The Common Kitchen Tool That Gives You Shredded Chicken In No Time

Shredded chicken is a delicious ingredient, but the shredding part can be a greasy, messy affair. Thankfully, one unexpected kitchen tool that most cooks have laying around can be used to easily shred chicken without getting your hands dirty.

You might think of hand mixers as more of a baking tool, but the spinning beaters can also nicely shred boneless chicken. Simply put a few pieces of cooked chicken in a bowl and put the mixer to work on low speed. Keep beating the chicken on low until you've reached your desired texture. 

For best results with this method, remove the chicken skin if applicable before shredding. Though it offers a lot of flavor, the skin can get wound up in the beaters too easily. And since chicken bones can interfere with the shredding process — or worse yet, shatter into shards — this tip only works for boneless chicken.

A hand mixer is one of the eight best ways to quickly and easily shred chicken, thanks to the minimal mess and ease of control. Be sure to shred the chicken when it's still warm. Letting it cool down makes shredding chicken way more difficult, as muscle fibers tighten as the chicken gets cold. That said, do let the chicken rest before shredding, both to redistribute juices and avoid burning yourself — 10 minutes on the cutting board will do. 

If you don't feel like holding a hand mixer, don't worry. A stand mixer works well for shredding chicken too. Rather than the beaters, use your stand mixer's paddle attachment to shred the meat in a flash. But just like using a hand mixer, pay attention to the chicken as it shreds, and stop the mixer immediately once you've reached the right consistency. Your slow cooker BBQ pulled chicken sandwiches have never been easier to make!