How to shred chicken in 4 easy methods is a great guide to shred any type of cooked chicken fast and effectively. With these methods, getting perfectly shredded chicken for any meal has never been easier. These methods are a great way to save time and money and have chicken ready for meals in the crockpot, to the perfect taco night.
How to your cook chicken
The key to shredded chicken is to have good cooked chicken. Here are our favorite ways to cook chicken in order to shred well.
- Grilled Chicken
- Instant Pot Chicken
- Crockpot/Slow Cooker Chicken
- Air Fryer Chicken
- Pan cooked chicken
- Poached Chicken
Time needed: 10 minutes
These foolproof methods will help you shred chicken more easily and efficiently. From a grilled chicken breast to a rotisserie chicken, these methods will come in hand at any time.
Once you have perfectly shredded chicken, you can make meals like our Chicken Caesar Pitas, or our Air Fryer Chicken Taquitos.
- Using your hands
This method can be used with a cooked skinless boneless chicken breast, or a whole chicken.
Let your cooked chicken cool so it can be easily handled. If you try to shred the chicken too soon, it may be too hot and could burn you.
Place the chicken on a clean surface, like a cutting board or platter.
With clean hands, tear pieces of chicken off and make into desired size.
- The 2 Fork Method
This method is best used with chicken breast, thighs, and drumsticks, and even whole in bone chickens.
First, place the cooked chicken on a cutter board or plate.
Then, with two forks, place one for in the cooked chicken and gently pull off pieces of chicken with the other fork.
Shred the chicken until the entire chicken is the desired size pieces. - The Hand Mixer Method
This method is best used for skinless boneless chicken breasts, or any chicken that has been removed from the bone.
Place the cooked chicken in a medium sized mixing bowl with high sides.
Next, with a hand mixer, beat the chicken on a low speed until the chicken pieces are the desired sizes. Be sure to hold on to the bowl while mixing, it will move a lot. - The Stand Mixer Method
This method is best used for skinless boneless chicken breasts, or any chicken that has been removed from the bone.
Place the cooked chicken into a stand mixer.
Lower the paddle and beat on a low setting until the chicken is in even pieces at the desired size.
Chicken in the the stand mixer can be easily beaten to too small of pieces. Make sure to keep and eye on the chicken while beating. - How to Shred Rotisserie Chicken
Shredding a whole chicken or rotisserie chicken in bone is easy.
First, once the cooked chicken is cooled, remove the chicken meat from the bones.
Next, place the meat in a medium sized bowl.
Use any of the 4 methods listed above to shred the chicken once it is off of the bone.
This method is great for shredding our air fryer spatchcock chicken.
- How to Shred Chicken in the Crockpot or Instant Pot
Once your chicken is cooked, shredding chicken in the crockpot or instant pot is easy!
Once the chicken is fully cooked, the best methods to use are the two fork method or the electric hand mixer.
Both methods allow you to get desired results without having to remove the chicken from the crockpot or instant pot.
Top Tip
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast
To shred boneless skinless chicken breast, all four methods work great. This is a very easy chicken to work with as no bone or skin get in the way.
Our personal favorite method for shredding this type of chicken is using the stand mixer. It is fast and efficient and gives you perfectly even chicken without extra work.
Bone-in Chicken
Bone-in chicken with or without skin can be tricky to shred. The electric hand mixer and stand mixer won't work initially because of the bone.
We suggest letting the chicken cool to a temperature that is easy to handle and use the by-hand method to remove as much of the chicken from the bone as possible. Your hands will be able to get close to the bone and not waste any chicken.
Once you have removed the chicken from the bone, place the chicken in a bowl and you are now able to use any of the 4 preferred methods.
Equipment
Depending on what method you choose you will need
Storage
Once the chicken is the desired size you prefer, use the chicken for your next meal, store in the refrigerator in an air tight container, or freeze.
Store leftover chicken in the refrigerator for 3-4 days in an air tight container.
Freeze any leftovers in a freezer bag or air tight container up to 2-3 months.
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