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    Home » Mains and Meats

    Jan 31, 2020 · Modified: Mar 29, 2022 by Chelsea · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads · Tags: 21DSD, 5 Ingredients or Less, AIP Friendly, dairy free, Egg Free, gluten free, grain free, Nightshade Free, nut free, paleo, primal, sugar free, Whole Life Challenge, Whole30

    Easy Dutch Oven Shredded Chicken

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    Meal prep just got easier with simple, hands-off dutch oven shredded chicken. It’s a great way to prep for healthy eating throughout the week!

    Author’s Note: This post was originally published 1/24/2017 and has been updated with better photos and tips to make the post more useful.

    Plain dutch oven shredded chicken is a staple in my kitchen for quick, easy meal prep. It's faster than a slow cooker and makes moist, tender shredded chicken breasts every time!

    Shredded chicken in a dutch oven with text overlay "dutch oven shredded chicken"

    Why use a dutch oven?

    Why a dutch oven? There are many recipes out there for slow cooker shredded chicken, but I've found that I prefer using my dutch oven for nearly everything.

    Dutch oven shredded chicken only takes 30-40 or so minutes of your time (as opposed to 4 to 5 hours in a slow cooker).

    Yes, the dutch oven method is slower than boiling the chicken. But boiled chicken is tough and rubbery. NOT GREAT. Dutch oven chicken is definitely the way to go.

    Top tips for dutch oven shredded chicken

    This couldn't be simpler.

    Preheat the oven to 350. I drizzle just a bit of extra virgin olive oil into my dutch oven. You can totally skip this step. I only do it to prevent the chicken from leaving residue...it makes cleaning that much easier. But since my dutch oven is already enameled, it doesn't stick much anyway.

    Nestle in the chicken breasts. Try to avoid too much overlap so each breast cooks evenly. If you pile chicken breasts on top of one another, the cooking time will change.

    Sprinkle on some salt. A teaspoon or so should do it.

    Put the cover on the dutch oven and pop in the oven. Set a timer for 30 minutes.

    Cook until the internal temperature of the breasts reaches 165 degrees F. Shred those babies with two forks. DONE.

    Raw chicken breasts sprinkled with salt in a dutch oven
    Closeup of shredded chicken in a dutch oven

    How to re-use prepped shredded chicken

    Okay, so you’ve prepped your chicken with this recipe for fast, versatile protein throughout your week. Now what?

    You can use shredded chicken for every single meal if you’re creative and resourceful!

    Use these ideas to get you started:

    • Salads
    • Frittatas
    • Egg bakes
    • Casseroles
    • Tacos
    • Sprinkle salt and pepper on it and eat it as-is
    • Toss it in dressing (like ranch or BBQ sauce) and pair with veggies for a quick lunch

    The best dutch oven to have in your kitchen

    Obviously, to make this recipe you’ve got to have a dutch oven on hand. The main reason I LOVE dutch ovens: you can use them both on the stovetop and in the oven. Coincidentally, that’s the main reason I love cast iron in general!

    So, get yourself a dutch oven that will last you for many, many years of creating in the kitchen. Fortunately, it doesn’t have to cost too much — a Lodge cast iron dutch oven is a great choice!

    I recently upgraded to a Misen enameled Dutch oven and I LOVE it. Misen is one of my go-to brands for kitchen essentials. I highly recommend checking them out!

    Shredded chicken in a dutch oven

    How to prevent shredded chicken from drying out

    When I've made shredded chicken in a dutch oven, I haven't found this to be a huge problem. Because you're cooking at a lower heat and the Dutch oven is covered, the moisture stays trapped inside.

    However, if you don't get the same results, you can add ¼ cup of chicken broth or water (but preferably chicken broth) to the Dutch oven before you start cooking. Just make sure to drain any excess liquid after shredding!

    Recipes that use shredded chicken:

    • Buffalo Chicken Sweet Potato Egg Bake
    • Buffalo Chicken Smothered Sweet Potato Fries
    • Bacon Buffalo Chicken Casserole
    • BBQ Chicken Smothered Sweet Potato Fries
    • Chicken Bacon Ranch Spaghetti Squash Casserole

    Have more ideas on how to use dutch oven shredded chicken? Let me know how you used it in the comments below, or tag me on Instagram!

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    Shredded chicken in a dutch oven

    Easy Dutch Oven Shredded Chicken

    ★★★★★ 5 from 3 reviews
    • Author: Chelsea at Do You Even Paleo
    • Prep Time: 5 minutes
    • Cook Time: 30 minutes
    • Total Time: 35 minutes
    • Yield: 4-6 servings 1x
    • Category: Entree
    • Method: braised
    • Cuisine: American
    Print Recipe
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    Description

    Make shredded chicken in your dutch oven! Faster than a slow cooker and perfectly juicy, you'll be surprised how easy it is to prep a bunch of shredded chicken in under an hour.


    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil (optional)
    • 2 - 2.5 pounds chicken breasts
    • 1 teaspoon sea salt

    Instructions

    1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
    2. (Optional) Grease the bottom of the dutch oven with olive oil. I do this just to prevent any and all sticking, but many dutch ovens are enameled so it's not entirely necessary.
    3. Place chicken breasts in the dutch oven. Try not to overlap too much (overlap could result in extra cooking time). Sprinkle the chicken breasts with salt.
    4. Cover the dutch oven and bake for 30-40 minutes until chicken breasts are cooked through. Shred using two forks.

    Notes

    The wonderful thing about this "recipe" is how easy it is to play around with it. I've used the same method, but for 40 or so minutes at 300 degrees F. If 30 minutes at 350 degrees F isn't floating your boat, play around with the cooking temp and times (always being sure to fully cook the chicken) to figure out what makes your perfect shredded chicken.

    Keywords: Dutch oven shredded chicken

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @chelseajoyeats on Instagram and hashtag it #chelseajoyeats

    More Mains and Meats

    • Maple Chipotle Chicken Tacos
    • Turkey Meatballs with Pineapple Red Pepper Sauce
    • The Best Bangers and Mash Recipe (Gluten Free)
    • Chicken, Kale, and Sweet Potato Bowl

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Alma says

      February 06, 2019 at 5:18 pm

      Love how easy this is to make. Great eating for a diabetic with type 2 diabetes. Thanks 4 sharing.

      Reply
      • Chelsea says

        February 24, 2019 at 5:56 pm

        You're welcome! Hope this recipe serves you well!

        Reply
    2. Keith says

      March 29, 2019 at 4:52 pm

      Thanks for sharing this. It has been clutch for me when in a pinch. One tip I read online somewhere else, shred the chicken in a kitchenaid mixer with the beater attachment.

      Reply
      • Chelsea says

        April 02, 2019 at 9:03 am

        That would work! I don't have a kitchenaid, so I've never been able to try that tip out. 😉

        Reply
        • Jacki says

          April 07, 2019 at 11:02 am

          I use a handheld mixer and it works beautifully!

          Reply
          • Chelsea says

            April 15, 2019 at 12:46 pm

            Glad to hear it!

            Reply
    3. Some Wad On The Internet says

      May 15, 2019 at 8:09 pm

      Been using this recipe to make shredded bbq chicken sandwiches and just straight up juicy chicken breasts for about a year now, works wonderfully and it's always a hit. Thanks for helping me expand my abilities!

      Reply
      • Chelsea says

        May 15, 2019 at 9:05 pm

        You're welcome! Glad to hear you like it. 🙂

        Reply
    4. eatfrysmith says

      May 21, 2019 at 4:38 am

      The first time I learned about this recipe, I thought I had to go to the kitchen immediately, it made me curious and excited

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    5. Haileigh says

      April 16, 2021 at 1:56 pm

      FINALLY! A quick, hassle-free and reliable chicken breast recipe that even my toddlers can help me out with! This will most likely be my life-long go-to for chicken breast. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    6. David says

      December 31, 2021 at 11:21 am

      Love this! Has been a great pandemic recipe for making lots of extra meals for the kids. Also good for chopped chicken. And great with Trader Joe’s BBQ sauce.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Chelsea says

        January 14, 2022 at 3:09 pm

        Thank you, David!

        Reply

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    Hello! I'm Chelsea, the author, recipe developer, and photographer behind Chelsea Joy Eats (formerly DoYouEvenPaleo). Life should be full of flavor, and I've made it my mission to bring you recipes and lifestyle advice that do just that. Most of the recipes here are paleo and gluten free! Want to know more?

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