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–+ servings
Shredded chicken in a bowl

The Best Shredded Chicken

This is the very best shredded chicken! Moist, tender, and full of flavor (never dry or bland!), it's easy to make and perfect in so many recipes, like casseroles, chicken salad, Mexican recipes, and more.
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 40 minutes
Total: 45 minutes
Yield:4 servings

Equipment

  • Large skillet with lid
  • Two forks, hand mixer, stand mixer, OR food processor

Ingredients

  • 2-4 chicken breasts
  • 1 quart chicken broth or water
  • salt to taste
  • pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Place chicken breasts in large skillet and add chicken broth to fully cover. Broth should cover chicken by approximately 1 inch.
    Chicken breasts covered with chicken stock in a large skillet
  • Bring liquid to boil, then reduce heat to simmer. Cover and cook 20 to 25 minutes, or until chicken is cooked to minimum internal temperature of 160° Fahrenheit.
    Cooked chicken breasts in chicken stock in a silver skillet
  • Remove chicken from skillet. Reserve broth.
  • Shred chicken using method of choice. See Notes for various shredding methods.
    Chicken breast shredded using a hand mixer in a large silver bowl
  • After shredding chicken, stir in salt and pepper to taste. Stir in a spoonful or two of reserved chicken broth for extra moist chicken.

Notes

  • If you're on Whole30, make sure the chicken broth you use is Whole30-compliant.
 
Shredding Methods
  • Hand Shredded: Using your hands/fingers, pull the chicken apart until completely shredded. Pieces can be as big or as small as you like.
  • Two Forks: Use one fork to steady the chicken while shredding the chicken with another fork. Work in small, short strokes, moving forks away from each other.
  • Hand Mixer: Break the chicken into manageable chunks and place them in a large bowl. Use the standard attachments on your mixer and set mixer to a medium speed. Mix until chicken is completely shredded.
  • Stand Mixer: Use the standard paddle attachment and mix on medium-low speed until chicken chunks are completely shredded.
  • Food Processor: Break up the cooked chicken breasts into chunks first, and work in multiple batches. Add chicken to food processor and use the plastic dough blade attachment to avoid your chicken turning to mush. Process for 30 seconds or until uniformly shredded. Repeat until all chicken is shredded.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1serving | Calories: 76cal | Protein: 13g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 931mg | Potassium: 398mg | Total Carbs: 1g | Net Carbs: 1g | Vitamin A: 22IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 1mg
Recipe By:Cheryl Malik