Shredded chicken in Dutch oven seared and slow braised in butter

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Dutch Oven Shredded Chicken

This Dutch Oven Shredded Chicken turns chicken breasts or thighs into tender, juicy shredded chicken without a slow cooker or pressure cooker. The chicken is seared first, then gently braised in broth and butter until it shreds easily. Use it for Skillet Chicken Pot Pie, casseroles, tacos, salads, soups, sandwiches, and meal prep.

Prep Time15

Cook Time1 40

Total Time1 55

Course: Dinner, Lunch

Servings:

Calories: 272kcal

Author: Davinah

Ingredients

4 pounds Chicken Breasts boneless, skinless, or chicken thighs
3 tbsp Olive Oil or avocado oil
2 tsp Natural Ancient Sea Salt
1 tsp Black Pepper freshly cracked or coarse ground work best
2 tbsp Butter
2 cups Chicken Broth

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Pat the chicken breasts dry and season both sides with salt and pepper.
Place a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and allow it to preheat for 2 to 3 minutes. Once the Dutch oven is hot, add the oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pot. Let the oil heat for about 30 seconds, until it shimmers, before adding the chicken.
Working in batches, add three chicken breasts to the Dutch oven. Sear for 3 to 4 minutes on the first side, until lightly golden brown. Flip and cook for an additional 3 to 4 minutes on the second side. Remove the chicken to a plate and repeat with the remaining chicken breasts. If you need to, add more oil before adding the second bath of chicken, but if you used all 3 tablespoons you shouldn’t need to.
Return all of the seared chicken to the Dutch oven. Dot the butter over the top of the chicken and pour in the chicken broth.
Cover the Dutch oven with the lid and transfer it to the oven. Cook for 1 hour.
After 1 hour, carefully remove the lid and rearrange the chicken breasts evenly in the broth so they cook evenly. The chicken should begin to shred already. Cover again and return the Dutch oven to the oven for an additional 30 minutes.
Remove the Dutch oven from the oven. Using tongs, shred the chicken by gently squeezing the chicken breasts. The chicken should be extremely tender and shred easily. Continue shredding until the chicken reaches your desired consistency, then stir it into the cooking juices so it can absorb all of the flavorful broth.
Cover and let the chicken rest in the juices for 20 minutes before serving. Alternatively, allow it to cool completely before storing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Notes

No slow cooker or pressure cooker needed: This recipe uses a Dutch oven to sear and gently braise the chicken until it is tender enough to shred.
Use breasts or thighs: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts give you a lean, neutral shredded chicken. Chicken thighs are richer and a little more forgiving.
Pat the chicken dry: Removing extra moisture helps the chicken sear instead of steam.
Sear in batches: Do not crowd the Dutch oven. Searing in batches gives the chicken better color and adds more flavor to the cooking juices.
Keep the Dutch oven covered: The covered pot traps moisture while the chicken braises, helping it stay juicy and tender.
Move the chicken halfway through: Rearranging the chicken in the broth helps the pieces cook evenly and shred more easily.
Shred while warm: Warm chicken shreds easier and absorbs the cooking juices better.
Rest in the juices: After shredding, let the chicken sit in the broth for about 20 minutes so it stays moist and flavorful.
Store with the liquid: Keep some of the cooking juices with the shredded chicken when storing or freezing. This helps prevent dry chicken when reheating.
Reheat with broth: Warm leftovers with a splash of reserved cooking liquid or chicken broth to loosen the chicken and keep it moist.

Nutrition