The Genius Chicken-Shredding Trick I’ve Been Using for Years
Hearty casseroles, savory soups, and Crock Pot meals are only a few of the ways we use shredded chicken in our everyday cooking. And with autumn upon us, even more recipes in these categories will be headed to our tables. I see a lot of chicken shredding in our future, which can be kind of a tedious task.
You can use two forks, which can take a while, or you can pull the meat apart with your fingers, but that can be time-consuming and messy and you have to wait until the chicken is cool enough to handle. Years ago I came across a chicken shredding hack starring my handy dandy KitchenAid stand mixer that's so much easier than either of those methods and I haven't looked back since. Once you give it a try, I bet you'll be sold too.
Related: 40+ Easy Dinner Recipes That Start With Shredded Chicken
How do I shred chicken in a stand mixer?
Years ago when I first learned this hack, I was such a doubting Thomas. I couldn't believe it would work, let alone be as easy and quick as I was told. Boy was I happy to be proven wrong!
All you have to do is insert the paddle attachment in your KitchenAid, add cooked chicken to the bowl, turn it on low-medium speed—and watch the magic happen. The mixer quickly and easily shreds the chicken without pulverizing it.
Krista Marshall
Related: 30+ Ground Chicken Recipes To Make Dinner Easier and Healthier
What kind of chicken can I shred in a stand mixer?
I've used cooked boneless chicken breasts, boneless thighs and tenderloins. This method also works for both boiled or baked/roasted chicken.
Related: 40 Chicken Breast Recipes To Make Dinner Less Boring
Can I use a hand mixer to shred chicken?
If you head to the Internet and ask this question, you will find people saying "Sure, works the same, I do it all the time."
I don't want rain on their parade, but in my experience, a hand mixer does NOT work the same as a stand mixer. When I tried it, it destroyed the chicken instead of shredding it and made a huge mess in the process. If you don't want to be picking chicken off the kitchen ceiling for days after, I'd skip the hand mixer method.
Related: 55 Leftover Chicken Recipes To Remix Last Night's Dinner
Recipes With Shredded Chicken
A few ideas of what to make with that perfectly shredded chicken!
