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Quick Fix: Shredded Chicken
Today’s Quick Fix is brought to you by JD Duran of the InSessionFilm podcast. You can find them at insessionfilm.com. JD wanted to know about good recipes for shredded chicken to use in tacos, burritos, etc. Here you go JD!
In today’s Kitchen Counter Podcast Quick Fix I’m going to give you the secret to perfect homemade shredded chicken. I love shredded chicken because it’s so versatile; you can use it in tacos, burritos, enchiladas, on a sandwich (w/BBQ sauce like pulled pork), in a wrap, soup, as a pizza topping, and so much more. The challenge however is making shredded chicken that doesn’t turn out like chewy shoelaces, that is, overcooked and dry. As with any protein, the method of cooking has less to do with how juicy the final product turns out than how long you cook. You can boil boneless, skinless chicken breasts (arguably the “wettest” way you can make them), and they can still turn out dry and leathery. Likewise you can roast them in the oven (a very dry method) and have chicken that turns out moist and juicy. So really the key is not to overcook the chicken. Now the first instinct for shredded chicken is often to put it in the slow cooker for long slow cooking, but unlike say, a pork roast, chicken breasts don’t really benefit from the type of cooking so it’s really necessary to do it that way. All you really need is a skillet or sauté pan with a lid and you can have shredded chicken ready in very little time. You can take this shredded chicken recipe and add whatever sauce or seasoning you want, but today I’m also going to share a great spice mix for making tacos. OK, Here’s what you do:
Shredded Chicken:
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1 small piece peeled ginger root
Chicken broth
salt
pepper
Homemade taco seasoning:
1 Tbsp Chile powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp kosher or sea salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (less or more depending on how much heat you want)
Optional: If you have the time, you could brine the breasts in a solution of 2 quarts water and 1/2 cup salt. Brine for one hour then remove and rinse the breasts. If you don’t have time, that’s ok too!
Heat the pan with some oil over medium high heat until hot. Add chicken breasts, and cook for three minutes then turn over. Add garlic, ginger, salt and pepper, and just enough broth to come about 1/3 up the chicken breasts. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for about 10-12 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink.
Remove chicken to a bowl and shred with forks. Reserve 1/2 to 3/4 cup of the cooking liquid. Add the shredded chicken back into the pan along with the seasoning and cooking liquid. Simmer uncovered until liquid is reduced and the chicken is cooked through (about 5 minutes). Enjoy!
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