Easiest Poached Chicken Breasts...& How to Shred Chicken

This recipe is a two-in-one kitchen hack, and it actually blew my mind. How did I not know this was a thing??? Because today I’ve got for you not only how to make the easiest, juiciest poached chicken breasts, but also a 10-second hack for how to shred chicken.

I am all about having some cooked chicken in the fridge to snack on, or to add to pasta, rice, or a salad for a super fast meal. But I overdid it on grilled chicken for a few years and needed to mix it up a bit.

This super moist shredded chicken made with poached chicken breasts was the perfect answer. I keep a container of this at all times, and sometimes add it to recipes (like the loaded Thai chicken salad shown below), but often just put a bit of BBQ sauce on and eat it straight out of the container.

I made an Instagram Reel of the technique so you can see it in motion…this link will take you to the video on IG (and follow me @findingtimeforcooking) for recipe inspiration, videos, & more!).

What temperature should chicken be cooked to?

More modern thinking says 145 F to be done and safe inside (previously was considered 165 F which can be quite tough & dry). For poaching, you’ll have trouble getting the chicken much higher than 145-150 due to the gentle cooking method in water. Make sure to insert your thermometer at the thickest portion of the breast.

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What’s great is this is almost entirely hands-off (which I appreciate, as touching raw chicken in particular is gross).

Bring water to a boil in a large saucepan or soup pot. You’re going to want quite a bit more than the amount of chicken, to make sure it can cook the meat. I speed up this process by boiling water in my electric kettle as it takes eons on my stove.

Once the water has come to a boil, add some salt (like you would for pasta water, just eyeball) and the chicken breasts to the pan. Remove from heat and cover with a lid.

Let the pan sit, covered, for 20-25 minutes off the heat. Then check the internal temp of the chicken at the fattest part…it should read at least 145 F (it probably won’t go much above that).

If it’s reached that temp, it’s done. If not, drain some of the water and add some more boiling water (again, the electric kettle is super helpful), and let it sit with the lid on for another 5-10 minutes.

Once it’s reached 145 F inside, drain the water and place the chicken breasts in your stand mixer with the paddle attachment.

Turn the mixer on very low and gradually bump it up a couple notches as the chicken is shredded. It will take about 10 seconds total. I give it a few medium-speed pulses right at the end to really break things up.

I have tried this same technique after letting my chicken breasts sit around and cool for an hour or so, so they solidified. I was honestly not sure how well it would do, but it worked out just fine.

Washing the stand mixer bowl takes another 5 seconds, and VOILA! So if you’re wondering how to make shredded chicken without spending forever with two forks, you will love this technique.

Other easy, healthy recipes you’ll love:

Easy, Juicy Poached Chicken Breasts

The actual amounts in this recipe are flexible, so this is the technique and you can scale as needed.

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I leave them regular size, but if they’re GIANT, cut in half)
Water and salt

Bring water to a boil in a large saucepan or soup pot. You’re going to want quite a bit more than the amount of chicken, to make sure it can cook the meat. (Easy hack: I speed up this process by boiling water in my electric kettle because it takes forever to come to a boil on the stove.)
Once the water has come to a boil, add some salt (like you would for pasta water) and the chicken breasts. Remove from the heat and cover with a lid.
Let sit, covered, for 20-25 minutes. Then check the internal temp of the chicken at the fattest part…it should read at least 145 F (it probably won’t go much above that).
If it’s reached that temp, it’s done. If not, drain some of the water and add some more boiling water (again, the electric kettle is super helpful), leaving it sit with the lid on for another 5-10 minutes.
Once it’s reached 145 F inside, drain the water.

How to Shred Chicken (in 10 Seconds)

Place the chicken breasts in your stand mixer with the paddle attachment.
Turn the mixer on very low and gradually bump it up a couple notches as the chicken is shredded. It will take about 10 seconds total.
I give it a few medium-speed pulses right at the end to really break things up.

Pin for later!

The Easiest, Juiciest Poached Chicken Breasts (& How to Shred Chicken in 10 Seconds)

Prep Time: 2 minutes

Active Time: 25 minutes

Additional Time: 1 minute

Total Time: 2 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

How to make the best, juiciest poached chicken, and how to shred chicken in 10 seconds flat...no forks required! Easy kitchen hacks for keeping healthy food on hand all the time.

Materials

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I leave them regular size, but if they're GIANT, cut in half)
Water and salt

Instructions

Bring water to a boil in a large saucepan or soup pot. You're going to want quite a bit more than the amount of chicken, to make sure it can cook the meat.
Once the water has come to a boil, add some salt (like you would for pasta water) and the chicken breasts. Remove from the heat and cover with a lid.
Let sit, covered, for 20-25 minutes. Then check the internal temp of the chicken at the fattest part...it should read at least 145 F (it probably won't go much above that).
If it's reached that temp, it's done. If not, drain some of the water and add some more boiling water (again, the electric kettle is super helpful), leaving it sit with the lid on for another 5-10 minutes.
Once it's reached 145 F inside, drain the water.

Place the chicken breasts in your stand mixer with the paddle attachment.
Turn the mixer on very low and gradually bump it up a couple notches as the chicken is shredded. It will take about 10 seconds total.
I give it a few medium-speed pulses right at the end to really break things up.

Notes

The actual amounts in this recipe are flexible, so this is the technique and you can scale as needed.
Easy hack: I speed up this process by boiling water in my electric kettle because it takes forever to come to a boil on the stove. It gives me flexibility to adjust water levels as needed too.