Homemade (21 Day Fix Approved) Shredded Chicken ( For Enchiladas, Tacos, Salads and More!)

I ABSOLUTELY love this recipe, and I've been toying with it until I have it as clean and simplified as I can get it, while keeping it healthy and easy. I love that I can store quart size bags of this in the freezer if need be to pull out for future recipes. I love that its got a TON of flavor, but its not too hot for my kids to enjoy. I love the versatility of this- it can be incorporated into SO MANY EASY RECIPES- a few of which I'll be sharing throughout the week. I suggest you jump on this now- then you can try the others which are SUPER easy if you have this part ready to go!

Here are the main ingredients for the first step:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 
• 1/2 large yellow onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 T sea salt

So the first thing you want to do is take these 4 ingredients and put them in a large pot. And I mean LARGE. Now, I doubled this recipe, so I would have leftovers. I used 3 lbs. of chicken breasts and doubled everything else, and it took the biggest pot I own. Turn the pot on high and add just enough water to completely cover your chicken. As soon as it boils, you want to turn it to simmer and set your timer for 30 minutes. 

***You can also make this recipe in a crock pot- for these photos, I did it on the stove because I was home, but preparing this for the week in advance is super easy with a crock pot. You'll simply dump everything in and set it to cook while you're at work for the day, running errands, etc. I like to do this at 8 am and set it on low for 8 hours- then it's done by 4pm.***

While that is simmering, let's use our time wisely and prep the rest of the ingredients and throw them to the side in a bowl. (Remember if you're doubling the chicken, you'll want to double these too!) 

You will need:

• 1 clove minced garlic
• 1 diced tomato**
• 1 bell pepper
• 1 tsp. ground pepper
• 1 tsp. majoram (don't worry if you don't have this spice- just leave it out!)
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• 3 tsp. cumin
• 1/2 cup chicken broth (reserved)**
• 2 T tomato sauce

**I like to make things as easy as possible, so these are the scratch ingredients. But if you want to know what I ACTUALLY used for this, instead of these three starred ingredients (tomato, tomato sauce, and broth), I use this can of Hunt's Fire Roasted diced tomatoes. The liquid that is in them takes the place of both the paste and the broth. Frankly, I'm a busy mom and this is a huge time saver for me. It's one of the more natural options on the market- trust me, I've looked- and one of the only canned tomatoes without added sugar.**

So, back to the main show! When your chicken is done, you want to pull it out of the pot (with some tongs, probably!) and set it aside to cool. Remember, it's really important that poultry get cooked completely through, so don't just trust the timer! Check that internal temperature, too.

Now you're left with a pot of your own homemade chicken stock! The best part is you know exactly what's in it, and you can reserve it for future use in all sorts of recipes, soups, and more. 

The way I like to do is set a strainer over a bowl, then pour the contents of the pot through the strainer. You're left with your stock! 

I freeze mine in small ziplock bags for future use. :) Go ahead and put the onions in the bowl with the cooling chicken.

As soon as your chicken is cooled, you get to start shredding it. I get impatient, so I throw on a pair of gloves to protect me from the heat a bit so I can start sooner. Your chicken should be cooked just right- easy to pull apart (just grab a piece at the top pull- much like peeling a string cheese- follow the grain).



Now you can return that same empty pot to the stove and dump in the prepped ingredients you got ready while the chicken was cooking. Stir it around and let it simmer, about ten minutes (or until the onions are clear). Ultimately, this is all going in this awesome chicken mixture together!

When you're done peeling the chicken, you simply stir the contents of the pot and the shredded chicken all together. Whalah! Delicious Mexican shredded chicken! You can save this in individual portions for chicken fiesta salads, family-sized portions and use it as enchilada stuffing (I'll be posting an awesome recipe for that later this week!), use it for taco filling, even make an awesome chicken tortilla soup with it. It's versatile, healthy, delicious, and freezes well! If you take the hour to make this on a Sunday morning, you could make 5 or 6 meals with it throughout the coming weeks, especially if you double it like I did!

If you enjoy healthy clean recipes like these that are great for the whole family, please subscribe to my blog! Share this post with a friend who might like it too!  Leave a comment if you try this recipe or have any questions- I love to hear from you! If you need a little help on your fitness journey, reach out to me. I'm here! And as always, live healthy, live happy! Amanda

Star Diamond Coach Amanda Noddings
www.amandanoddings.com

Www.facebook.com/TeamDrivenFitness
Www.facebook.com/FitMomAmanda