Make Ahead Shredded Chicken Breast Food

MY "FAMOUS" SHREDDED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Place chicken breasts in pan with broth (I have used frozen, as well as fresh- frozen adds to your cooking time).
• Bring to a boil.
• Turn heat to medium, and let simmer covered for 15-20 minutes (around 10 minutes if yours are defrosted), turning occasionally.
• Then turn to medium low and let cook covered for another 60 min (or until shreds with a fork). You may need to add more broth during that hour if yours cooks down.
• I have let it cook for even longer with great results.
• Let rest in pan for at least 10 minutes, or until you can shred the meat without burning yourself.
• If you are saving the chicken for later, place it in a ziplock with the excess broth from the pan.
• Enjoy in any recipe that calls for shredded chicken.
• You can also add spices/onion/garlic to the meat while cooking, but I like to make mine plain so it will go with any recipe.

MAKE-AHEAD SHREDDED CHICKEN BREAST

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400°F. Line 15x10x1-inch pan with foil; spray with cooking spray. Trim excess fat from chicken breasts. Loosen skin without removing from breasts. In bowl mix garlic salt, lemon pepper and basil; sprinkle or rub onto breast meat.
• Replace skin over breasts; brush with oil. Place in foil-lined pan.
• Bake uncovered 45-55 minutes or until juice of chicken is clear when thickest part is cut to bone (at least 165°).
• Remove from oven and cool 15 minutes.
• Remove skin from the chicken, then separate the meat from the bones.
• Shred chicken with 2 forks and cool completely.
• Divide chicken by 1-, 2- or 3-cup quantities into freeze-safe resealable bags or containers. Label and freeze up to 2 months.

HOW TO COOK SHREDDED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of a large pot, then season them lightly with salt and pepper. The amounts in the recipe are just a suggestion, so don't feel pressured to measure. Give each breast a nice sprinkle. If you are cooking a lot of chicken breasts, you can overlap them slightly. If you have a lot of overlap, use a larger pot.
• Cover the chicken with 1 inch of water.
• Place the pot on the stove and bring the water to a boil. Once the liquid is boiling, reduce the heat and let simmer until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer or is no longer pink in the center, about 8 to 16 minutes, depending upon the size and number of chicken breasts that you are poaching. A 10-ounce chicken breast will need to simmer for about 12 to 14 minutes. Remove the chicken from water and let rest until cool enough to handle. Dice, slice, or shred as desired.

HOW TO MAKE TENDER FLAVORFUL SHREDDED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Combine chicken, onion, garlic, bay leaf, salt, cumin and pepper in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add just enough water to cover the chicken. Turn heat to high, bring to a boil then remove any foam or scum that floats to the top.
• Adjust the heat so that the water simmers very gently around the chicken. Cook until chicken is very tender, about 30 minutes.
• Transfer chicken to a cutting board. When it is cool enough to handle, use two forks or your fingers to shred the meat.
• After removing the chicken, boil the liquid remaining in the saucepan until it has reduced by one-third, or until its flavor has concentrated.
• Spoon about 1 cup of the concentrated cooking liquid over the shredded chicken and toss to coat. Use within 2 to 3 days.

QUICK BBQ SHREDDED CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, whisk together barbecue sauce, apple cider vinegar, and water. Set aside.
• Pat chicken breasts dry and lightly salt and pepper both sides. Heat a large skillet with a lid over medium-high heat and melt butter.
• Add chicken breasts to the pan and cook until lightly browned. Flip the chicken breasts and pour barbecue sauce mixture over the top.
• Bring sauce to a simmer and reduce heat to medium-low, keeping the sauce at just a simmer. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Flip the chicken, re-cover, and continue to cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat reads 165°F, usually around 3 to 6 minutes more.
• Transfer the chicken to a cutting board, and allow it to rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Allow the sauce to continue simmering uncovered, stirring occasionally, until it thickens.
• Shred chicken breasts and return shredded chicken to the pan of sauce. Stir until well-coated. Serve and enjoy!

MAKE AHEAD MARINATED CHICKEN BREASTS

Steps:

• Mix together buttermilk with mustard, honey and seasonings.
• Place chicken breasts in a freezer bag.
• Pour marinade over chicken breasts.
• Freeze.
• On serving day thaw chicken, discarding marinade.
• Grill over medium heat until chicken is tender and juices run clear.

SLOW-COOKER SHREDDED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Lay the chicken breasts in an even layer in a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker. Add the broth, olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, lemon peel and bay leaf if using. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and several grinds of pepper. Cook on high for 3 hours or low for 6 hours.
• Transfer the cooked chicken to a large bowl. Use 2 forks to pull it into shreds. Strain the cooking broth and drizzle about 1/2 cup over the chicken. Season with salt and pepper and toss to combine. If not using the chicken immediately, refrigerate it in an airtight container. Refrigerate the remaining cooking broth separately and use it to moisten the chicken when serving. Or add it to soups and sauces.
• Buffalo: Melt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter and whisk in 3 tablespoons Buffalo-style hot sauce. Drizzle over 2 cups shredded chicken and toss well.
• Lemon Herb: Drizzle 2 cups shredded chicken with 1/4 cup of the cooking broth and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, 1 teaspoon lemon zest and 1 teaspoon dried dill. Season with salt and pepper and toss well.
• Barbecue: Warm 1/4 cup of the cooking broth in a small saucepan and whisk in 1/4 cup barbecue sauce. Pour over 2 cups shredded chicken and toss well.