Shredded chicken is a versatile ingredient that can be used in a variety of dishes like casseroles, sandwiches, salads, and more. While you can shred cooked chicken prepared using any method, boiling is one of the easiest ways to cook chicken breast for shredding With boiling, the chicken breast cooks gently and evenly which helps it retain moisture and makes it easier to shred into bite-size pieces after cooking.
Why Boil Chicken for Shredding
There are a few advantages to boiling chicken breast if you are planning to shred or pull the meat later
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Boiling cooks the chicken gently so it retains more moisture compared to high heat methods like grilling or broiling The chicken turns out tender and juicy
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Since the chicken is submerged in the liquid, it cooks evenly all over. This keeps the outside from getting dry spots or overcooked before the inside is done.
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Poached or boiled chicken shreds easily right after cooking when it is still warm. Once cooled, the chicken shreds cleanly along the grain for a shredded texture.
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You can add flavor to the poaching liquid which seasons the chicken as it cooks. Herbs, spices, vegetables and other aromatics infuse the chicken with more flavor.
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Boiling chicken results in cooked chicken as well as a light chicken broth which can be used to make rice, soup or other dishes. No part gets wasted.
Step-by-Step Method to Boil Chicken Breast for Shredding
Follow this simple process for foolproof boiled chicken breast for shredding every time:
Ingredients
- 1-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Water to cover chicken
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Optional seasonings: garlic, peppercorns, bay leaves, lemon slices, fresh herbs
Instructions
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Add chicken to a pot in a single layer: Place the chicken breasts in a saucepan or pot large enough to hold them in a single layer. You can overlap them slightly if needed.
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Cover chicken with water: Add enough water to cover the chicken breasts by an inch. The liquid should come at least halfway up the breasts but they don’t need to be fully submerged.
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Season the poaching liquid: Add 1 teaspoon salt and any additional flavorings like smashed garlic cloves, a bay leaf, whole peppercorns, lemon slices or fresh herbs like thyme or rosemary.
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Bring to a boil: Set the pot over high heat and bring the liquid to a boil. As the water heats up, you’ll see foam rise to the surface. You can skim this off if you plan to use the broth later.
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Reduce heat and simmer: Once boiling, reduce the heat to low to maintain a gentle simmer. Cover the pot with a lid.
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Cook for 8-15 minutes: Cook the chicken breasts at a simmer for 8-15 minutes depending on thickness. Thin cutlets may take only 8 minutes while large, thick breasts need up to 15 minutes.
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Check for doneness: Slice into the thickest part of a breast to check if cooked through. It should not show any pink color. The internal temperature should reach 165°F.
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Remove from heat and shred: When chicken is fully cooked, remove from heat and transfer to a plate or board. Once cool enough to handle, shred or slice chicken along the grain.
Tips for Perfect Boiled Chicken
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Use a wide, shallow pan so chicken cooks in a single layer
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Make sure liquid covers chicken by an inch but doesn’t fully submerge it
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Simmer gently; high heat can make chicken tough and dry
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Let chicken rest 5 minutes before shredding so juices redistribute
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Use shredded chicken immediately or refrigerate up to 4 days
How to Know When the Chicken is Done
It can be tricky to know precisely when boiled chicken breast is fully cooked and ready for shredding. Here are some ways to test doneness:
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Put an instant read thermometer into the thickest part of the breast and check to see if the temperature inside reaches 165°F.
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Look for signs: cut the chicken in half and make sure the inside is completely white, with no pink spots.
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Test with a fork: Meat should flake and shred easily when poked with a fork
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Check timing: Cutlets take 8 mins, large breasts 15 mins, bone-in breasts 20 mins
Checking temperature and visual cues are the most reliable ways. If undercooked, simmer another couple minutes until chicken is cooked through.
Tips for Keeping Boiled Chicken Moist
Poaching chicken breast makes it tender and moist but you can take extra steps to prevent it from drying out:
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Use a gentle simmer: High boiling temperature toughens and dries out the meat.
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Don’t overcook: Cook just until done to avoid drying out chicken.
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Rest before shredding: Let chicken sit 5-10 minutes after cooking so juices redistribute.
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Poach in flavorful liquid: Seasoned poaching liquid keeps chicken moist and adds flavor.
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Store properly: Refrigerate boiled chicken in an airtight container up to 4 days.
How to Shred Boiled Chicken Breast
Once boiled chicken has rested, there are a couple easy ways to shred or slice the meat:
By hand: When chicken is still warm, this is the easiest method. Simply use two forks to pull breast meat into long thin shreds along the grain.
Stand mixer: Fit a stand mixer with the paddle attachment and shred larger batches on low speed in seconds. Watch closely to avoid over-shredding.
Food processor: For a very fine shredded texture, cut chicken into pieces and pulse in a food processor just until finely shredded. Be careful not to overprocess into a paste.
Slice: For recipes calling for diced chicken, slice or cube the breast meat into bite-size pieces after cooking and cooling slightly.
Flavoring Ideas for Poaching Liquid
One benefit of poaching chicken is you can add aromatics, herbs and spices to flavor the cooking liquid. This seasons the chicken from within and also creates a tasty broth. Ways to flavor poaching liquid:
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Fresh herbs: thyme, rosemary, parsley, dill
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Spices: whole peppercorns, coriander seeds
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Vegetables: onion, celery, carrot, fennel, garlic
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Citrus: lemon, lime, orange slices
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Soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, lemongrass – add an Asian flair
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Chili flakes, cumin, oregano, garlic – for a southwestern taste
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Wine, beer, or broth – for deeper flavor
How to Use Shredded Chicken
Shredded chicken breast is useful to have on hand for easy meals. Here are some ideas:
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Salads – chicken salad, taco salad, chef salad, Cobb salad
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Sandwiches and wraps – chicken salad sandwich, BBQ chicken sandwich, buffalo chicken wrap
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Tacos and burrito bowls – with beans, rice, veggies, cheese, salsa
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Casseroles – enchiladas, pasta bakes, pot pies
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Soups – chicken noodle soup, chicken tortilla soup, chicken and rice soup
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Snacks – nachos, quesadillas, lettuce wraps, chicken dip
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Stir fries – with vegetables and sauce over rice
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Pastas – chicken alfredo, chicken parmesan, chicken carbonara
For quick and healthy meals, having shredded boiled chicken breast in the fridge is a great idea. Here’s a simple way to boil chicken so that it’s soft and ready to use in your favorite recipes any night of the week.
How Do You Shred Chicken?
Shredded Chicken 101: How do you shred chicken and what type of chicken is easiest to shred? Nail these basics and you’ll be able to make perfectly shredded chicken in a pinch every time. To avoid extra work when shredding chicken, we like to use chicken breasts that don’t have any bones or skin on them. You can also opt for thighs but they are a richer cut of meat. When it comes to shredded chicken, we’re looking for big, stringy bites of moist chicken. To achieve this, or so we think the easiest way to shred chicken is, when finished cooking, allow them to sit until warm, not cold. Use two forks to carefully shred them apart into chunks. You can also use a kitchen mixer to help pull them apart but do this at your own discretion (and research!).
How Long Does Shredded Chicken Take to Cook?
When it comes to boiled shredded chicken, from start to finish, it only takes around 30 minutes! We’re using whole chicken breasts, about 1 ½ pounds total which takes about 10 minutes once simmering – but depending on the size of the chicken breast, it might take a little less or more time, so be sure to use an internal thermometer to check.
How to Boil Chicken Breast | The Right Way!
FAQ
How long to boil chicken breast for shredding?
Simmer chicken breasts for 8 to 15 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part reaches 165°F (74°C). This will make them ready to shred. The exact time depends on the size of the chicken breasts and whether they are bone-in or boneless.
How do you boil chicken breasts so they are tender?
In a large pot, add water to chicken breasts so that they’re completely submerged and put on high heat. Once the water is steaming and almost simmering, reduce heat to maintain temperature until chicken is cooked through, about 25-30 minutes.
How do I cook chicken breast so I can shred it?
Shred the chicken and serve it in as little as 20 minutes! Cover the chicken breasts in a large sauce pot with cold water or stock. Cook! Bring the water to a boil and then simmer for about 10 minutes! . Shred! We wait until the chicken has cooled but is still warm before digging into it with two forks!.
How long to boil chicken until it falls apart?
Place chicken in a large pot with onion, carrots, celery, and peppercorns; add water to cover by 1 inch. Cover the pot and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat to a low level and cook for about 90 minutes, or until the meat falls off the bone. Remove chicken from the pot and let sit until cool enough to handle. Shred or chop meat.
How do you shred boiled chicken?
Check that the chicken is cooked to a safe internal temperature of 165F/73C before consuming. The easiest way to shred boiled chicken breast is using two forks. Let the chicken breast fillets cool slightly, and remove the skin if there is any. Use one fork to hold the chicken in place, and use the second fork to pull the chicken apart to shred.
Can You shred chicken breast?
You can shred any cut of chicken, but boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs are best. Like anything you cook, beginning with quality ingredients is the key to delicious results. Humanely raised, free-range chickens will be more tender and flavorful when shredded. Poaching is a simple, effective way to cook chicken for shredding.
Can shredded chicken be cooked?
Boiled shredded chicken breast is versatile and can be used in many recipes such as salads, appetizers, sandwich spreads, and many more. For boiling chicken, I prefer using chicken breast since it is simple to shred with hands, forks, or a chopper/mixer. Having pre-cooked shredded chicken on hand for a variety of meals is a big time saver.
How do you make Shredded chicken?
Pepper (here in the form of whole peppercorns) and garlic are optional. Making shredded chicken is a simple two-step process. First, the chicken is cooked through in a bath of seasoned water held at a very low simmer. Then it is rested briefly and shredded apart using two forks. Step 1: First, place the chicken in a large stock pot or dutch oven.
Should you boil chicken?
Boiled chicken may sound boring, but its beauty is in how basic it is: Boiling (simmering, really) yields perfectly tender chicken that can be used in countless weeknight dinners. My foolproof guide for boiling chicken will be the saving grace of meal-preppers everywhere: It makes it easy to get tender, juicy, shreddable chicken.
Is poached chicken good for shredding?
Poaching is a simple, effective way to cook chicken for shredding. It ensures the meat is gently cooked all the way through, without creating a tough outer sear that’s harder to cut through. Follow our Basic Poached Chicken recipe to learn how to make boneless, skinless chicken breasts using this technique.