23 Of The Easiest Shredded Chicken Recipes For You To Try

When it comes to easier meat to use in recipes, there probably isn’t a meat that can come close to chicken.

Sure, it is arguable that, with enough skill and preparation, a pork medallion or beef steak could be cooked quickly or made to a higher standard, but they simply don’t come close to the ease of cooking and versatility that chicken has.

Plus, with the right seasoning, flavors, or even batter, it’s not like there also isn’t a high ceiling to getting the best chicken for your meal.

However, when it comes to shredded chicken, very few people seem to go for this option of preparation, at least when compared to the number of pulled pork and shredded beef recipes you can also find on the internet.

However, that doesn’t mean that it isn’t possible to find a shredded chicken recipe or two that aren’t both tasty and easy to make. Quite the opposite.

In this guide, we are going to show you a selection of shredded chicken recipes (see also ‘The Best Chicken Recipes For Summer‘) that can be prepared easily, and still come out the other side tasting fresh and new to your tongue and tummy.

1. Mexican Shredded Chicken

Starting this list with a staple of dinner tables up and down the country, we have an amazing Mexican shredded chicken recipe.

Mexican recipes generally make excellent use of chicken in whatever form it is in, and the same is true for this shredded chicken recipe too!

Make sure to give your poultry plenty of time to marinate in all the seasonings and flavorings you add.

2.Chicken Bog

Chicken bog is a staple for pretty much any home with a crock pot or slow cooker handy.

And just taking a look at this recipe shows us why.

This is the perfect way to bring your shredded chicken to a party or buffet and is sure to disappear into people’s bellies faster than you would expect.

Plus, given that it is a super simple recipe to make, it’s a recipe that you will always have handy!

If you’re a fan of slow cooker chicken recipes, you’ll find chicken bog to be a comforting and satisfying addition to your repertoire.

3. Instant Pot Chicken Tacos

Back at it again with another excellent Mexican-style chicken recipe, we have this chicken taco recipe.

This recipe can be used with both frozen chickens, as well as chicken that is freshly picked up from the butcher.

Given that many other pot recipes often require hours to prepare the chicken, we are thoroughly enjoying the change of pace with this recipe, being ready in as little as 15 to 20 minutes!

4. BBQ Chicken Sandwich

Barbecue and shredded chicken go together like mashed potatoes and gravy, so it’s no surprise that many excellent recipes make full use of this amazing pairing,

Plus, chicken is always a great option for throwing in a sandwich.

For the perfect sandwich, make sure that you have a fresh loaf of bread, particularly a type that absorbs sauces well.

Plus, the extra flavors from the onions, cider vinegar, and brown sugar, give this BBQ a great savory sweetness to it.

5. Buffalo Chicken Casserole

A casserole (see also ‘23 Best Turkey Casseroles For A Dinner Night‘) is a recipe that will never go out of style, especially with chicken of all cuts and styles.

What you may be surprised to see is a spicy chicken casserole! 

If you’re intrigued, take a look at this recipe!

6. Easy Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

One of the great comfort foods of the United States, chicken noodle soup is a perfect, easy-to-make meal for a cold and lazy day spent indoors.

And with a slow cooker, that noodle soup recipe (see also ‘30 Of The Easiest Noodle Recipes‘) only gets easier to make!

The cooking time might seem like a long time (partly because it is), and that may put some people off trying this recipe.

But we assure you, once your ingredients are in the pot, this dish is a breeze to prepare.

7. Chicken Chili

Right up there with chicken noodle soup, chicken chili has to be one of the great comfort foods of America.

Packed to the brim with flavors, a ton of heat to boot, as well as plenty of shredded chicken to absorb all that juicy goodness, we’d be hard-pressed to think of something better right now!

Plus, with a cooking time of around 45 minutes, it’s a great deal quicker to prepare than a slow-cooked chicken noodle soup too.

If you’re looking for flavor and heat in one place, look no further than this chili recipe to warm your belly!

8. Chicken Caprese Pasta

If you’re looking for fresh food to be served with your shredded chicken, then you should try serving it with this Caprese pasta dish.

If you’re looking for the best results in terms of sauce and thickness, make sure that you save at least a cup of the water that you have boiled your pasta in, and add it to your final sauce.

9. Chicken Rice Soup

You’ve seen the chicken noodle soup that we have shown you.

Now it’s time to take a look at its rice equivalent for an excellent comfort dish!

Full to the brim with beautifully cooked vegetables, and hearty brown rice that just warms the soul.

Plus, with it only taking 50 to 55 minutes to make, it’s certainly a quicker option than the chicken noodle soup we should you!

10. Chicken Noodle Soup

We may have ragged a little on chicken noodle soup in some of these recipes, but that’s only because they can’t be chicken noodle soup.

However, if you are looking to cut down on that looming cooking time that you get in slow-cooked chicken noodle soup, make sure that you take a look at this recipe.

With a prep time of only around 10 minutes and a total cooking time of less than an hour, this is the recipe to use if you’re looking for a shredded chicken recipe to be made in a short time.

11. Chicken Chili

We just can’t get enough of a great chicken chili recipe here!

This recipe to make a lighter chili than a good beef variant instead uses good rotisserie chicken meat for that quality bite, whilst also keeping the recipe easier to make.

Make sure to add plenty of bell peppers and onions to your pot!

12. Chicken Tortellini Soup

Tortellini is a pasta variety that goes very well with chicken.

And, as we have already established, it is a great meat to go with your soup too!

13. Vietnamese Shredded Chicken Salad

Time for something a little different now

Vietnamese has a variety of excellent ways to present chicken. Whilst soups are popular, this amazing salad recipe is great too!

14. White Lightning Chicken Chili

Sometimes, however, time catches up to you, and you realize that you don’t have the time to prepare a fancy chicken meal. Or do you?

With this amazing white lightning chicken recipe, you may still have time to whip up something amazing!

15. Chicken Pesto Pasta

Pesto is a staple pasta dish that millions of people around the world love.

So, why not try and add a little extra chicken to that recipe whilst you are at it?

This is also a recipe that you can make in no time flat, with a cooking time of only around 30 minutes, 40 if you’re a little on the slow side with your cooking.

If you’re stuck on time, try this one-pot pesto pasta recipe!

16. BBQ Chicken Pizza

Who doesn’t love pizza? And, more importantly for us, who doesn’t love chicken on pizza?

If you don’t, well then, you’re in tough luck with this next recipe.

Fortunately, it’s a great pizza recipe, thanks to the shredded chicken mixing with the BBQ base that this pizza calls for.

Plus, with a little added garlic to the mix, you’re going to be using this recipe pretty often, we assure you!

17. Chicken Pot Pie With Cheddar & Bacon Biscuits

Main course biscuits are often overlooked when it comes to main course meals.

However, when it comes to packing in plenty of flavors into a single mix, you can’t do better than these biscuits.

Plus, shredded chicken can be easily molded, making it perfect to stuff in a pot pie recipe like this one.

18. Chicken Alfredo Pizza

You thought there’d only be one pizza dish on this list?

Sorry to surprise you, but there’s plenty more where that came from!

Loaded with plenty of toppings, the shredded chicken tastes amazing alongside the spinach and bacon (see also our favorite bacon recipes) that this recipe calls for.

Plus, the Alfredo sauce made and used here is to die for!

19. Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Baked Potatoes

What can we say? Buffalo chicken just improves everything it touches.

So when you add that to an already pretty great baked potato, you get an amazingly easy recipe to make, whilst also tasting like it was just presented to you at a restaurant!

20. Southwest Chicken Tortillas

We’ve still got a few more recipes for tantalizing Mexican recipes to show you, and this Southwest-inspired chicken tortilla recipe is one of them.

Use a non-stick pan to toast your tortillas, and keep your eyes on this fast-cooking recipe, and you’ll be swimming in flavors in no time!

21. Chicken Tetrazzini

It’s kind of surprising that we haven’t had more chicken and mushroom recipes on this list. Well, time to change that!

To get the best tasting results, make sure that the cheesy topping is just starting to turn from golden to brown.

22. Shredded Chicken Nachos

Okay, now we’re coming up on the last Mexican recipe.

If you’re looking to make nachos that aren’t just your regular corn variety, then we recommend using flour-based chips instead.

23. Chicken Stir-Fry

Finally, we have a classic go-to recipe for a shredded chicken to close off this list.

Stir-fries are a great way to combine both chicken and vegetables with excellent soy sauces to get a truly balanced meal.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do I Make Shredded Chicken?

Generally, there is no single way to make shredded chicken, and it will often change from cuisine to cuisine, or even from household to household!

Generally speaking, most people start with a large piece of boneless chicken, then sautéing it in a pan with olive oil, before adding a little salt and pepper, doing this on one side, before moving to the other after the bottom I cooked.

Once this is done, chicken stock is added, and a lid added to the vessel of whatever you were previously cooking the chicken in, to help lock in the moisture that makes this a loving way of preparing chicken.

No one wants dried chicken that is cooked to a crisp!

Once the chicken has been cooked, you can then start to tear apart the chicken meat until it is soft and fluffy.

Now, you’re ready to start adding it to the recipes that we have outlined here!

What Cut Of Chicken Meat Is Best for Shredding?

Usually, chicken breast or deboned thigh is the optimal type of chicken meat to use for shredded chicken recipes.

However, any piece of large enough chicken will do nicely, so long as there are no bones present, and it has enough mass to not fry instantly!

This means that you can use chicken legs that have been deboned, or, if the chicken was big enough, wing meat can also be used.

How Long After Making It Can I Still Use Shredded Chicken?

This will largely depend on how well you can contain and preserve it.

If you keep your shredded chicken meat sealed in an airtight container, then you can expect your chicken to last between 3 and 4 days before it needs to be thrown out.

Generally speaking, if you notice that your chicken has started to soften up too much after storing it, or the smell of it changes, or it starts to feel slimy to the touch, this is a good sign that it has expired, and needs to be thrown away.

Final Thoughts

All you need to decide on now is what recipe to start with!