Shredded chicken is an ingredient in many recipes and is so easy to make from scratch. This method is for boiled (poached) chicken, so it’s very quick.
This can be a great way to keep frozen chicken on hand that’s already cooked – perfect for busy weeknights!
Boiled shredded chicken
- It’s so easy to make shredded chicken on the stove – gently boil the chicken in a flavorful broth (this technique is called “poaching”) and then shred.
- Use it on salads, for meal prep or to keep in the freezer for quick weeknight dinners.
- The seasoning called for is simple but flavorful, to yield delicious chicken that can be used in any recipe.
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Ingredients you’ll need
Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for quantities!
Ingredient notes
- Chicken: Both chicken breast or skinless, boneless chicken thighs work for this recipe. You can also do a mix. Chicken thighs generally yield juicier meat, while chicken breasts are naturally leaner.
- Onion/garlic: I love using fresh garlic and onion in this recipe for a great flavor. If you don’t have any fresh on hand, feel free to use ½ teaspoon each of onion powder and garlic powder.
- Bay leaves: I like the bay leaves here because they add flavor without being overwhelming, so this shredded chicken works in pretty much any recipe. If you don’t have bay leaves on hand, feel free to leave them out. I do recommend replacing them with an herb that’s either not very strong/pretty universal (something like ½ teaspoon of dried parsley or Italian seasoning), or a herb that matches what you want to use the chicken for (some fresh thyme or a sprig of rosemary, for example).
- Lemon? For a refreshing taste, try adding a few slices of lemon to the cooking liquid. This works great if you want to use the shredded chicken on top of a salad or something similar, where you may want to add a distinctive flavor to it.
How to make shredded chicken
1. Start by poaching the chicken – rub your chicken breasts or thighs with salt and pepper, then place them in a large pot with the remaining ingredients.
2. Bring the broth to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and simmer the chicken for around 20 minutes, or until cooked through.
place ingredients in pot simmer to poach chicken
3. Remove the chicken from the broth (do not discard the broth yet!) and shred.
You can use two forks to shred the chicken on a chopping board, or place it in a bowl with tall sides and use your hand mixer to shred it on low speed.
shred with forks or with hand mixer
4. For juicy chicken, I always spoon around ½ cup of the cooking liquid over the shredded meat and stir it well. The chicken will soak up the liquid, which plumps it up and makes it less dry. This is especially helpful when using all chicken breast meat!
Recipe tips
- Only bring the liquid to a boil once, then reduce to a simmer. Otherwise, the chicken can turn out gummy and release too much of its protein into the cooking liquid.
- I find chicken is easiest to shred when it’s hot and just cooked. If you’re used to tearing it apart by hand, please allow it to cool until it’s comfortable to touch. Otherwise, I recommend allowing the chicken to sit for 5 minutes, then shred it right away.
- Make sure to add enough water to cover the chicken, so it doesn’t get stuck on the bottom of the pot.
Storage tips
Fridge: Store the shredded and cooled chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freezer: Pack the shredded and cooled chicken into freezer bags labelled with the name and date. Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight and fully heat through before serving.
Recipe ideas
Use your shredded chicken to top a salad (my favorites are a cucumber, tomato and avocado Salad or a spinach salad).
Use it in recipes like chicken salad, for a chicken tamale pie or for chicken quesadillas and enchiladas. Or use leftovers to make a buffalo chicken dip!
PS If you try this recipe, please leave a review in the comment section and add a star rating in the recipe card – I appreciate your feedback! Follow along on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram.
Printable recipe
Easy Shredded Chicken
Recipe details
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ onion peeled
- 2 cloves garlic peeled and crushed
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 cups chicken broth
- water as needed
Instructions
- Rub chicken with salt and pepper.
- Place all ingredients in a large pot. Add enough water to cover chicken by 1 inch.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer and poach chicken for 20 minutes, or until fully cooked through.
- Remove chicken from broth (do not discard broth yet) and either shred with two forks or in a high-sided bowl using a hand mixer on low speed.
- Spoon about ½ cup of reserved broth over shredded chicken and stir well to help meat absorb liquid.
- Use right away or allow to cool for 30 minutes, then store in airtight container in the fridge for 3 days or in the freezer for 3 months.
Notes
Ingredient notes
- Chicken: Both chicken breast or skinless, boneless chicken thighs work for this recipe. You can also do a mix. Chicken thighs generally yield juicier meat, while chicken breasts are naturally leaner.
- Onion/garlic: I love using fresh garlic and onion in this recipe for a great flavor. If you don’t have any fresh on hand, feel free to use ½ teaspoon each of onion powder and garlic powder.
- Bay leaves: I like the bay leaves here because they add flavor without being overwhelming, so this shredded chicken works in pretty much any recipe. If you don’t have bay leaves on hand, feel free to leave them out. I do recommend replacing them with an herb that’s either not very strong/pretty universal (something like ½ teaspoon of dried parsley or Italian seasoning), or a herb that matches what you want to use the chicken for (some fresh thyme or a sprig of rosemary, for example).
- Lemon? For a refreshing taste, try adding a few slices of lemon to the cooking liquid. This works great if you want to use the shredded chicken on top of a salad or something similar, where you may want to add a distinctive flavor to it.
Recipe tips
- Only bring the liquid to a boil once, then reduce to a simmer. Otherwise, the chicken can turn out gummy and release too much of its protein into the cooking liquid.
- I find chicken is easiest to shred when it’s hot and just cooked. If you’re used to tearing it apart by hand, please allow it to cool until it’s comfortable to touch. Otherwise, I recommend allowing the chicken to sit for 5 minutes, then shred it right away.
- Make sure to add enough water to cover the chicken, so it doesn’t get stuck on the bottom of the pot.
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