How to Boil Chicken Breast for Easy Shredding

Shredded chicken is a versatile food that can be used in many dishes, such as salads, sandwiches, casseroles, and more. Any way you cook chicken will work for shredding, but boiling is one of the best ways to cook chicken breast for shredding because it cooks slowly and evenly, keeping the meat moist and making it easier to shred into bite-sized 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

• 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

• 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.

• When chicken is still warm after being boiled or poached, it’s easy to shred. Once the chicken is cool, it shreds easily along the grain to make shredded chicken.

• You can change the taste of the liquid used to poach the chicken, which season it as it cooks. Herbs, spices, vegetables, and other smelly things give the chicken more flavor.

• 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

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. Reduce heat and simmer: Once boiling, reduce the heat to low to maintain a gentle simmer. Cover the pot with a lid.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. 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

• Use a wide, shallow pan so chicken cooks in a single layer

• Make sure liquid covers chicken by an inch but doesn’t fully submerge it

• Simmer gently; high heat can make chicken tough and dry

• Let chicken rest 5 minutes before shredding so juices redistribute

• 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:

• Use an instant read thermometer: Insert into thickest part of breast and check if internal temperature reaches 165°F

• Look for visual cues: Slice into chicken and check interior is white throughout with no pink color

• Test with a fork: Meat should flake and shred easily when poked with a fork

• 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:

• Use a gentle simmer: High boiling temperature toughens and dries out the meat.

• Don’t overcook: Cook just until done to avoid drying out chicken.

• Rest before shredding: Let chicken sit 5-10 minutes after cooking so juices redistribute.

• Poach in flavorful liquid: Seasoned poaching liquid keeps chicken moist and adds flavor.

• 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:

• Fresh herbs: thyme, rosemary, parsley, dill

• Spices: whole peppercorns, coriander seeds

• Vegetables: onion, celery, carrot, fennel, garlic

• Citrus: lemon, lime, orange slices

• Soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, lemongrass – add an Asian flair

• Chili flakes, cumin, oregano, garlic – for a southwestern taste

• 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:

• Salads – chicken salad, taco salad, chef salad, Cobb salad

• Sandwiches and wraps – chicken salad sandwich, BBQ chicken sandwich, buffalo chicken wrap

• Tacos and burrito bowls – with beans, rice, veggies, cheese, salsa

• Casseroles – enchiladas, pasta bakes, pot pies

• Soups – chicken noodle soup, chicken tortilla soup, chicken and rice soup

• Snacks – nachos, quesadillas, lettuce wraps, chicken dip

• Stir fries – with vegetables and sauce over rice

• Pastas – chicken alfredo, chicken parmesan, chicken carbonara

Having boiled shredded chicken breast ready in the fridge gives you a head start on so many quick, healthy meals! Follow this simple boiling method for tender chicken ready to add to your favorite recipes any night of the week.