Dutch Oven Shredded Chicken

I make this dutch oven shredded chicken so often and have it in my freezer divided into usable portions. This is such a timesaver for me during the week. It can be used in so many ways like enchiladas, quesadillas, soups, on pizza, or to top a salad to name a few. So versatile, and because it’s ready to go, so fast!

Why You are Going to Love this Dutch Oven Shredded Chicken

Dutch oven shredded chicken is actually very easy and quick. You go from zero to shredded chicken in 30 minutes. And if you don’t have a dutch oven, don’t worry. This recipe also works in a large frypan with a lid (or cover with tin foil). Now if you are thinking “I hate shredding chicken with two forks, it can be hard work” well, I have a great hack for you! You can shred the cooked chicken using your mixing stand or hand mixer! Who knew?! It takes about 30 seconds – BAM! This has been a real eye opener for me. As I mentioned earlier, I often prepare a substantial amount of shredded chicken. Instead of the process being tedious and exhausting, I let my mixer do the heavy lifting, it has made a world of difference. I love my mixer.

Equipment Needed

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• Dutch Oven like this one on Amazon. Or a large frypan with a lid or use tin foil to cover.
• I use tongs all the time in cooking and serving.
• Meat Thermometer – for checking doneness.
• Mixing Stand, or hand mixer, or two forks.

Ingredients

• Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts – can substitute with thighs
• Olive Oil – or other vegetable oil to sear the chicken with.
• Salt and Pepper for seasoning
• Chicken Stock

How to Make Dutch Oven Shredded Chicken

1. Heat olive oil in dutch oven over medium/high heat
2. Season both sides of the chicken breasts with salt and pepper
3. Place chicken breasts in the dutch oven so they are not overlapping. Allow to cook until the side down has browned, about 4-5 minutes. Flip the chicken over and allow to cook for 3-4 minutes to allow the other side to brown.

4. Add the chicken broth to the dutch oven. Continue cooking until the broth begins to boil. Cover the dutch oven with a lid, and turn the heat down so the broth is simmering. Continue cooking for about 10 minutes.

5. Check the meat with a meat thermometer to make sure the temperature has at least reached 165F.
Remove the chicken from the dutch oven and allow to cool on a plate for at least 5 minutes.
6. Place chicken breasts into a mixing bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Turn the mixer on low and increase speed slightly until the meat begins to shred. It doesn’t take long, about 30-45 seconds. If it looks drier than you want, you can add a little bit of the broth from the dutch oven to moisten the chicken a bit.

7. Shredded chicken can be added to your favourite recipe or packed away for future meal prep.

Notes

• Searing the chicken can be done in olive oil, or another oil of your choice like canola etc.
• You can add salt and pepper to the meat after shredding if you feel like it needs more.
• I use a fairly flavourful chicken broth called Better Than Boullion, but you can use whatever you have on hand.

FAQs

• Can I still make this if I don’t have a Dutch Oven? You sure can. The Dutch oven is helpful because it is large and has a lid, but I have made this with a fry pan as well, and used aluminum foil as my lid. Lots of fry pans come with lids too.
• Can I use chicken thighs? Yes, chicken thighs can be substituted for chicken breasts in this recipe. Because they are thinner you won’t need to cook them as long. Look for doneness with your meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh. The temperature needs to be at least 165F.
• What’s the best way to set this aside for future meal prep? The shredded chicken will last in the fridge for a few days, so if you know you are going to use it in a couple of days, you can store it in an air tight container in the fridge. If you won’t be using it for a while, I measure it out in the quantity that I will need it (for future recipes) and place it in a Ziploc bag and into the freezer for up to three months. If I’m not sure on the quantity I will need, I just place about 1 lb in the Ziploc bag. It helps to not pack the meat together tightly in the bag, I try to fluff it up and keep the pieces loosely touching each other. This helps once frozen, if I just need a little bit I can break off a little chunk and don’t need to thaw the entire pack of frozen chicken. I do this a lot when I make quesadillas for one or two people at a time etc.
• What sort of recipes can I put shredded chicken in? Shredded chicken is such a versatile meat. It is great on a salad or pizza, or in a soup to add a little protein and make it a quick meal. Lots of Mexican dishes call for shredded chicken like quesadillas, tacos, enchiladas, burritos etc.

Did you make this recipe? If so, let me know how it went in the comments below. I would love to hear how you found it. Here are some other recipes you might enjoy: Beef Pad Thai, Air Fryer Meatloaf.