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baked shredded chicken breast in a bowl.

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5 from 1 review

Baked Shredded Chicken Base Recipe

Recipe by Danielle

Meal prep like a pro with this Baked Shredded Chicken Base Recipe! Easily prepare lightly seasoned shredded chicken breasts in bulk, then use in various dinner recipes throughout the week. Shredding and freezing tips included!

  • Total Time45 minutes
  • Yield~12 servings

Ingredients

Scale
  • ~3 pounds raw boneless skinless chicken breasts (4 large or 6 small)
  • 1/2 tablespoon olive oil (optional)
  • 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 tablespoon fine sea salt or kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth, stock or water

Instructions

  1. Prep & trim chicken: Preheat the oven to 425F. Remove the chicken (~3 pounds, 4 large or 6 small breasts) from packaging and place on a cutting board to trim fat if necessary. If any chicken breasts are significantly larger than others, use the heel of your palm or a meat tenderizer to pound the thickest part a few times to flatten. Transfer the chicken to a 9×13 inch baking dish.
  2. Season chicken: Optionally, drizzle olive oil (1/2 tablespoon) over the chicken breasts and spread it around with your fingers or a pastry brush. Olive oil is not required for this cooking method but still does add some flavor. Next, evenly sprinkle garlic powder (1/2 tablespoon), onion powder (1 teaspoon), salt (1/2 tablespoon) and pepper (1 teaspoon) over the chicken. Flip with tongs and cover the other side with remaining seasoning. Once seasoned, arrange the chicken in a flat layer. Gently pour the broth (1/2 cup) into the pan in the space between chicken breasts. 
  3. Bake: Cover the pan tightly with foil and place into the oven. Bake for 25 minutes for smaller chicken breasts, and 30 minutes for thicker chicken breasts. The chicken is done with a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the chicken reads 165F. Completely remove the foil and let the chicken rest for at least 10 minutes.
  4. Shred & store: Follow your favorite chicken shredding method (two forks, hand mixer, Kitchenaid, etc). Use some immediately in a recipe if you wish. Transfer remaining shredded chicken to a food storage bowl with lid. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Equipment

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Notes

Chicken can lose up to 25% of its weight during cooking. This means if you start with 3 pounds raw boneless skinless chicken breast, you could end up with 2.25 pounds cooked chicken breast.

Nutrition information estimated with My Fitness Pal.

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  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Category: Main Dish
  • Method: Baked
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: ~4 ounces
  • Calories: 124
  • Fat: 3g
  • Carbohydrates: 0g
  • Protein: 24g

Find it online: https://projectmealplan.com/baked-shredded-chicken-base-recipe/