If you’re looking for a way to simplify your weeknight dinners and make meal prepping a breeze, shredded chicken is your secret weapon. With just a batch of tender, flavorful chicken, you can whip up a variety of quick and easy meals.

How to Shred Chicken

There are a few ways to get shredded chicken, but cooking it in a slow cooker or pressure cooker are my favorites.

Slow cooker: Add about 2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs to a slow cooker + some salt and pepper. Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours or on high for 2 hours. You don’t need to add any liquid. The chicken will be tender and juicy.
Pressure cooker: Add about 2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs to a pressure cooker + 1 cup of water or broth. Set to manual for 15 minutes. This is the quickest option, but in my experience, it isn't as tender as the slow cooker method. However, depending on how you use the shredded chicken, it may not matter.

Once the chicken is cooked, let it cool down a bit and then it’s time to shred it. I recommend shredding the chicken while it’s still warm because it’s much easier than shredding it cold. Using two big forks, I shred the chicken while it’s still in the cooker so that it soaks up the liquid right away.