In this guide, we will walk through the process of shredding rotisserie chicken easily. Shredded rotisserie chicken is amazingly versatile, positively delicious, and saves a lot of time in the kitchen. It’s the perfect workaround for people with busy schedules or who just need a break from making dinner for the family night after night.
I’m going to walk you through a couple different methods, but will concentrate primarily on using an electric mixer to make the process extraordinarily fast and easy. Stick with me, and let’s take a look at how to shred chicken like a pro.
Table of Contents
Why I love Rotisserie chicken so much?
There are many reasons why I love rotisserie chicken so much, but it starts with the simple reason that it simplifies the process of making dinner during a hectic workweek. There’s no need for me to figure out a recipe my family wants to eat, prep everything, cook, and clean up the whole mess.
Instead, all I have to do is buy a hot rotisserie chicken at the store, bring it home, and within minutes, I have a delicious, hot meal of juicy chicken ready and on the table. It’s just so simple and really makes my life a lot easier.
Aside from its simplicity, rotisserie chicken is also incredibly versatile. Not only is it easy to learn how to cut a rotisserie chicken(link) to serve as a meal in itself, but the shredded chicken can also be used in sandwiches, salads, tacos, casseroles, soups, omelettes, appetizers, and more.
By using rotisserie chicken rather than cooking chicken from scratch, the time savings really add up, and the flavor is almost always going to be second to none. Oh… and I love making rotisserie chicken stock from the leftover bones and carcass once we’ve finished our meal. The rotisserie chicken just keeps on giving! Amazing!
Viral rotisserie chicken hack
So there has been a recent viral rotisserie chicken hack where people place the chicken inside a bag and smash it up. This whole thing confuses me, and it looks pretty gross. It saves no time and opens the door to a slew of potential issues.
One of the reasons I love cooking is to work with ingredients to make them look, taste, and feel better… and I’m not sure this chicken-in-a-bag hack does that. If you’ve ever looked inside the cavity of a cooked chicken, there is some gray and dark goop on the boneless chicken pieces that I just don’t want mixed into my chicken… good luck keeping that separated out when you smash a whole chicken. Yuck.
Additionally, one of the dangers of this method are the small bones from the chicken. By smashing a whole chicken in a bag, those bones tend to get lost in the mix and pose a true choking hazard… not to mention the little bits of cartilage and tendon that are now lost in the mixture. Dangerous and gross.
Instead, I’m going to rewind the clock to a few years back to the LAST viral rotisserie chicken hack where people were tossing meat they had removed from the rotis chicken into a bowl and using an electric hand mixer to shred.
The funny part about this hack is that pro chefs have been doing this in bulk for a long time. At my catering kitchen, my executive chef would toss 10 to 15 pounds of rotisserie chicken meat into our commercial mixer, and we would have shredded chicken in about 3 minutes. It was a huge time saver, but it took someone on YouTube using a hand mixer to bring it to the attention of millions!
When I mention that it was a time saver, let me take a closer look at that statement. To shred a full rotisserie chicken with forks takes about 10 minutes. To shred that same chicken with an electric mixer takes between 1-2 minutes. Typically, when I am at home, I shred 2 chickens at a time so I’m saving at least 15-20 minutes by using this technique.
Tools You’ll Need
- Rotisserie chicken: You will need a rotisserie chicken that has been cooked and the chicken removed from the bones. We are NOT using the bones or skin in this guide, so you should be vigilant about picking through the meat to remove any small bones or cartilage.
- High sided mixing bowl: As you will see in the video, my mixing bowl had relatively low sides and the chicken was not contained well. Unfortunately, I had lent out my high-sided mixing bowls to a friend when I was shooting this video, so it is not the best example!
- Electric hand mixer: Any type of electric hand mixer will work well with the standard beaters, not the wire whisk beaters or the dough screws (some mixers come with these alternate attachments).
- Stand mixer: If you have a stand mixer with a whisk or paddle attachment, you can use it. After a minute, you may need to stop the mixer and use a spatula to scrape the chicken off the bottom of the bowl to ensure it is shredded evenly.
Preparation
- You can either buy a rotisserie chicken from the store or make your own at home.
- Grocery store chicken comes with various seasonings and may have additives, so choose based on your family’s needs.
- To enhance its flavor, follow tips for a juicy bird or opt for homemade for a personalized touch.
- After cooking, let the chicken cool enough to handle but not too cold to make meat separation difficult.
- Test the breast meat near the keel bone for heat.
- Use a cutting board with a well to collect juices, which keep the chicken tender.
- Set up a mixer and a “discard” bowl for skin, bones, and other chicken bits, which can be saved in a freezer bag for making stock.
Safety Tips
Some tips to keep in mind before starting this process:
- Safety is key. Follow my guide on cutting a rotisserie chicken to cool it faster and avoid small bones or cartilage in the shredded chicken.
- If you're new to using an electric or stand mixer, read the directions and start on low to control the process and minimize mess.
- Alternatively, you can shred the chicken with two forks on a rimmed baking sheet, an easy method for beginners.
How To Shred Rotisserie Chicken: Step-by-Step Instructions
- Once you have the chicken removed from the bone (all small bones, skin, and cartilage removed too) and placed in a mixing bowl, it’s time to get started shredding.
- Place the electric mixer in the center of the bowl, with the beaters touching the bottom of the bowl. We do not want to start the mixer above the chicken as it will splatter everywhere.
- Turn the mixer on to the LOWEST speed. Hold the mixing bowl and move the mixer around, roughly shredding the chicken.
- As the chicken starts to shred, gradually increase the speed of the mixer until it has shredded to the consistency you like. Then stop the mixer and remove the chicken.
- If some parts have not been shredded completely, it is best to break down the larger pieces with your fingers or a fork.
- And there you have it: shredded rotisserie chicken in a flash.
Alternative Methods
There are a few alternatives that I have used over the years I will detail for you:
- Shredding with two forks: Are you curious about how to shred rotisserie chicken with a fork? For this method, I place the entire rotisserie chicken meat on the left side of a rimmed baking sheet. I move a small portion of the chicken to the center and shred it by using two forks. One fork holds the meat, and the other shreds the meat. Once shredded, I move it to the right side of the sheet to keep everything organized. This method takes quite a while, and if you’re shredding more than one chicken, the pile on the left seems like a mountain after a few minutes.
- Shredding on the bird: For this method, the first step is to remove skin from the bird and then remove the leg quarters (you can see how to do this in my guide on how to cut a rotisserie chicken. I used a fork, held the chicken with the breast side up with one hand, and dragged the fork from top to bottom with the other. The chicken will be shredded with the fork. Place any of the shredded chicken in a bowl. Repeat for the other breast and the legs. Be careful to ensure no tendons or cartilage are transferred to the shredded chicken bowl… this is the primary drawback of using this method.
- Using kitchen scissors: Kitchen scissors are different from paper scissors. They are more heavy duty and can withstand a lot of abuse in the kitchen… plus they separate to be cleaned easily. If you have kitchen shears, you can use them as chicken shredders. Place the chicken into a bowl as we do with the electric mixer method. Using the kitchen scissors, you can just start cutting the chicken. This will make more of a cubed chicken, but because we are not cutting in any order, the result will be close to that of shredded chicken. The drawback of this method is that we have very little uniformity, and my hand gets tired really quickly.
Step 1: Place a piece of rotisserie chicken into a large mixing bowl.
Step 2: Add the rotisserie chicken breast into the mixing bowl.
Step 3: Continue adding the remaining pieces of rotisserie chicken into the bowl.
Step 4: Add the drumsticks to the mixing bowl.
Step 5: Ensure all parts, including small bones, skin, and cartilage, are removed before shredding.
Step 6: Remove and discard any leftover bones and cartilage from the wooden platter.
Step 7: Place the electric mixer with the beaters touching the bottom of the bowl to prevent splattering.
Step 8: Turn on the mixer to the lowest speed and start shredding the chicken, gradually increasing the speed.
Step 9: Use tongs to transfer the shredded rotisserie chicken into a serving bowl.
Step By Step Video
Troubleshooting Common Issues
What to do if the meat is too dry?
Sometimes, rotisserie chickens can be dry. This is a real shame. When this happens, you can either return the bird to the store (they will give you another one if you haven’t eaten this one!), or you can remove the meat from the chicken and place it in a covered nonstick pan. Add in some fat (butter, clarified butter, rendered bacon fat, duck fat, ghee) and a touch of water. Heat over medium-low until the liquid has been absorbed. Taste it, and if it needs more moisture, repeat the process.
How to handle over-shredded chicken?
Typically, rotisserie chicken becomes over-shredded when the meat is too dry. Starting with a dry bird will make crumbly shredded chicken, and returning from this state is hard. I recently bought two overcooked chickens, but did not have time to return them. I shredded them, and the meat was crumbly.
Typically, if the meat is going into a casserole or a chicken salad, I add 1.5X the fats that a recipe would normally call for. For example, my recipe for chicken salad called for 1 cup of mayonnaise. The over-shredded chicken will need at least 1.5 cups and must be handled gently so it doesn’t turn into a paste. The key is adding the appropriate amount of fat and to handle it very gently.
Tips for shredding cold vs. warm chicken
Shredding warm rotisserie chicken is easier than shredding cold chicken. When the chicken is warm, the interstitial fats (the fat in the muscle) are liquified, so the chicken just falls apart more easily. Now, let's learn how to shred cold rotisserie chicken. When the chicken is cold, these same fats are solidified, making the process much more difficult and time-consuming. Additionally, the chicken is harder to separate from the cartilage and tendons when it is cold vs when it is warm.
How To Store Shredded Rotisserie Chicken
As I mentioned before, typically, I am either making or buying at least two rotisserie chickens at a time. The leftover chicken will be used within a couple of days in another recipe, so it needs to be stored properly. Here’s how I do it:
Storing Rotisserie chicken in the refrigerator:
I place any leftover shredded rotisserie chicken into an airtight container (I have glass containers with snap tight lids that are fantastic) and place it on the bottom shelf of the fridge where it is the coldest. The chicken is good for between 5-7 days.
Freezing rotisserie chicken:
Yes, I often freeze my shredded rotisserie chicken, too, because life with a busy family tends to catch up with me. Shredded chicken gets freezer burned rather easily, so I suggest only keeping the chicken in the freezer for up to 3 months. I also freeze my shredded chicken in a zip top freezer bag that I have gently pressed down to remove the air. This method tends to freeze the chicken in more of a brick, lessening the chances of freezer burn. To use the chicken, place it in the refrigerator overnight.
Reheating shredded rotisserie chicken:
The best way to reheat shredded rotisserie chicken is in a covered pan on the stove over medium heat with a couple tablespoons of water or butter (you could use clarified butter, ghee, rendered bacon fat, duck fat or olive oil too). The chicken will act like a sponge and soak it all up.
A distant second method is in the oven in a covered, oven-proof dish at 350F until warmed through. Again, add just a bit of fat to the dish with the chicken.
You could also reheat it in the microwave, but the chicken tends to dry out, and the texture changes slightly. Place the chicken in a microwave-safe dish, cover it, and heat on medium until warmed through.
Leftover Rotisserie Chicken Recipes
I utilize rotisserie chicken to create a variety of delicious and convenient meals, perfect for using up leftovers and making the most out of every bite. These are my favorite rotisserie chicken recipes:
- Rotisserie Chicken Salad: Combine shredded rotisserie chicken with crisp greens, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, and your favorite dressing for a quick and delicious chicken salad.
- Rotisserie Chicken Soup: Simmer shredded rotisserie chicken with vegetables, noodles, and broth to create a comforting and hearty chicken soup that’s perfect for any season. You can use homemade chicken broth for this soup.
- Rotisserie Chicken Tacos: Fill warm tortillas with shredded rotisserie chicken, fresh salsa, avocado, and a squeeze of lime for a tasty and effortless taco night. Use chicken rub for rotisserie chicken to make it taste even more delicious.
Conclusion
I’m not a huge fan of convenience foods. Most are chock full of stuff that I either can’t eat or don’t want to eat. Rotisserie chicken is a bird of a different feather…ha! Whenever I see a nicely browned rotisserie chicken that looks tender and juicy, I almost always buy it. Although it may cost slightly more than a whole raw chicken, the time savings and cost savings from having to cook it make the whole thing worthwhile.
And while I do enjoy just cutting the chicken and serving it to my family, that gets boring after a while. Shredding the rotisserie chicken opens up so many avenues to new and interesting recipes that it has almost become addictive to me. I love adding some spice to the shredded chicken for tacos, tossing it in with some comforting favorites in a casserole, or simply placing some on top of one of my favorite salads to make it a really filling meal.
There are so many options when it comes to shredded rotis chicken that the list is almost too long. Stay tuned to the blog as I am going to be sharing many different recipes with you to use this wonderful ingredient.
FAQs
Yes. Simply add the chicken without the bones, skin, cartilage or tendons to the bowl of the kitchenaid. Use either the paddle attachment or the whisk attachment and begin to shred the chicken starting on low speed. As the chicken starts to shred, increase the speed gradually until the chicken looks how you would like.
Yes, but it's not recommended. This method mixes undesirable parts like cartilage, tendons, and small bones with the meat, posing a choking hazard and ruining the eating experience. Additionally, it doesn't save time, as you still need to remove unwanted bits.
Yes, some grocery stores sell shredded rotisserie chicken, often using leftovers. You can find tubs of pre-shredded meat in the same case as the rotisserie chickens, though availability varies by store and location.
There are 0 g carbs in rotisserie chicken, which is why it's my super favorite! You can also dig deeper into the carb content in my article "Is Rotisserie Chicken Keto."
Is it low carb? Learn more about it:
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