How to Make Shredded Chicken for Use in Any Recipe
Many recipes, such as Mexican enchiladas, call for shredded chicken. The best cooking methods for achieving the right texture are grilling or boiling. Which method you choose is dependent on the recipe and the equipment you have. If the chicken is going to be slathered in a savory sauce, boiling is a fine option. If the chicken needs to have a distinct flavor of its own, you'll need to marinate it and grill it.
1. Prepare the chicken breasts by pounding them flat. If you're grilling, you can marinate the chicken overnight in whatever marinate the recipe calls for. If you choose not to marinate the chicken, just spritz olive oil on both sides and add a little salt and pepper before grilling. If you're boiling the chicken breasts, there's no need to add any seasoning.
2 Grill or boil the chicken breasts. If barbecuing, heat the grill to 450 to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. Grill the chicken breasts for about 4 to 5 minutes on each side, until the meat is no longer pink in the middle. If boiling, bring a large pot of water to a roiling boil then add the chicken breasts. Boil the until chicken is fully cooked, about 20 minutes. Make sure there is no pink. Do not overcook it or it will be rubbery.
3 - Let the chicken cool for about 5 to 10 minutes. Place the chicken on a plate and hold the chicken breast with one fork. Use a second fork to pull at the chicken and it will shred off in small pieces.
Once you have shredded chicken ready, you can add it to your recipe. If it will not be cooked immediately, it must be refrigerated to prevent spoilage.
How To Make Shredded Chicken In Your Crock Pot
Making your own shredded chicken breast is easier than you think! My favorite way to do this is in my crock pot. It makes perfectly shredded chicken every time which you can use for quick recipes throughout the week.
Here's how easy it is to make:
- Put the chicken breast in your crock pot, cover it with water or chicken broth if you wish so that the liquid is completely covering the chicken.
- Cover and cook on high 4 hours.
- Remove from crock pot and place on a dish. When cool enough to handle, shred it with two forks.
- Store a container in your refrigerator to use throughout the week.
How To Make Shredded Chicken Sandwiches
To make shredded chicken sandwiches you will need:
- 4 chicken breasts
- can cream of mushroom soup (use any type of cream soup you like: cream of celery chicken)
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 finely chopped cloves of garlic
- Salt and pepper
- Sandwich rolls or buns
- Season your chicken to taste with salt and pepper. Place in a pot with the chopped onion, garlic and cream of mushroom soup.
- Pour water over the chicken to cover. Add no more than 1 1/2 cups of water. Bring the entire mixture to a boil.
- Reduce heat to simmer. Allow the chicken to cook through until it is no longer pink. Cooking time will depend on the thickness of your chicken breasts; usually 20-25 minutes will be needed to thoroughly cook.
- Remove the chicken from the pot. Place it on a cutting board or on a plate. Allow the chicken to rest about 5 to 10 minutes to cool and seal in the juices.
- Boil the mixture that remains in the pot until it is reduced and thickened while your chicken is resting. Turn the heat back down to simmer.
- Shred the chicken using two forks or your fingers. Put the shredded chicken back in the pot with the sauce mixture and heat through for 4 to 5 minutes.
- Toast sandwich buns or rolls to make a good old fashioned shredded chicken sandwich. Place the shredded chicken on the roll bun
Don't shred your chicken too thin or you may end up with a soggy sandwich. Substitute the soup with barbecue sauce to make spicy shredded chicken sandwiches. Add a dash of hot sauce too.
- How to Make Shredded Chicken for Use in Any Recipe
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