How To Precook Chicken

A friend asked how I cook my chicken, so I thought I'd share the answer here in case anyone else is wondering...

To cook the chicken, simply put, I boil it then shred it. But, there is a little trick I do to give the chicken incredible flavor. Instead of just boiling it in water, I mix it with some chicken stock. Sometimes I have my own chicken stock leftover from when I make chicken with the bone still in. Or, if I don't have that, I just use the canned chicken broth. Either way, the chicken stock/broth adds great flavor.

If I use canned broth, I don't add extra salt to this mixture because the canned chicken broth already has sodium in it and I'm trying to watch my sodium intake. But if you want to add salt, feel free!

So anyway, I boil it in the water/chicken stock mixture for about 20 to 30 minutes depending on the thickness of the chicken and how many pieces I have in the pot. Last night, for example, I had 5 really thick chicken breasts in the pot, so I left them in the boiling water for 30 minutes because I am paranoid about under cooked chicken. Also, I check the thickest piece to make sure there isn't any pink left in the center. I look for the the center meat to be white and the juices to run clear. If you're cooking other types of chicken, like thighs or with the bone in, I found this handy chicken cooking guide.

Once it is cooked and I've checked the thickest piece, I let it cool a bit before I shred it. It does seem a tad easier to shred it, though, when it is still warm. I just put it in a bowl and take two forks to it. (Or, you can shred it in your Bosch!) Then I portion the meat out into labeled freezer bags (with the date) based on the kind of portion sizes I need for the meals I make. It may be different sizes for you and your family.

Then, I throw the bags in the freezer until I'm ready to use them. The last batch I did lasted a month because I used about 1 bag per week.

To reheat the chicken, you have a few options. I love options!

1. Take it out of the freezer the night before and leave it in the fridge.
2. Put the chicken in a skillet with a tish of water then put the lid on it and keep it on medium heat. It will steam it and thaw it. Then, you're ready to cook it with whatever else you're making.
3. If you're making pasta, put the chicken in the boiling water, then scoop it out before you put your pasta in the water.
4. Just put it in the microwave and defrost it. This is my least favorite option because I can't seem to get it just right, but it may just work the best for you depending on what your making. If you're making a cold chicken salad, this may just be your best bet. Either this option of #1.