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!
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.
Notes
To keep chicken from drying out, I recommend mixing the shredded chicken with 1 cup of the cooking liquid before storing in an airtight container.
To make shredded chicken in a slow cooker: Add all the ingredients to the crock pot, along with at least 1 cup of water or broth. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
To make shredded chicken in an Instant Pot: Add all the ingredients to the pot, along with at least 1 cup of water or broth. Close the lid and set the valve to the seal position. Press the manual pressure button and pressure cook on high for 10 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally before manually releasing any remaining pressure.