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A wooden spoon stirring shredded chicken in a bowl
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Shredded Chicken

This shredded chicken recipe will be your go-to for enchiladas, tacos, casseroles, soups, and more! It's perfectly seasoned and so moist, baked in under 20 minutes, and shredded in seconds.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: shredded chicken
Servings: 6 people

Ingredients

  • 4 6-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 & 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon coarse salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil.
  • Using a meat mallet or rolling pin, pound 4, 6 ounce chicken breasts to a little more than 3/4-inch at the thickest part. (Make sure your fillets are all the same thickness to ensure even cooking.)
    A chicken breast on a wooden cutting board next to a meat mallet
  • In a small bowl, mix together 1 & 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon coarse salt, 3/4 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder until thoroughly combined.
    Two bowls of spices, one before they are combined
  • Place chicken on the foil; drizzle with olive oil and massage into the chicken on both sides. Sprinkle with the seasoning, on both sides, coating as much surface area as possible.
    Seasoned chicken breasts on a baking sheet before baking
  • Transfer to the oven and cook for about 18-22 minutes or until an instant read thermometer reads 165 degrees F. (Times can vary depending on the size and thickness of the breasts and your oven.)
    Seasoned chicken breasts on a baking sheet after baking
  • Let chicken rest for a few minutes, then transfer to a deep mixing bowl while still warm.
  • With an electric mixer (or stand mixer with the paddle attachment) blend the chicken on low, then increase the speed until the chicken is shredded into the size pieces you prefer, 5 to 10 seconds.
    A hand mixer n a bowl shredding chicken
  • Drizzle shredded chicken with any juices from the pan and toss to coat.
    Shredded chicken in a ziploc bag
  • Store for later or use right away in your favorite recipes that call for shredded chicken, like enchiladas, tacos, casseroles, and soups.

Notes

Shred with forks instead. And, of course, you can also shred chicken with two forks. Just place your cooked chicken breast on a clean cutting board. Using two forks, separate the chicken meat by pulling in both directions, and continue to shred until you get the size pieces that you want. Repeat with the remaining chicken breasts.

Nutrition

Calories: 56kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 0.2g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 0.4mg | Sodium: 390mg | Potassium: 19mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 129IU | Vitamin C: 0.02mg | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 0.2mg