple tricks ensure that this shredded chicken is always exceptionally flavorful.
My secrets to the best shredded chicken:
- I season it with a few basic pantry seasonings to flavor the chicken from the start.
- I quickly brown it in a skillet to build flavor.
- Then I gently simmer the chicken in water to finish cooking it. Keeping the heat at a low simmer and not overcooking it is crucial to keeping the chicken tender and juicy.
This shredded chicken is good enough to eat as it is – I love adding it to salads and bowls (like this Buddha Bowl) for protein. It’s also delicious in casseroles, soups and sandwiches. You’ll find more of my favorite shredded chicken recipes below!
Ingredients You’ll Need
How to Make Shredded Chicken
Season chicken breasts with dried oregano, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
Brown the chicken: Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breasts to the pan and brown for 3-4 minutes per side.
Simmer: Carefully pour in enough water to just cover the chicken. Bring to a simmer. Adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cover the pot. Cook for 6-12 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked to an internal temperature of 165° F. The cook time will depend on the size of the chicken breasts.
Rest, then shred. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before shredding. The rest time helps to keep the meat juicy.
How to Shred Chicken
Here are my 3 favorite ways to shred chicken:
- With a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. This method is so fast and easy! Be sure to use low speed so that you can stop the mixer as soon as the chicken is shredded to your liking.
- With two forks. Use two forks to pull the meat apart.
- With your hands. Once it’s cool enough, use your fingers to shred the meat.
See my post about How to Shred Chicken for more tips!
Meal Prep and Storage Tips
This shredded chicken is perfect for meal prep! Make a big batch to use to make easy dinners and lunches throughout the week. Here’s how to store it:
- Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Freezer: Cool completely, then freeze in an airtight container for up to 2-3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before using.
Recipe Variations
- Chicken Thighs: Swap boneless, skinless chicken thighs for the chicken breasts. Cook until the internal temperature of the chicken is 165° F.
- Lemon and Herb: Add a few lemon slices and a few sprigs of fresh rosemary or thyme to the cooking liquid when simmering the chicken. The lemon and herbs will subtly flavor the chicken.
- Mexican: If you plan to use the shredded chicken to make a Mexican-inspired dish like Shredded Chicken Tacos or Chicken Enchiladas, you can enhance the Mexican flavors in your dish by seasoning the chicken breasts with Taco Seasoning.
Favorite Shredded Chicken Recipes
- Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
- Chicken Pot Pie with Biscuits
- Chicken Taquitos
- BBQ Chicken Sliders
- Buffalo Chicken Wrap
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole
- Chicken Casserole
- Chicken Tortilla Casserole
How to Make Shredded Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts*
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Sprinkle the dried oregano, garlic powder, salt and pepper evenly over both sides of the chicken breasts.
- In a large skillet, Dutch oven or other pot (use one that has a lid, since you'll need the lid later on), heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the chicken breasts to the pan and brown on both sides, about 3-4 minutes per side.
- Carefully pour in enough water to just cover the chicken. Bring to a simmer. Adjust the heat as needed to maintain a gentle simmer and cover the pot. Cook for 6-12 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked to an internal temperature of 165° F. (The cook time will vary depending on the size of the chicken breasts.)
- Remove the chicken to a clean bowl or plate and let it rest for 5 minutes. Then shred the chicken, using either two forks, your hands or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (my favorite way!).
Notes
- You can use this recipe to cook more or less chicken. Just be sure that the chicken breasts fit in a single layer in the skillet/pot.
- Store cooked, shredded chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 2-3 months.
