An Easy Shredded Chicken recipe that makes juicy, flavorful and tender chicken every time. Use it in omelets, salads, tacos, nachos, soups, rice bowls, burritos, enchiladas and more!
Have you ever looked at a recipe that called for shredded chicken as an ingredient but it didn’t actually tell you how to make it in the instructions?
Back when I first started learning how to cook, I needed instructions for everything. It didn’t matter how simple and easy it was (hard boiled eggs, white rice, steamed veggies), I needed step-by-step instructions on how to make it. And shredded chicken was one of those things. I was a total newbie and needed all the help I could get!
So today I’m taking it back to Cooking 101 and showing you how to make one of the most versatile foods that you can have in your fridge. Let’s do it!
How to make shredded chicken
- First, place your chicken in a large dutch oven or pot and season it generously with coarse kosher salt and pepper. Don’t be afraid of the salt!
- Next, add in 1/4 of a large onion, 2 bay leaves and 2 cloves of garlic.
- Cover all the ingredients in the pot completely with water. You want the water to be about 1 inch above all the ingredients. Bring everything to boil over high heat.
- Once boiling, reduce the heat to simmer and cook for the chicken for about 20 minutes depending on the thickness of the breasts. You could also use chicken thighs if you prefer. Since thighs are usually smaller and thinner, I would the cooking time to about 15 minutes.
- Last but not least, remove the chicken with a slotted spoon and transfer it to a plate for shredding.
Super easy, right?! To make sure your shredded chicken is flavorful, tender and juicy, here are few tips.
Tips for making shredded chicken
Shredding chicken is easier while it’s still warm, so don’t wait too long before shredding it! I like letting it cool for about 5 minutes on a plate and then shredding it with two forks.
Once you shred the chicken, I like tossing it with 1 cup of the cooking liquid. This helps it stay moist when you store it in the fridge and keeps it from drying out when you reheat it.
I highly recommend getting an in-oven thermometer like this one. {affiliate link} It’s so helpful to know exactly when the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F, which keeps you from accidentally overcooking it and drying it out. Nobody likes dry chicken.
Don’t throw away the cooking liquid! Thanks to the onion, garlic and bay leaves, the broth is infused with lots of flavor so I recommend storing it in some glass mason jars and using it in recipes that call for broth.
Making a big batch of shredded chicken can be such a time saver and is seriously life changing. You can use it in omelets, salads, tacos, nachos, soups, rice bowls, burritos, enchiladas, you name it! If you’re looking for a little Mexican recipe inspiration, here are a few of my favorites that use shredded chicken as an ingredient.
Recipes to make with shredded chicken
- Cream Cheese Chicken Taquitos
- White Bean Chicken Chili Verde Soup
- Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Chicken Enchilada Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
- Roasted Poblano Chicken Burritos
Ingredients
- 3 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- coarse kosher salt
- coarse black pepper
- 1/4 large onion
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 cloves garlic
- water
Instructions
- Place chicken in large dutch oven or pot and season generously with salt and pepper.
- Add onion, bay leaves and garlic.
- Cover the chicken and other ingredients completely with water (about 1 inch above the ingredients) and bring to a boil over high heat.
- Reduce heat to simmer and cook for about 20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the chicken, until it is fully cooked through and a meat thermometer reads 165°F.
- Remove chicken using a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate. Let cool for 5 minutes and shred with a fork.
Isabel’s Tips:
Nutrition Information
Do you cook the chicken covered or uncovered?
Hi! I left the pot uncovered, but it should still be okay if you cover it.
Super easy and delicious! I used the shredded chicken meat for burritos and enchiladas last week. I saved the broth to steam some veggies on the side. Thanks!
This recipe sounds amazing! I was just wondering if you could use frozen chicken and if that would change anything.
Hi Beverly! This recipe hasn’t been tested using frozen chicken, but I think you can use it. You’ll likely need to raise the cooking time, but as long as the chicken reaches 165 degrees F, it should work!
Thank you for this shredded chicken recipe! Also for the tip to save the cooking liquid and toss the chicken in it. Makes a big difference in texture and flavor. I have never known what simmer means because there are many possible levels between low and high boil. Does it matter?
Hi Mary! That’s a great tip! Simmer is usually a lower boil, where it produces small and consistent bubbles. That way the liquid doesn’t dry out before it’s cooked.
Delicious recipe and super easy to make.
Thank you!
So easy. I will make again and again, Thank you so much for sharing!
Thank for sharing !
This recipe that makes juicy, flavorful and tender chicken
Should the chicken be covered or uncovered during cooking?
Hi! The chicken should be covered while cooking.
Thank you. I will use this the next time a recipe calls for shredded chicken!
This was so EASY! And super tasty, I added to a Japanese curry! So so so yum, and I can’t express how easy this was. Thank you!
I tried it and it worked! So easy! thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! It worked out perfectly and froze well too. Storing in the moisture made all of the difference. I was able to add mexican seasoning and spice up the leftovers. I’ll be using this over and over!
hey, do we cover the pot when we cook the chicken?
Hi! Yes, the chicken should be covered whiled cooking.
Hi! How long can I keep the broth for? Thank you!
You can save and store the broth in your freezer for about 2 months or in the fridge for about a week.
Excellent method! Thanks!
Hi, have you tried to shred chicken with a hand mixer? Super easy….
I haven’t yet, but it’s a great idea! I’ve seen people do that and it looks super easy!
Do I put a lid on the pot and it does go on the hob and not in the oven doesn’t it?
Hi wondering how long the shredded chicken would last in the fridge?
It lasts about 4 days in the fridge and about 3 months in the freezer.
I need a delicious chicken chilaquila recipe! Help!!
Hey Marisela! I have a chilaquile recipe here – https://www.isabeleats.com/easy-red-chilaquiles-recipe/. You can just add shredded chicken to that if you’d like! If you want to know how to make shredded chicken at home, here’s a recipe for that too – https://www.isabeleats.com/easy-shredded-chicken-recipe/