How to Make Shredded Chicken (4 Easy Methods)

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Boneless, skinless chicken breasts: Use breasts of similar thickness so they finish cooking at roughly the same time. Very large breasts can be cut in half crosswise.
• Chicken broth or water: Broth gives the chicken more flavor. The amount depends on your cooking method, especially in a pressure cooker.
• Montreal Chicken Seasoning: This is my usual choice for shredded chicken that will go into different recipes. It already contains salt, so taste before adding more.
• Butter: Optional, but I like adding it to the cooking juices. You can leave it out if you prefer.

Which Method Should I Use?

Cooking times depend on thickness. No matter which method you choose, the center of the thickest breast must reach 165°F before you shred it.

How to Make Shredded Chicken in the Instant Pot

This method uses the shorter cooking time and natural pressure release from my original Instant Pot shredded chicken recipe. You’ll need a little more broth than the old version. Instant Pot’s general minimum-liquid guidance calls for 1½ cups of thin liquid in a 6-quart cooker and 2 cups in an 8-quart cooker. Check the instructions for your own model.

1. Add the chicken and broth. Place thawed boneless, skinless chicken breasts in the inner pot in as even a layer as possible. Pour in the broth required for your cooker.
2. Add the seasoning. Sprinkle the chicken with Montreal seasoning and add the optional butter in small pieces. If you’re using another seasoning blend, adjust the amount to its saltiness.
3. Pressure cook and release. Lock the lid, set the valve to sealing, and cook on high pressure for 12 minutes for thawed breasts of average thickness. Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then carefully vent any remaining pressure.
4. Check, shred, and moisten. Check for 165°F in the thickest breast. If it needs more time, finish cooking before shredding. Transfer to a bowl, shred while warm, and stir in a few spoonfuls of cooking liquid. Save the remaining broth for soup or another recipe.

For frozen chicken breasts, separate the pieces before adding them to the pot, rather than pressure cooking one large frozen block. As a starting point, allow approximately 15 minutes on high pressure, followed by the same 10-minute natural release. Extra-thick pieces may need longer. Always verify 165°F.

Remember that the pot also takes time to come to pressure, so a 12-minute pressure-cooking setting doesn’t mean dinner is ready in 12 minutes.

How to Make Shredded Chicken in the Crockpot

A slow cooker is useful when you want to get the chicken started and leave it alone. For chicken breasts, start checking the temperature early rather than leaving them cooking all day, which can make them dry.

1. Arrange the chicken. Place thawed chicken breasts in a single layer in the bottom of the slow cooker.
2. Add broth and seasonings. Pour in the broth, sprinkle on the Montreal seasoning, and add the optional butter.
3. Cook on low. Cover and cook on LOW for approximately 2 to 4 hours, starting to check around 2½ hours. The exact time depends on the size of the chicken and your slow cooker. Cook until the thickest part reaches 165°F.
4. Rest and shred. Let the chicken rest for 5 to 10 minutes, then shred it and toss with some of the juices in the cooker.

Use fully thawed chicken for this method, not frozen breasts. If you’re doubling the recipe, use a large enough cooker that the chicken isn’t tightly packed.

How to Make Shredded Chicken on the Stove

If you’re wondering about the best way to cook chicken for shredding without an appliance, gentle poaching is a good option. You don’t need to boil it hard. The chicken cooks in lightly simmering broth, and you can easily check it as it cooks.

1. Arrange and season. Place chicken breasts in a Dutch oven or deep saucepan in a single layer. Sprinkle with seasoning and add the optional butter.
2. Add the broth. Pour in enough broth or water to cover the chicken by approximately an inch.
3. Simmer gently. Bring the liquid just to a boil, then immediately reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for roughly 15 to 20 minutes, checking sooner for smaller pieces, until the chicken reaches 165°F.
4. Rest and shred. Remove the chicken, rest it for 5 to 10 minutes, and shred it while warm. Add a little of the poaching liquid back if it needs moisture.

How to Make Shredded Chicken in the Oven

Baking is another option, especially if the oven is already on. For chicken that you plan to shred, covering the baking dish helps trap steam instead of letting the breasts dry out in the oven.

1. Heat the oven. Preheat to 425°F. Place chicken breasts in a single layer in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. If some pieces are much thicker than others, gently flatten the thick portions for more even cooking.
2. Season and add broth. Sprinkle both sides with seasoning, add the optional butter, and pour the broth around the chicken. Cover the dish tightly with foil.
3. Bake until cooked. Bake for approximately 25 to 30 minutes, starting to check earlier if the breasts are small. The thickest part must reach 165°F. Large breasts may need additional time.
4. Rest and shred. Carefully remove the foil, avoiding the hot steam. Let the chicken rest for 5 to 10 minutes, then shred it and mix in a little of the liquid from the baking dish.

Shredded Chicken Seasoning Ideas

Montreal chicken seasoning is my usual pick because it works in so many dishes, but the right seasoning depends on where the chicken is going next. Swap out the Montreal seasoning for one of these combinations rather than adding all of them together:

• Simple salt, pepper, and garlic: Good when you’re planning to season the finished dish more heavily. Onion powder is another easy addition.
• Italian seasoning: Try this for pasta, Italian-style soups, and casseroles.
• Lemon pepper: A good choice for chicken salad or lighter meals. Check whether your blend already contains salt.
• Taco or fajita seasoning: Use a little at first and adjust to taste. For a more thoroughly seasoned taco filling, check out our Mexican Shredded Chicken.
• Chili lime: Add chili powder and cumin while the chicken cooks, then finish with fresh lime juice after shredding. This is especially good in Chicken Taco Salad.
• Honey lime: Toss the cooked chicken with honey and lime juice, then use it in Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas. Add the honey after pressure cooking so sugary sauce doesn’t scorch on the bottom of the pot.
• BBQ chicken: Stir Homemade BBQ Sauce into the shredded chicken after cooking, or use the full Instant Pot BBQ Chicken recipe.
• Ranch chicken: Swap in dry ranch seasoning, then try the chicken in pasta with Alfredo Sauce. Check the salt content of the dressing mix before adding any extra salt.

If you’re cooking a big batch for several different dinners, keep the seasoning fairly simple and flavor each portion when you use it.

How to Shred Chicken

Let the cooked chicken rest for 5 to 10 minutes, then shred it while it’s still warm. The best tool depends on how fine you want the pieces.

1. Two forks or meat claws: Hold the chicken steady with one fork and pull it apart with the other. Meat claws are my preferred way to make medium-sized shreds quickly, especially when I’m freezing portions.

2. Hand mixer: Put warm boneless chicken in a deep bowl and run the beaters on low for a few seconds at a time. It makes smaller, finer shreds, which work well for Chicken Roll Ups. Stop before the chicken gets too finely broken up.

• Your hands: Once the chicken is cool enough to handle safely, pull it into longer pieces. These larger shreds look nice in salads, although it takes more time.
• Stand mixer: For a large batch, put warm chicken in the mixer bowl with the paddle attachment and mix on low just until shredded. You can also use a whisk attachment if it works well with your mixer, but keep the speed low.

Recipe Tips

• Use a meat thermometer every time. A chicken breast can look cooked or pull apart before you’ve confirmed it reached 165°F. Check the thickest section.
• Match the size of the pieces. If one breast is twice as thick as another, cut or flatten the thicker piece so they finish closer together.
• Avoid cooking boneless breasts longer than necessary. Too much time in the slow cooker, pressure cooker, or oven can leave them dry or stringy. If chicken feels rubbery, check its actual temperature before assuming it needs another long cooking cycle.
• Save the juices. A few spoonfuls stirred into the shreds make a big difference, especially when you’re storing the chicken for another meal.
• Don’t overmix. The mixer is fast, but it can turn the chicken into tiny pieces if you leave it running.
• Choose chicken thighs if you want a richer option. Boneless, skinless thighs can also be shredded, but their cooking times may differ from breast meat.

Frequently Asked Questions

Make Ahead and Storage

Make ahead: Cook, shred, and divide the chicken into portions for upcoming recipes. Refrigerate or freeze promptly, within two hours of cooking.

Storage: Keep cooked shredded chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Pour a little of the cooking liquid over it to help keep it moist.

Freezing: Freeze in meal-sized portions in freezer bags or airtight containers, with a little broth if you like. For best quality, use within 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

Reheating: Warm gently on the stove with a splash of broth or in a covered microwave-safe dish, stirring as needed. Heat leftovers to 165°F. You can also add the chicken to a casserole or soup that will heat it thoroughly.

Recipes to Make with Shredded Chicken

Having shredded chicken ready to go makes putting together meals so much easier. You can use it in everything from tacos and casseroles to soups and salads. Here are some of our favorite recipes to make with it:

Lunch

Chicken Salad Sandwich Recipe

Dinner

Chicken Rice Broccoli Casserole

Dinner

Homemade Enchiladas

Dinner

Poppy Seed Chicken

• Chicken Broccoli Casserole
• Enchiladas with Homemade Enchilada Sauce
• Chicken Roll Ups
• Hawaiian Style Chicken Long Rice
• Easy Chicken Flautas