How to Make Shredded Chicken is a staple recipe to use in so many ways. This shredded chicken recipe is easy, fast, less expensive to make yourself with fantastic flavor and a fun mess-free shredding trick!
Sometimes it is the most simple of recipes that become the most useful and loved.
A great example is this Moist Homemade Shredded Chicken Breast recipe.
It’s simple and something used in many recipes AND is much better homemade.
Jump to:
- Why Make this Shredded Chicken Recipe
- How to make Shredded Chicken Breast
- Making Homemade Shredded Chicken Recipe – Step by Step
- Shredding Tips
- How to Use Shredded Chicken
- How to Store Shredded Chicken Breast
- Frequently Asked Questions
- The Best Chicken Breast Cooking Recipe too!
- EQUIPMENT USED in this Homemade Shredded Chicken Recipe
- More Recipes You’ll Love
- Recipe
Why Make this Shredded Chicken Recipe
After making this easy, moist Homemade Shredded Chicken Breast recipe, you’ll never be tempted to buy shredded chicken again!
- It’s done in 20 minutes from cooking through shredding, with fantastic flavor.
- A special trick makes shredding fast and mess-free!
In the past when I needed shredded chicken for a recipe I would go to my local market and pick up a moist, succulent rotisserie chicken they crank out a few times a day.
Once home I’d pull off some of the breast meat and using two forks would shred the meat by hand.
This was convenient and I did rarely had time to make a chicken myself.
That is, until one day when I had little time to make a recipe using shredded chicken breast, and there weren’t any rotisserie chickens at the store.
I was out of luck!
Instead I bought some boneless, skinless chicken breasts, already having a fabulous way to cook them quickly without losing any moisture (you can see an example in this Tarragon Pesto Chicken Breast with Dressed Greens recipe).
With a few tweaks I found a great way to make homemade shredded chicken breast, keeping the meat more flavorful as with roast chicken, rather than the flavor of stewed chicken which is another way to make shredded chicken.
How to make Shredded Chicken Breast
The process is super simple and it’s done in less than 20 minutes!
The best part? It’s shredded in a mixer; no forks required.
There are some tips for using the mixer shared below and you can watch the video too.
Making Homemade Shredded Chicken Recipe – Step by Step
Making this homemade shredded chicken recipe is so easy and makes the best shredded chicken ever!
Please refer to the printable recipe card below for recipe specifics.
STEP 1: In a large skillet with a lid, preferably non-stick, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
STEP 2: Salt and pepper the chicken breasts and them to the pan to brown for 4 minutes.
STEP 3: Flip over and brown for another 4 minutes.
STEP 4: Add the chicken broth, reduce to medium-low, put the lid on the skillet and allow to simmer for 5-8 minutes.
NOTE: Chicken should register 160-165 degrees (it will continue to cook when removed from heat).
STEP 5: Remove the chicken from the skillet and allow it to rest for 3 minutes.
STEP 6: Place the chicken in the bowl of a standing mixer. Turn the mixer on the lowest setting, or 1, and mix until the chicken is shredded to the desired texture.
Shredding Tips
The chicken must be warm to shred well however allowing it to rest a few minutes creates the best texture without becoming stringy and dry.
Do not run the mixer over the lowest setting and be sure to stop the mixer as soon as the desired texture is reached.
TIP for Making Different Sizes of Shredded Chicken Breast
Making shredded chicken in different sizes is easy by controlling the length of time the mixer runs.
For large pieces, run the mix only briefly. For finely shredded chicken breast, run it longer.
Approximate times: 20-30 seconds for larger pieces; 45-60 seconds for the fine shredding shown in the photos.
Watching the shredding and stopping the mixer when it’s done is the way to go.
How to Use Shredded Chicken
Homemade shredded chicken breast meat can be used for many recipes. Here are just a few ideas:
- Mexican dishes including tacos and enchiladas
- Green Chile Chicken Totchos
- Muffin Tin Mexican Bowls
- Salads
- Soups
- Sandwiches
- Omelets
How to Store Shredded Chicken Breast
Store homemade shredded chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Frequently Asked Questions
Store in freezer bag or freezer container and freeze for future recipes.
The Best Chicken Breast Cooking Recipe too!
Though this recipe is geared toward how to make fantastic homemade shredded chicken breast, the method to cook the chicken is also a winner.
It is the way I always cook boneless skinless chicken breasts for recipes like Pink Peppercorn Sherry Cream Chicken.
Chicken breasts are a lean cut of meat especially when cooked boneless and skinless.
This cooking method makes moist chicken breasts every time with great flavor and it’s SO easy!
Once you make chicken breasts this way you’ll never want them any other way!
EQUIPMENT USED in this Homemade Shredded Chicken Recipe
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- Chicken Enchilada recipe
- How to Make Simple Syrup: 8 Recipes and Suggested Uses
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There are various brands that make both of these items in multiple price points.
Recipe
Moist Homemade Shredded Chicken Breast
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 1/4 pounds Boneless , Skinless Chicken Breasts
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1/4 teaspoons Black Pepper , preferably freshly ground
- 3/4 cup Low Sodium Chicken Broth
Instructions
- Sprinkle chicken breasts with the salt and pepper.
- In a large skillet with a lid, preferably non-stick, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chicken breasts and brown for 4 minutes.
- Flip over and brown for another 4 minutes.
- Add the chicken broth, reduce to medium-low, put the lid on the skillet and allow to simmer for 5-8 minutes. NOTE: Chicken should register 160-165 degrees (it will continue to cook when removed from heat).
- Remove the chicken from the skillet and allow it to rest for 3 minutes.
- Place the chicken in the bowl of a standing mixer. Turn the mixer on the lowest setting, or 1, and mix until the chicken is shredded to the desired texture (20-30 seconds for larger pieces; 45-60 seconds for the fine shredding shown in the photos).
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Published originally: February 21, 2016
Andrea Metlika says
This is so easy and I never thought of using a mixer to shred the chicken. Fabulous!
Serena says
This has become a staple recipe in our kitchen. I can make it so quickly and use it in so many ways. It freezes great too. Thank you!
LAUREN KELLY says
Thank you so much for this, it is SO easy! And we use shredded chicken for so many things!
Joleen says
This has to be the easiest chicken recipe I’ve ever made, and putting it into the stand mixer to pull it apart was literally genius! We have 4 kids and they all loved it, that doesn’t happen often! Will make this frequently now that I’ve tried it! Thank you!
Toni Dash says
Yay Joleen! I love hearing this!! I too feel like it’s a life changer. Not only is it the easiest and best (in my opinion) to shred chicken but the chicken actually tastes good!! So many shredded chicken recipes boil the chicken and stewed chicken doesn’t taste great (again, my opinion). I love hearing from people who also are excited about this recipe AND now have loads of options for using the delicious chicken.
Thanks for leaving your comment and experience. Happy New Year!
Alexis Rosen says
I just need to tell you that this recipe literally changed my life! I made it for a casserole for the kids. They were eating it out of the bowl before I could even get it into the casserole! The loved it! And the dog does, too! No more forks ever to shred chicken! Thank you, you rock!!!!
Toni Dash says
I’m so glad Alexis!! I too feel this recipe is a life changer. It’s easy and the chicken is delicious. I’m so happy your crew loves it.
Lilian says
I did this yesterday to make Air Fryer Chicken Taquitos and it was AMAZING. Very easy! I followed the directions to the letter. I let the standing mixer run at speed 1 or 2 until I got my chicken breasts finely shredded. I used this method because I hate shredding with forks! I never have to again!
Toni Dash says
It’s hard to tell people this is a ‘life changing recipe’ before they try it. You would wonder how big of a difference can it make?! I really feel it’s a game changer both for good shredded chicken flavor AND ease of shredding. I’m so glad you do too Lilian!
Ken M says
Can this be done with a hand mixer?
Toni Dash says
You can try it Ken. I find sometimes hand mixers tend to pulverize the meat rather than shred it well. I’ve only done it on this chicken with a standing mixer.
Carole A Bauder says
Want to make this recipe tomorrow. Can I use a food processer with regular blade and pulse a few seconds to shred chicken. Thank you.
Toni Dash says
No Carole that will not produce the same result. Using a mixer makes quick work of shredding without cutting the chicken.
Lyndsi-Shae says
I’m making this now and it smells delicious! Thank you! Heads up: Your “recipe tips” and “recipe notes” say *not* to run the mixer on the lowest setting, while the recipe itself as well as step 6 in you post both say to run the mixer on the lowest setting.
Toni Dash says
Hi Lyndsi-Shae. I think you have misread those notes. It says not to run the mixer OVER the lowest setting. It does not say to not run the mixer on the lowest setting. 😉
Sarah says
Thank-you so much for this recipe! It really does make moist shredded chicken in under an hour. My family and i loved it! And the hack with the mixer…I’m going to share that with all my food-loving friends. (I will give credit)!
Alison Blair Stern says
I just did this recipe from start to finish and it’s so yummy! I had not browned my chicken before adding the broth and this is the key! And the mixer? Yeehaaa!!!!!