Shredded chicken is one of the most versatile ingredients to use in a variety of recipes. Whether you cook and shred chicken yourself and keep it in your fridge or you buy a rotisserie chicken to shred, it’s a great healthy protein to always have on hand.
Keeping shredded chicken on hand can also cut your prep time in half. Cooking meat is often the most time-consuming part of a meal, but when you have shredded chicken on hand, it’s a snap to add to your favorite dishes, from soups to enchiladas, casserole, and more.
Plus, since it’s packed with protein, it’s the perfect ingredient to keep you feeling full for longer.
From shredded bbq chicken recipes to Mexican shredded chicken recipes, here are 15 easy, healthy, and innovative ways to use shredded chicken perfect for dinnertime, lunchtime, or anytime!
How To Meal Prep Healthy Shredded Chicken
Before we dive into our shredded chicken recipes, we wanted to share a super quick and easy way to make shredded chicken at home if you prefer to do it yourself.
Step 1: Place chicken breast or chicken thighs in a pot. Season with salt and pepper. You can also add additional herbs and spices depending on what recipes you’ll be using the chicken in.
Step 2: Cover with water (or chicken broth if preferred) about an inch higher than the chicken.
Step 3: Bring to a low simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes.
Step 4: Check for doneness by inserting a meat thermometer. Chicken is cooked at 165 degrees.
Step 5: Remove chicken from water and shred. This can be done quickly and easily with a hand mixer or stand mixer (start at a low-speed setting) or by using two forks for pull apart.
Now that you know how to make shredded chicken, you can include it in any of the below recipes!
1. BBQ Chicken Spaghetti Squash Casserole
Credit: Food Faith Fitness
Substituting spaghetti squash for regular pasta in this recipe makes this recipe much healthier. But with the addition of your leftover shredded chicken and bbq sauce, it fills you up and feels totally decadent.
2. Black Bean Chicken Enchiladas with Pumpkin Sour Cream Sauce
Credit: Ambitious Kitchen
This recipe is the perfect combination of cheesy comfort and vegetable goodness. Plus, the addition of pumpkin in a fun twist to enchiladas and is perfect for fall (though we make these all year round!)
3. Curry Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Use your leftover shredded chicken for these super yummy curry chicken lettuce wraps. With ingredients like cashews and curry powder, it’s a flavor-loaded recipe you’ll want to make again and again.
Plus, lettuce makes a wonderful and low-carbohydrate substitution for bread or tortillas.
Related: Your 1-Week Trader Joe’s Meal Plan
4. BBQ Chicken Baked Sweet Potatoes
Credit: Lemon Tree Dwelling
This creative take on baked sweet potatoes that will wow whoever you’re cooking for. The simple ingredients and quick bake time make this both a crowd-pleaser AND a chef’s staple—fast and flavorful!
5. BBQ Chicken Pizza
Credit: Slender Kitchen
This pizza is a Get Healthy U favorite. With just 6 ingredients, it’s an incredibly easy dinner that takes no time at all. Just don’t forget the cilantro – it’s the perfect finishing touch!
6. Low-Cal Southwestern Chicken Soup
Soup is a great way to sneak in plenty of veggies and fiber. This recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free and packed with plenty of kick from Southwestern flavors.
The shredded rotisserie chicken will bulk up your soup and give your body additional nourishment that will keep you full for hours.
7. Sriracha Chicken Quesadillas
Credit: Buzzfeed
With two popular crowd-pleasers, Sriracha and quesadillas, coming together for one easy and fabulous recipe, everyone will want a bite out of this meal.
A simple list of ingredients that pack a lot of flavors, including cilantro, sour cream, and cheese, it’s a timeless meal you can whip up as an appetizer or a meal for one.
Related: 13 Recipes To Fuel Your Sriracha Addiction
8. Healthy Shredded Chicken Burrito Bowl
Credit: Greatist
There’s never a bad time for a burrito bowl, but they can certainly come with a high-calorie count. This delicious recipe is chock-full of flavor without sabotaging your waistline. It’s also a great way to use leftover shredded chicken from any other recipe you may have previously made.
Brown rice takes the place of typical white rice (or you can substitute quinoa), while Greek yogurt lightens up the bowl in place of sour cream.
9. Chicken & Salad Pizza
Credit: Prevention
Pizza doesn’t have to be a guilty pleasure. This recipe only takes 30 minutes to make, and is complete with various healthy and delicious ingredients like shredded rotisserie chicken, dried oregano, tomatoes, jarred roasted red peppers, Italian salad mix, reduced-fat goat cheese, and whole-grain flatbread wraps.
10. Mediterranean Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad
Credit: Food Faith Fitness
This is a great recipe if you have leftover shredded chicken, you need to use up.
Chicken salad can be overdone with too much fattening mayonnaise, but this refreshing take on a lunchtime classic is overflowing with healthy and incredibly tasty ingredients like herb-infused shredded chicken, tangy artichoke hearts, sweet sun-dried tomatoes, lemon, and pine nuts.
Plus, this gluten-free meal uses Greek yogurt instead of mayo, so you can eat up without the guilt!
11. Cream Cheese Chicken Enchiladas
Credit: Taste and Tell Blog
This creamy enchilada recipe with shredded chicken, cream cheese and corn is perfect for filling up a table full of rich comfort food fans.
An array of ingredients shine in this recipe, including salsa, cheddar cheese, pepper-jack cheese, chili powder, cumin, and scallions.
12. Shredded Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Credit: That Skinny Chick Can Bake
On days when you’re looking for lighter fare, these lettuce wraps are the go-to choice.
They’re packed with plenty of refreshing flavors like red bell pepper, ginger, oyster sauce, green onions, garlic, rice wine vinegar, Sriracha, and low-sodium soy sauce all mixed up in a crisp cup of Boston bib.
13. Easy Chicken Nachos
Credit: Crystal and Comp
Need a quick snack for the kids or an appetizer for you and your friends to share? Nachos are a great way to use up some leftovers in the fridge to create a shareable plate everyone can fill up on.
This recipe is to the point, using simple staple ingredients like lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, avocado, guacamole, and salsa, along with canned beans and leftover shredded chicken.
14. Chicken Pie with Cauliflower Crust
Credit: A Healthy Life For Me
A healthier and simpler take on a traditional pot pie, this recipe sautés layers of fresh veggies like fennel, mushrooms, celery, and carrots, along with parsley and shredded chicken for the filling.
The topping is a unique take on typical potatoes in a pot pie, consisting of a cauliflower cheddar crust that is browned in the oven.
15. Thai Peanut Chicken Salad
Credit: Fit Foodie Finds
This Thai peanut chicken salad is a healthy spin on a classic chicken salad!
This salad is made healthy by using Greek yogurt and peanut butter as the base, and tons of crunchy veggies and peanuts on top! Peanuts are a great source of nutrients, healthy fats, and protein.
This crunchy, flavorful salad is low in carbs, high in protein, and SUPER high in taste! It goes great on toast, on top of greens, in a wrap, or just how it is! You’ll love it.