15+ shredded chicken recipes to make with pre-cooked shredded chicken. Plus the very best method for cooking shredded chicken.
You all know that I’m a big fan of prepping ingredients in advance to save time and effort later. And one of the absolute best things you can make ahead of time is shredded chicken .
Having cooked shredded chicken in your fridge or freezer will shave 20 to 30 minutes of cooking time off a huge number of chicken dishes so you can have dinner on the table in around 20 minutes.
Whether you have extra rotisserie chicken that you need to pull off the bones before you make stock (or chicken carcass soup !) or a few chicken breasts you want to get out of your fridge, turning them into cooked shredded chicken will save you a whole lot of time down the road.
What’s the easiest way to cook shredded chicken?
If you’re starting with raw chicken breasts, the easiest (and best) way to cooked shredded chicken is a cross between pan-frying and something similar to poaching.
I wrote a whole post on How to Cook Shredded Chicken a while back, but you really don’t need a recipe to make it. Once you learn the method, you’ll never need the recipe again.
- Season boneless skinless chicken breasts on both sides with salt and pepper and if you’d like, spices. Taco seasoning and Italian seasoning blends work great depending on what you’re making with the chicken.
- In a hot pan with a lid, drizzle a little oil or a spray of cooking spray and sear the chicken breasts on both sides until golden.
- Then add enough water to the pan to come halfway up the sides of the chicken breasts.
- Bring the water to a simmer, cover the pan, and cook until the chicken breasts reach 165°F using an instant-read thermometer . If the water evaporates completely, add a little more, but otherwise the chicken cooks without you having to touch it.
How to shred cooked chicken?
The simplest way to shred cooked chicken is with two forks. Just use one fork to anchor the meat and the other to shred it by pulling off small pieces of meat.
If you need to shred large quantities of chicken, the fastest way is (weirdly enough) to use a stand mixer with the beater attachment. If you want to see how that works, go check out my shredded chicken post where I cover it in way more detail.
How do I make shredded chicken from a rotisserie chicken?
To get shredded chicken from a rotisserie chicken, use the two-forks method. Simply pull large chunks of meat off the bones and then use two forks to shred.
Since rotisserie chicken is so tender, you can also just pull it apart with your hands if you prefer.
Shredded Chicken Recipes
Below are some of my favorite recipes where you can use shredded chicken. Most call for two cups of chicken, but there are a couple single-serve recipes in there that require less.
Easy Chicken Enchiladas
10 to 25-Minute Chicken Recipes
30-Minute or More Chicken Recipes
More Recipes to Make With Shredded Chicken
The following recipes do not specifically call for cooked shredded chicken but you can substitute shredded chicken or add it to the final recipe.
This fun and easy homemade Magic Chocolate Shell (magically) hardens into a brittle candy shell when it’s poured over ice cream.
Today, I have another very fun, very easy single-serve ice cream topping recipe for you.
And in case you’re new around here, in this single-serve ice cream topping category already, we have:
- 30-second Chocolate Sauce
- Peanut Butter Sauce
- Nutella Sauce
- Hot Fudge Sauce
And now, Magic Chocolate Shell.
What’s magic chocolate shell?
If you’ve never had magic chocolate shell before, it’s a chocolate topping that (magically) hardens into a brittle candy shell when it’s poured over ice cream.
The chocolate has an incredibly satisfying snap when you break or bite into it, and it’s kind of like eating a chocolate-covered ice cream bar in a bowl.
The great thing about chocolate shell topping is that it’s one of the easiest ice cream toppings you can make. You just need a microwave and two ingredients, chopped chocolate (or high-quality chocolate chips) and coconut oil.
How does chocolate shell work?
Chocolate shell works because of the coconut oil in the syrup. Above 76°F coconut oil is liquid and pourable, so when heated with chocolate, it creates a smooth, pourable chocolate sauce. Below that temperature however, coconut oil is solid. So when the warm syrup hits freezing cold ice cream, it almost immediately solidifies, creating a hard candy shell.
Ingredient Notes
- Coconut Oil: You can use either refined or unrefined coconut oil in this recipe with great results. But unrefined coconut oil will give your chocolate shell a noticeable coconut flavor.
- Chocolate: Chopped chocolate or high-quality chips will both work just fine for this recipe.
How to Make Magic Chocolate Shell Topping
- Combine chocolate and coconut oil in a small bowl and microwave for 15 to 30 seconds, until chocolate is melty. Stir until completely smooth.
- Then pour over ice cream and give it a minute to harden. Crack into the shell and enjoy!
Serving Tip
- If you want to add some color or a different sort of crunch to your ice cream shell, add sprinkles, candy pieces, or crushed Oreos over the shell before it hardens. The coating will harden almost immediately, so have any toppings you want to add ready to go and sprinkle them over the shell as soon as you finish pouring it over the ice cream.
How many servings does this make?
This recipe makes one very (very) generous serving or two smaller servings.
Can I double this recipe?
Absolutely. No changes are necessary to double or triple the recipe. To change the recipe yield, hover over the serving size in the recipe card below or click if you’re on mobile, and slide the slider.
Can I make this in advance?
Yes. Chocolate shell can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
More Warm-weather Treats
- How to Make a Milkshake
- Frozen Hot Chocolate
- Homemade Pudding Pops
- Iced Mocha
- Banana Milkshake
Ingredients
- ▢ 1/4 cup ( 1.5 oz) chopped semi-sweet, bitter sweet, or milk chocolate high-quality chips are fine
- ▢ 2 teaspoons refined coconut oil
Instructions
- In a small, microwave-safe bowl, combine chocolate and oil. Microwave in 15-second increments, stirring well after each, until chocolate is smooth and pourable.
- Pour over ice cream and allow a minute or two for it to harden completely. Serve and enjoy.
Notes
This quick and refreshing iced chai tea latte can be made with just 4 ingredients in about 5 minutes.
Heya, friends, it’s almost spring, the weather (at least here in Southern California) is warming up, and that means it’s time to start thinking about warm-weather recipes.
Top of my list is anything iced, iced mochas , iced caramel macchiatos , iced white chocolate mochas , and today I have a new iced recipe for you, an iced chai tea latte.
It’s actually really simple to make an iced chai latte (or hot chai latte ) at home exactly the way they do at coffee shops. You just need chai concentrate, milk, and ice.
But if you’re here, I’m guessing you don’t have chai concentrate, so I’m going to show you how to make a super quick and simple shortcut chai concentrate so you can be sipping an iced chai latte in about 5 minutes.
Ingredients
- Chai tea bags: Use your favorite chai brand, caffeinated or decaf.
- Sugar: I typically use granulated sugar here, but many chai concentrate recipes use brown sugar. Feel free to use whichever you prefer. If you have it, superfine sugar works particularly well because it will dissolve more quickly when you’re making the concentrate.
- Milk: Starbucks uses 2% milk in their coffee drinks, but you can use any milk you’d like including non-dairy milks. The higher fat your milk, the creamier your drink will be.
How to Make an Iced Chai Latte at Home
- Make chai concentrate: In a small pot or microwave-safe cup, bring ¼ cup of water to a boil. Add tea bags and steep tea for 5 minutes. Remove and discard tea bags. Stir in sugar until completely dissolved and add another ¼ cup of cold or room-temperature water (this will help bring down the temperature of the concentrate so it’s not too warm when you add it to the milk).
- Assemble your drink: Fill a 16-ounce cup with about 1½ cup of ice and add milk before pouring the chai mixture over the milk and stirring to combine. Top with optional whipped cream if desired, and enjoy!
What is a chai tea latte made of?
Starbucks and other coffee houses use a mix of chai concentrate and milk. Chai concentrate is made by combining black tea with spices, usually ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, and peppercorns, along with some form of sweetener.
If you want to give this a try and make an authentic cup of Indian Masala Chai, go check out this recipe .
Does an iced chai latte have coffee?
Iced chai lattes do not usually include coffee. They are made with just chai concentrate and milk served over ice. However, if you would like to add coffee, you can add a shot or two of espresso and make a dirty chai latte (it’s quite good).
What does an iced chai latte taste like?
If you’ve never had one, chai lattes taste just like what they are, sweet chai tea and milk. It’s a refreshing, lightly spicy sweet flavor that is perfect on a warm day.
Is there caffeine in an iced chai latte?
It depends on the tea you use. Chai tea does have caffeine, so if you buy one from a coffee house your latte will almost certainly be caffeinated, but when making your chai latte at home, you can choose to use decaf chai for a caffeine-free chai latte.
Treats to Go With Your Latte
- Cream Scones
- Small-batch Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Small-batch Cinnamon Rolls
More Coffee-house Favorites
- Homemade Mocha
- White Chocolate Mocha
- Salted Caramel Mocha
- White Hot Chocolate
Ingredients
- ▢ ½ cup filtered water divided
- ▢ 2 chai tea bags
- ▢ 2 teaspoons ( 8g ) granulated sugar *
- ▢ 1 ½ cup ice
- ▢ ¾ cup milk any percentage
- ▢ Whipped cream optional for topping
Instructions
- In a small pot or microwave-safe cup, bring ¼ cup of the water to a boil on the stove or in the microwave. Add tea bags and steep for 5 minutes. Remove and discard tea bags.
- Stir in sugar until completely dissolved and add remaining ¼ cup of cold or room-temperature water. Set aside.
- Fill 1 16-ounce cup with 1½ cup of ice. Add milk.
- Pour chai mixture over the milk and stir to combine. Top with optional whipped cream if desired, and enjoy!
