Best Ways To Shred Chicken

When it comes to chicken shredding, the style of the cut can make all the difference in making the preparation painful or totally painless, eventually ending up in the flavor. While a number of chicken cuts are available for shredding, some are better than others. 

Let's dive into the best options for boneless and bone-in chicken.

Boneless Chicken

For the majority of recipes calling for shredded chicken, boneless cuts are preferable. Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are the ones most people are familiar with—their white meat and neutral taste make them good for most recipes. They are quick to cook and shred, therefore ideal for preparing a meal after a long day.

Do not underestimate boneless, skinless chicken thighs with a bit more fat and a big, richer flavor, thereby giving moister shredded chicken. It best blends with the use of a mix of breast and thigh.

The combination balances flavor with texture, therefore providing your dish with some real depth. Boneless cuts are so versatile, in fact, that people may even shred them with their hands, the "two fork" technique, or put them into a stand or hand mixer at larger volumes.

Bone-in Chicken

Although it's a bit more labor-intensive, bone-in chicken imparts a pretty amazing flavor to your shredded chicken recipes. A whole roasted chicken brings a mixture of white and dark, varying your textural and taste experiences. Other great options for more flavor with dark meat are chicken drumsticks.

While working with bone-in cuts, best shred with your hands. This makes it possible to feel around the bones so you do not shred any of the unwanted pieces into your shreds.

You can remove the skin if you prefer to before you shred, or you can leave the skin on for a smoky flavor. Just remember, mixer methods should not be used on bone-in chicken. This is because they cannot tell the difference between meat and bones.

One of those easy skills that can save you money and improve your cooking is shredding your own chicken. Skip the store-bought packages of preshredded chicken and give these three fast methods for how to shred cooked chicken a go at home.

Each technique works best for different kinds of cooked chicken and personal preference. Here are the three best way to prepare shredded chicken:

Shredding chicken manually is the only way to attain perfectly textured chicken for any dish. This technique works beautifully for all manner of cooked chicken, be it boneless breasts or thighs, whole roasted chickens, or even drumsticks.

You have full control over how the shredding is being done using your hands. So you are more assured that the size of the chicken pieces is just right, as your recipe requires it to be. Follow these steps to learn how to easily shred chicken using your hands.

Step 1: Prepare the Chicken

First, let your cooked chicken cool down enough to handle it safely, yet still be warm. Warm chicken shreds are much easier than cold chicken. It should be comfortable to touch with your bare hands, without burning you. Place your chicken on a clean, sanitized surface, such as a cutting board or large plate.

It's perfectly fine if you are working with a whole chicken or bone-in pieces because this is the perfect time to remove the skin if you are a fan of the skinless version of shredded chicken.

Making sure you have a cleanly prepared area to work in will encourage good food safety and be a more pleasant experience in general.

Step 2: Shredding the Chicken

And now the final step. Hold a chicken piece with one hand and, using your other clean hand, gently pull and separate the chicken apart. The meat will readily separate into strands. Gently pull it in the direction of the grain in even shreds. Trim out any tough or gristly bits that do not easily shred.

For bone-in chicken, just use your hands, pulling the meat with your hands into finer shreds, or keeping it in chunks, depending on your recipe and your preference, removing bones and cartilage as you go.

The advantage of this method is that it will let you manage the size of shreds by pulling the meat into smaller pieces for fine shreds or leaving it in chunks—if that is what your recipe dictates. Repeat this process and turn the chicken as necessary until all the meat has been shredded according to the desired consistency.

Step 3: Complete and store

Now that you're done shredding all your chicken, it's ready to be used or just stored. If using the shredded chicken immediately, you may drop this directly into your recipe. For later use, transfer the shredded chicken into an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator, where it will keep for 3-4 days.

If you intend to freeze it for a longer period, then freeze the chicken shredded. Freeze by cooling it completely and then partition into freezer bags, containers that are freezer-friendly. You could maybe press against the bags with the chicken to fish out the air, as air can result in freezer burn.

Label each with the date and amount of chicken, then put it in the freezer for storing. It will stay good for up to 3 months. Allow the frozen chicken to thaw overnight in the refrigerator and use it in your meal when you're ready.

Whether you're meal prepping or putting together a dinner, knowing how to shred chicken breast is seriously a game changer. Use this easy two-fork technique and you'll have perfect shreds from any type of cooked chicken in no time.

Step-1: Prepare Your Work Area

Set up on a nice, clean and sturdy cutting board. You want a surface that doesn't slip around when you press on it.

Step-2: Position the Forks

Place two forks toward the part of the chicken. The tine points should be facing toward the meat.

Step-3: Start Shredding

Pull them away from each other. By doing so, this will split the fibers of your chicken and form shreds.

Step-4: Continue Shredding

Pull with the forks and continue doing so until you have gone through the whole chicken piece. As you continue, you will find that the size of the shreds starts getting smaller.

Step-5: Adjust Shred Size

Continue until you get to your desired shred size. For finer shreds, you continue pounding the meat with the forks. For larger ones, stop when the chicken has the size you want.

The hand mixer method really helps anyone looking fast way to shred chicken quickly and efficiently. It makes a rather tedious process very easy, great for a busy cook or if you need to prepare batches in large quantities.

This works best on boneless chicken breasts and thighs, which turn into equal and uniform shreds with very little effort.

Step-1: Prepare Your Chicken and Workspace

Select the boneless, cooked chicken breasts or thighs immediately after they are done while they are still hot. Put them in a deep bowl so that the pieces comfortably fit with extra space for the mixer to run safely.

It is better if we use a deep bowl for the same purpose since it will also prevent splatter from the shredding process.

Step-2: Shred with the Mixer

Attach the regular beaters to your hand mixer and start on a slow setting to avoid creating a mess. Slowly lower the beaters into the chicken and start shredding it. Move the mixer around the bowl to make sure all pieces get shredded. On stubborn chunks, it's fine to bump up the speed momentarily.

Step-3: Achieve Desired Consistency

Continue to shred until it's your desired texture. If it's extremely creamy and fine, or you want it much finer, run the mixer longer; if you like it in larger pieces, stop earlier. Once you're satisfied, turn off the mixer. Break up with a fork or your fingers any remaining large pieces that the mixer didn't get.

Like many cooks have a routine of cooking large portions of rice in advance if you are into lots of rice dishes then shredding chicken in advance is a good idea. When you shred your chicken you can store it or freeze it so that you will have meals for the week or even the month.

Here's how to effectively store and freeze your shredded chicken:

Storing Shredded Chicken

If you are using it for a short time, then this product should be stored in the refrigerator. Store them in sealed jars or plastic containers with sealed lids or in sealable plastic bags with as little air as possible in the bags to keep them fresh.

Shredded chicken will last for 3-4 days in the refrigerator if it is correctly stored. This method is ideal when it is being done at the beginning of the week, or when the chicken is going to be prepared within a few days only.

Freezing Shredded Chicken

Speaking about the long-term storage, the winners are the freezing methods. Put your shredded chicken in resealable plastic containers or heavy duty freezers bags. When using such bags it is advisable to eliminate as much air as is possible so that the food inside does not get affected by freezer burn.

It is recommended that you write down the date when the items were put in the containers or bags and use the same to label the containers or bags. When shredded chicken is frozen it can last up to 3 months and still quality not be affected.

The remaining 3/4 part should be stored in a ziploc/breed freezer bags and packed in the freezer to be used later when required, all you need to do is transfer it to the refrigerator to thaw.

It would be practical to defrost it for a whole night or rather over 24 hours before using in any of your recipes. After it has thawed the chicken should be consumed within 1-2 days for the best results.

Shredded chicken is such a versatile ingredient, and you can have it in so many different dishes. And the neutral flavor and super-tender texture make it the perfect blank canvas, taking on pretty much anything you want to throw its way.

Here is a nice couple of mouthwatering recipes that talk exactly about the versatility of shredded chicken.

1. Pesto Chicken Stuffed Zucchini Boats: Light and nutritious, a meal that combines vibrant pesto flavors with tender chicken all lying in hallowed zucchinis, for the perfect low-carb meal.

2. Amazing Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken Sandwiches: Flavorful, tender chicken marinated in a smoky, sweet BBQ sauce and then slow cooked to perfection for tender sandwiches that feel indulgent, but are surprisingly light.

3. BBQ Ranch Chicken Quinoa Bowls: Protein-packed BBQ Ranch Chicken Quinoa Bowl is loaded with the smoky-sweet flavor of BBQ sauce and a cool and creamy Ranch dressing layered over nutrient-rich/ high protein quinoa.

4. Avocado Pesto Chicken Salad Sandwiches: Chicken salad with a twist, made out of creamy avocado pesto and added texture and nutrition in the form of crunchy pumpkin seeds, it is a win-win.

5. Buffalo Cauliflower Mac and Cheese: While this isn't classically chicken, the addition of shredded chicken would make this spicy, creamy dish all things protein comfort food.

6. Chipotle Black Bean and Roasted Veggie Enchilada Casserole: Another recipe that would be great with shredded chicken is a smoky chipotle mixture combined with healthy vegetables and beans.

7. Slow Cooker Yellow Chicken Curry: Very aromatic and comforting, this particular curry allows the shredded chicken to absorb all the flavor of the spices and coconut milk.