This easy pulled chicken recipe is perfect for meal prep! Cook a few chicken breasts low and slow until they're fall-apart tender, then shred and use in pastas, salads, and more all week long.
A simple container of shredded chicken is one of the pillars of my meal prep routine. I alternate between our fan-favorite slow cooker shredded chicken and this ultra-simple Dutch oven version, which is baked in the oven and ready in just a few hours.
Ingredients
Scroll to the recipe card below for a full ingredients list with exact quantities.
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are my go-to (but this recipe also works with boneless skinless chicken thighs!) You can use bone-in chicken instead, but you may need to extend the cook time. We recommend using skinless chicken for best results.
- Chicken broth keeps the chicken from drying out as it cooks. If you like, swap the broth for chicken stock, homemade turkey stock, or parmesan broth!
- Salt and pepper are the only seasonings here. I purposefully keep this pulled chicken very simple so it will work in a wide variety of recipes without overpowering or competing with other flavors.
Variations and Substitutions
You can easily customize this chicken depending on how you plan to use it! A few of my favorite riffs:
- For pasta and pizza. Add garlic (or garlic powder), onion powder, oregano, basil, and/or red pepper flakes. Pair with a simple white pasta sauce or add to your favorite pizza recipes.
- For chicken tacos, quesadillas, or taco salad. Add your favorite spices (paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne, chili powder, cumin, or your favorite homemade taco seasoning) or salsa (à la our crockpot salsa chicken).
- Add store-bought sauces for an easy flavor boost. I often add a cup of barbecue sauce, sweet chili sauce, buffalo sauce, or my favorite spicy bulgogi sauce! If you're adding sauce, I recommend reducing the chicken broth by half.
Instructions
Add chicken breasts, salt, pepper, and chicken broth to a large dutch oven (Image 1, above).
Use tongs to flip or stir the chicken breasts a few times (2) to make sure the chicken is evenly coated and the seasonings are fairly well distributed (3, below).
Place the lid on the Dutch oven and transfer to a preheated 275° Fahrenheit oven. Bake 1 ½ to 2 hours, until the chicken is tender and cooked through (4).
When it's done, the chicken should shred very easily — if it seems a little tough, pop it back in the oven for half an hour or so to tenderize. If the chicken looks too dry at any point, add an extra splash of chicken broth to keep it moist.
Food Safety Tip: Chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165° Fahrenheit. Use a digital thermometer to verify internal temperatures when cooking meat.
Let chicken cool for 15-30 minutes so it's easier to handle, then carefully shred it into pieces (5 & 6). Make the pieces as big or small as you like (or leave the chicken breasts whole if you prefer!)
Don't worry if it seems like there's a lot of extra broth at first: As you shred the chicken, it will soak up most of the remaining chicken broth. This extra liquid helps the chicken stay moist in the fridge or freezer.
Pro Tip: Avoid using metal utensils in an enameled Dutch oven, as they can damage the finish. I used silicone-tipped tongs and a small, sturdy spatula to shred the chicken here.
FAQs
Yes! You may need to extend the cooking time if you make additional chicken.
Yes! This pulled chicken freezes very well. Let it cool completely, transfer to an airtight container, and freeze for up to 4 months. I like to freeze chicken in one- or two-cup increments so I can defrost enough for one or two meals at a time. Defrost overnight in the fridge when you're ready to use it.
Yes - this Dutch oven pulled chicken recipe is quite forgiving. Our recipe testers preferred braising this chicken at a very low temperature for an extended period of time (275° F for 2 hours) because this low-and-slow technique delivers moist, tender chicken that is exceptionally easy to shred.
This timeline is also handy for meal prep: Put the chicken in first, prep other ingredients or components for the week while it cooks, and shred the chicken as your final step for the day.
If you're in a hurry, you can increase the oven temperature and reduce the cook time - but the chicken may not be as juicy or as easy to shred. We'd recommend baking Dutch oven chicken at 350° F or 375° F for 30-45 minutes if you'd like a quicker cook time (or if you need a hotter oven to accommodate other meal prep tasks in addition to this chicken).
Always use a digital thermometer to ensure chicken reaches a safe internal temperature of 165° F.
How to use shredded chicken
This meal prep chicken is a great addition to all kinds of recipes! Some of our favorite ways to use it:
Did you make this recipe? Leave a comment and star rating below to let us know how it turned out!
📖 Recipe
Dutch Oven Pulled Chicken
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Total Time: 2 hours 5 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Meal Prep
- Cuisine: American
Description
This easy shredded chicken is made in a Dutch oven - perfect for weekly meal prep!
Ingredients
- 4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 pounds total)
- ¼ cup chicken broth
- kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Heat oven to 275° Fahrenheit.
- Add chicken breasts, chicken broth, kosher salt, and a few turns of black pepper to a large Dutch oven. Use tongs to gently flip the chicken breasts a few times to combine everything. Arrange the chicken breasts in a single layer with minimal overlap to ensure even cooking.
- Place the lid on the Dutch oven, then transfer to the 275°F oven. Bake for 1 ½ to 2 hours, until chicken is cooked through. When it's done, chicken should be tender and easy to shred with a fork.
- Let the chicken cool for 15-30 minutes so it's a bit easier to handle, then shred it into pieces. As you shred the chicken, it should absorb any extra broth still in the pot.
- Let shredded chicken cool completely. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. Use in salads, tacos, pasta, and more!
Notes
Additions and Substitutions. We kept this recipe purposefully simple so you can add prepped chicken to a variety of different dishes, but you can certainly dial up the flavor here if you like! Add your favorite dried spices and seasonings (taco seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, dried herbs) or a cup of pre-made sauce (barbecue sauce, pesto, buffalo sauce) or salsa to the chicken as it cooks. If you add extra sauce, we recommend reducing the chicken broth by half.
Freeze shredded chicken in an airtight container for up to 4 months (past that, it can start to dry out a bit). Defrost overnight in the fridge when you're ready to use it.
Use a digital thermometer to ensure chicken reaches a safe internal temperature of 165°.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 137
- Sugar: 0 g
- Sodium: 191.3 mg
- Fat: 3 g
- Carbohydrates: 0 g
- Protein: 25.5 g
- Cholesterol: 82.9 mg
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