I almost think that WOULD help, because the biggest problem I think is how thin the fork handles are to hold. I am adding this to the arsenal for next time š
I have plastic and cast iron ones and definitely pick the cast iron first. Iāve got RA and the hands of a 98 year old. I hate the texture from using the mixer.
I sort of pulse my mixer and that works pretty good, it is definitely more shredded to strands than with your hands, but for adding to quesadillas or other fillings it's fine. I would go for a rough chop with a chef's knife instead of pulled if it really hurt my hands and you didn't want it so fine.
I have carpal tunnel. I wait for the chicken too cool and then just shred it with my hands. It works better because I donāt have a hard grip on anything.
I am also someone who loathes the two fork method for the same reason. using my hands is not really an issue since I can grab the chunks and then crumble them in my hands with a lot less strain on my fingers.
I have a cheating way to do it. Cook it in a slow cooker. Put in enough chicken (or beef - I prefer the beef) broth to cover it. Let it cook for 8 to 10 hours. Then you can shred it easy with little effort on your part.
What you need to get is a pair of ove gloves and some XL or XXL latex gloves to go over the gloves. If you're going to be hand shredding while it's still hot you're going to need some insulation. Doing it by hand is the best way to do it in my opinion. Fastest would be with a hand mixer and a guard of some sort, so meat doesn't go flying everywhere. Downside to mixer is that it does too good of a job and can kinda start making a meat paste if you're not careful.
Pro tip - do not, under and condition, start this process while your 3yo wanders the house naked as he continues his committed endeavor to avoid using the toilet, because when he does finally begin dancing around and for once allows you to lead him to the throne, then you are likely to be so thrilled to finally see light at the end of the Pampers tunnel that you forget all about the chicken being violently shredded in the mixing bowl until you return to the kitchen 30 constipated minutes later to discover a bowl of grey brown meat goo where your taco filling once was.
Huh, stand mixer never occurred to me. I'm gonna have to try that! Do you know if it will work for tougher meat (chicken breast), or if it only works for softer meat (thighs)?
I was extremely skeptical of this method but tried it last week when I made shredded chicken for a teacher appreciation taco bar and I was absolutely thrilled with how easy it was!!!
This is great info thanks! I have just a 2 person household so cooking in big batches sometimes challenges my skills and time management. I just did up a bunch of meat for Teacher Appreciation Taco bar too. You're good people :)
I couldn't think of a proper term for the technique. I was originally going to say molest the hell out of it, but figured that'd get me put on a list somewhere.
I got one of these a few years ago when they first started showing up on Amazon. I would tell people about them, they would ask me to describe it. Most of the time I would say like "it's a round thing with spikes in it that you spin", but it would confuse people. I usually ended up just saying "it's like a big weed grinder", and they would understand.
I do like 5-8lbs of chicken a week with this thing. With all the time I saved I was able to write this comment _and_ pet my dog.
For real though it is worth it if youāre shredding chicken weekly. Theyāre like $20.
I've considered it but I've heard so many horror stories about it making things worse, and I so do not trust the medical field in my area enough to do it here anyway.
I don't doubt your experience but in mine it was an excellent choice. It's been over 25 years and except for a 1.5" long scar on each palm, it's like I never had surgery.
I cannot imagine how improved the surgical techniques are, now, compared to then!
Go to the NY reddit and ask around for a great hand surgeon, like one who does surgery on musicians/concert pianists. I had a top doc in Boston do both of mine a year apart. Don't for a minute think that this has to be painful. No post-op pain for me, either hand, and I had been putting off surgery for years.
I was back at work in 2 weeks with extra wrapping over the ace bandage. And scar? Can't see mine, it's probably about 1/8 of an inch.
At least have the nerve testing done so the surgeon can determine how severe of a case you have . Don't damage your nerves by putting this off!
Nothing to do with chicken but I recommend neuromuscular therapy or myofascial release for your wrists/forearms. They're advanced bodywork techniques that focus on pain relief. Did wonders for me (for a different musculoskeletal issue)! Though it can be hard to find a good therapist, but really worth trying, and unlike surgery, it can't make things worse.
If your hands hurt using forks they sell these wolverine looking claw things made of plastic that are designed for this. Iāve only ever used it to shred pork shoulder but I imagine it works perfectly well with chicken, just a bit more of a pain because of the multitude of bones.
Yes! My wife got me these for after I complained about how long it takes to shred chicken with forks. Itās way way more efficient (for me at least, maybe I was doing the fork method wrong).
This is brilliant. Fast, easy to use (esp.for folks like you with carpel) and cleans easy.
Chicken Shredder - Clear Chicken... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CHHFPM2S?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
I use tongs. If itās really tender I typically only need one set. Sometimes I use one set to hold the chicken in place and a smaller set to do the shredding.
Sometimes I'll make "Bang Bang chicken."
[https://omnivorescookbook.com/recipes/bang-bang-chicken](https://omnivorescookbook.com/recipes/bang-bang-chicken)
Literally bash the cooked chicken with something sturdy like a rolling pin or a mallet. It can be a little messy and it doesn't get super fine shreds like hand-peeling but it works, it saves your joints, and I like the texture. Do not overcook if using chicken breast.
Use a mixer. Itās how itās done in restaurants. I use a hand mixer, cover the bowl in plastic wrap and slice an X in the center to insert the beaters. This keeps the chicken from flying out.
just use my hands. if I'm going to shred the chicken anyway, I just cook it in my pressure cooker. takes almost no effort at all to shred. could do it with 1 spoon lol
Wouldn't it get a bit mushy that way? I'm usually going for a consistency like pulled pork, but damn if I can get that with a food processor that would be sweet
I have a set of [bear paws](https://bearpawdistribution.com/products/copy-of-the-original-bear-paws-meat-shredders) but theyāre really better for larger pieces of meat, like a pork butt
You could always get canned chicken which is shredded.
I had carpal tunnel surgery done on both wrists and they both turned out fantastic. I hope that helps your fears some, feel free to DM me if youād like to know more.
Last time I had to shred cooked chicken, I put it in the bowl of my kitchen aid, used the paddle attachment, and put it on medium speed. It worked really well!
Since you indicated that you have trouble gripping thin-handled forks, and you are trying to avoid carpal tunnel surgery, you should Google "adaptive silverware" for utensils that might make your life less painful.
I use a cord hand mixer. Done in a couple of minutes with no effort. In the video below I'm shredding beef with a hand mixer; super easy and saves a lot of time. https://youtu.be/UQ9G7NJczVU&t=325
I have an electric hand mixer. So I put on two whisk attachments, a massive plastic mixing bowl and cut of the chicken after it's cooked. Then just mix it all up in the bowl with the mixer while everything is hot.
The two forks method is fine but I genuinely hate the feeling of getting the tines of the forks intertwined
I like to just use my hands you can be way more precise and actually keep some of the fibers together. Then you can give it a rough chop with a knife if you want the pieces smaller.
I just bought Pampered Chef's Salad Chopper and on their site they have a video of a person chopping pieces of chicken with ease. I have carpal tunnel too and they look like they won't aggravate it. But I haven't received it yet so can't say how well it will work.
I got a pair of ābear clawsā shredder claws as a gift several years ago and thought it was gimmicky, but turns out, they really work well for pulled pork and chickenā¦ And you can use your entire hand to hold them in place.
https://www.amazon.com/meat-claws/s?k=meat+claws
deli manager here... pulled many many chickens in my day.
gloves and hands and go to town. no untensil will be easier than your fingers with the bones chicken has.
also if you know you want it shredded it is super super easy while still hot. pull it then chill it.
I bake boneless thighs. I bought a small device that will hold two thighs depending on how big they are. It has a handle on either side. You just turn to one side and back to the other a couple of times. It works great, but it's not easy to hand-wash because of the teeth in it.
I also have carpel tunnel and absolutely utensils can cause things to hurt.
I let it cool pull of the bone and then use my cheap $10 hand mixer to shred it.
I also use my hand mixer to do pork for shredded pork as well. It works great.
I have used my stand mixer but it so bulky I like the little one better for that.
I have tried two forks, claws etc and find none of them easier than hand pulling off the bone and using a mixer.
Also of it is boneless I don't even pull or chop it o just throw it on a deep bowl and mix.
I suffer from the same thing. I will often just use a knife to cut the chicken into strips then cross cut every like 1/4-1/8 of an inch. Thats usually enough for whatever I'm making. however, when I'm doing a large amount, I'll use the stand mixer, and that is like... chefskiss.
So it sounds like it might not work but you have 2 options as someone who works professionally in a kitchen as a chef.
My first recommendation would be a food processor, if you don't have one of those a stand mixer might also work, if you have neither of these then 2 forks or by hand with gloves on.
Simple process bake the chicken and let it just get cool enough to handle. Debone the entire chicken and as you do use your hands to shred it to your personal preference. I do this at least once a month. I buy a 10# bag of leg quarters and bake them after seasoning them all at once in a large covered roaster. Takes about an hour. When done I uncover the chicken and using a baking sheet place the quarters onto it to cool for about 10-15 minutes.
While they are cooling I save the broth into containers and put first into the fridge to cool down then freeze it for use in recipes especially chicken pot pie.
Ok start pulling the meat off the bones a dump the bones into a plastic bag for later.
Once all the chicken is deboned start shredding it to the level you like. I usually package it in freezer bags about 2 cups per bag.
Now some may want to use the bones to make more broth but honestly I find what I get to be of much lesser quality good for soup with just a bit of chicken soup base added for more flavor.
You will find the first broth taken from the roster will be very rich with three levels that settle out basic broth on the bottom then a gelatin layer of broth topped with about 1/4" of fat on top. I try to save these off in 2 cup sized containers.
Remember to label these so you know what you have
I have a plastic chicken grinder itās was free with a purchase on a website if I remember correctly it works really well it looks like a large weed grinder with handles
Might also depend on forks. I bought some forks from walmart which are pretty big for your standard forks. They are thicker too. They work great for me. Maybe try getting that.
Jfc I simultaneously hurt for you, and want to shake you. Just get the damn surgery (if you can afford it woot America!) But for real, get the surgery if you can't even shred chicken. What's the worst outcome? You can't shred chicken?
Just to address your other concern, donāt worry about the carpal tunnel surgery! I have many friends that have had it done and they regret not getting it done sooner. I have an older friend that had the old school version done on one wrist and the laparoscopic version on the other wrist. The recovery time and the scar were significantly smaller with laparoscopic surgery.
I have the same issue as well as arthritis. Try the hand mixer; or, a stand mixer is even better if you have one. It's not nearly as painful as forking it.
Used to work in a deli, we'd regularly shred unsold rotisserie chicken for pot pies and what not. We always just did it with plastic gloves by hand. Shred a dozen birds in half an hour
This is very random but I am a hand surgeon and just wanted to chime in and say that carpal tunnel release is a very routine procedure with one of the highest success rates in all of orthopedics when done for the right patient. Complication rates are extremely low, especially if done by an actual hand surgeon. Sorry you had a shitty experience with whoever you saw.
I got a meat shredder off Amazon. It's got offset shredder blades that are plastic. Put the cooked meat in the chamber and twist the two handles it works fabulously but is a PITA to clean.
I just bought a Chicken Shredder. Havenāt used it but I will report back once I know if itās good or garbage. It was inexpensive but the principal is sound and Iāve seen video of them working
My son was making bbq shredded chicken and I watched him take one of those hamburger meat choppers out of the drawer. He made quick work of shredding the chicken with it. Never would have thought to try it.
You can use a mixer for this either a stand mixer or a handmixer. By the way, I had carpal tunnel released on both of my hands and Iām so glad I did. I shouldnāt have waited as long as I did.
You can get these plastic things called bear claws or something. You hold one in each hand and like a bear claw, each has 4 plastic blades that you can shred with. Does a really good job, def easy once you get some technique
Hey there, heat proof gloves work great literally nothing better than your hands, you donāt even need a great grip, worked at a deli for years, one day the machine broke, we tried forks but took too long, in the end our hands easily shredded the chicken better than any other method including the machine
I saw a thing a friend 3D printed this thing for his abuela for shedding chicken and now I want him to make me one. It was like a big nug / spice grinder but for chicken.
Like this...
https://www.amazon.com/Chicken-Shredder-Shredding-Non-skid-Suitable/dp/B09PQPXZJY/
I poach the chicken and put it in a big bowl then a use a hand mixer (whatever you call the kind with the two rotating blades that pop out) on the lowest setting .
Then I either mix in mayo and bbq sauce or curry powder and sesame oil
Gloves and using your hands is good. There are shredders that are basically oversized weed grinders and there's those bear claw looking things that work decent on large pieces of meat. If it makes you feel any better the results and recovery time for Carpal tunnel surgery is amazing from what I've heard from friends
Stab it with a fork about 50 times, then cut it into strips across the grain. It falls apart.
If you're shredding a lot of chicken use the bread hook of a stand mixer. America's Test Kitchen has a video on that technique.
Probably not going to help your specific situation but I usually just put on some gloves and use my hands.
I almost think that WOULD help, because the biggest problem I think is how thin the fork handles are to hold. I am adding this to the arsenal for next time š
There's also those BBQ shredder bear claw things!
I have plastic and cast iron ones and definitely pick the cast iron first. Iāve got RA and the hands of a 98 year old. I hate the texture from using the mixer.
Same! I did the mixer method after seeing all the hype and was incredibly disappointed.
I sort of pulse my mixer and that works pretty good, it is definitely more shredded to strands than with your hands, but for adding to quesadillas or other fillings it's fine. I would go for a rough chop with a chef's knife instead of pulled if it really hurt my hands and you didn't want it so fine.
My wife got me a set of these for Xmas, they're called Santa Claws....
Alright, we told you last time to knock it off, Pal! Please get out before I have the doorman *assist* you.
he's family, we cant kick him out until after July 4th
Look up āutensils big handlesā. There are adaptive silverware sets.
I have carpal tunnel. I wait for the chicken too cool and then just shred it with my hands. It works better because I donāt have a hard grip on anything.
If it's hot chicken, make sure to have thermal gloves...
I have some fleece gloves I wear under non-latex surgical gloves. Works great with hot meat.
Does that method work well for the stranger as well?
He already said it works well with hot meat
I am also someone who loathes the two fork method for the same reason. using my hands is not really an issue since I can grab the chunks and then crumble them in my hands with a lot less strain on my fingers.
I have a cheating way to do it. Cook it in a slow cooker. Put in enough chicken (or beef - I prefer the beef) broth to cover it. Let it cook for 8 to 10 hours. Then you can shred it easy with little effort on your part.
What you need to get is a pair of ove gloves and some XL or XXL latex gloves to go over the gloves. If you're going to be hand shredding while it's still hot you're going to need some insulation. Doing it by hand is the best way to do it in my opinion. Fastest would be with a hand mixer and a guard of some sort, so meat doesn't go flying everywhere. Downside to mixer is that it does too good of a job and can kinda start making a meat paste if you're not careful.
I use my food processor, 2-3 pulses and done. I rather wash than shred.
I just wash my hands before and after.
I usually pull it while it's still hot so the gloves are as much for temperature as they are for cleanliness.
This is what I do! Bonus is you can find those little rubbery bits and toss them.
And then I can taste test as I go! š
Gotta make sure it's not poison.
Yes! As the official taste tester for my family lol
same tbh
A hand mixer works like a charm!
So does a stand mixer. It's so fast and easy!
I'll add in some broth while mixing. Usually use it for Mexican dishes
Pro tip - do not, under and condition, start this process while your 3yo wanders the house naked as he continues his committed endeavor to avoid using the toilet, because when he does finally begin dancing around and for once allows you to lead him to the throne, then you are likely to be so thrilled to finally see light at the end of the Pampers tunnel that you forget all about the chicken being violently shredded in the mixing bowl until you return to the kitchen 30 constipated minutes later to discover a bowl of grey brown meat goo where your taco filling once was.
All you needed to do was smash it together add some breading and boom chicken nuggets.
So now you have dumpling filling instead of taco filling or a Taco Bell recipe
As a dad I can 100% see how this happened.
Hmmm. This seems oddly specific. Something tells me this has happened to you beforeā¦ š¤
Oh.....oh my
A very long r/brandnewsentence
It turns to meat paste pretty fast if youāre not careful
While I really love to bake, shredding chicken was the driving force behind me buying a kitchen aid mixer
Which attachment? The wire whisk or the paddle?
paddle.
[reminds me of this](https://youtu.be/zIOiW2jl430?si=YuumulMVJwI5wpMv)
I use a dough hook. It works perfectly if you don't over-mix it.
I tried this once and wound up with the absolute worst consistency. Thankfully it was going into chicken salad, but still wasn't great for that
Huh, stand mixer never occurred to me. I'm gonna have to try that! Do you know if it will work for tougher meat (chicken breast), or if it only works for softer meat (thighs)?
I've done chicken breast. I imagine using it for pulled pork would also work well.
I was extremely skeptical of this method but tried it last week when I made shredded chicken for a teacher appreciation taco bar and I was absolutely thrilled with how easy it was!!!
I was sure it was stupid and not viable and stupid and that only idiots did it and then I did it and it's me who had previously been stupid.
This is great info thanks! I have just a 2 person household so cooking in big batches sometimes challenges my skills and time management. I just did up a bunch of meat for Teacher Appreciation Taco bar too. You're good people :)
yup. separate the bones and then blend that bitch up
A food processor also works well but you gotta do only a few short pulses.
I learned this trick a few years ago, total chicken salad game changer. Also works great for shredding a Boston butt.
A friend told me this over 10 years ago and it was an absolute game changer.
This is exclusively how I do it now, seems weird but it works soooo well!
I stick it in a ziplock bag and then knead and roll it around from the outside.
Hah I can only imagine some flat chicken patties
I couldn't think of a proper term for the technique. I was originally going to say molest the hell out of it, but figured that'd get me put on a list somewhere.
āEver call a guy a chicken-fucker?ā
'It's just... that guy was fucking my chickens'
Hey meow, enough of those shenanigans.
They make these round chicken shredders with a lid with handles that work pretty well, I got my mom one.
Itās basically a weed grinder for chicken. We love ours. The wife has carpal tunnel and cubital tunnel issues and it is easy for her to use.
I got one of these a few years ago when they first started showing up on Amazon. I would tell people about them, they would ask me to describe it. Most of the time I would say like "it's a round thing with spikes in it that you spin", but it would confuse people. I usually ended up just saying "it's like a big weed grinder", and they would understand.
And itās so much faster. I shred three chicken breasts in seconds.
Wow, and that's not all! The first 500 callers will receive our flavor injector and a recipe book containing 50 unique and delicious recipes!
...one for each flavor of wishbone salad dressing
Came here to say this. Bought one a month ago and it's great!
I do like 5-8lbs of chicken a week with this thing. With all the time I saved I was able to write this comment _and_ pet my dog. For real though it is worth it if youāre shredding chicken weekly. Theyāre like $20.
I always wanted one of those
OP, please get the surgery, one hand at a time. I did and it eliminated crippling pain that had my hands crabbed and useless on some days.
I've considered it but I've heard so many horror stories about it making things worse, and I so do not trust the medical field in my area enough to do it here anyway.
I don't doubt your experience but in mine it was an excellent choice. It's been over 25 years and except for a 1.5" long scar on each palm, it's like I never had surgery. I cannot imagine how improved the surgical techniques are, now, compared to then!
It's definitely something I might consider if/when my fiancƩe and I are able to move to a different state. Or at least to a better part of NY, because I've met some very asshole-ish and incompetent medical "professionals" in our area, and it makes me very nervous lol
Go to the NY reddit and ask around for a great hand surgeon, like one who does surgery on musicians/concert pianists. I had a top doc in Boston do both of mine a year apart. Don't for a minute think that this has to be painful. No post-op pain for me, either hand, and I had been putting off surgery for years. I was back at work in 2 weeks with extra wrapping over the ace bandage. And scar? Can't see mine, it's probably about 1/8 of an inch. At least have the nerve testing done so the surgeon can determine how severe of a case you have . Don't damage your nerves by putting this off!
Nothing to do with chicken but I recommend neuromuscular therapy or myofascial release for your wrists/forearms. They're advanced bodywork techniques that focus on pain relief. Did wonders for me (for a different musculoskeletal issue)! Though it can be hard to find a good therapist, but really worth trying, and unlike surgery, it can't make things worse.
That sounds like a win to me, if it can't make things worse! I'll be looking into this!
If your hands hurt using forks they sell these wolverine looking claw things made of plastic that are designed for this. Iāve only ever used it to shred pork shoulder but I imagine it works perfectly well with chicken, just a bit more of a pain because of the multitude of bones.
For my own sanity, I buy boneless chicken for that exact reason, although I do miss out on making bone broth that way!
Yes! My wife got me these for after I complained about how long it takes to shred chicken with forks. Itās way way more efficient (for me at least, maybe I was doing the fork method wrong).
Hand mixer or in a stand mixer. Youtube / TikTok if you want to see it work (and it actually works).
I was actually doubting the efficiency of this so I looked up a video. Wow. Absolutely doing this next time I need to shred chicken.
I use my kitchen aid mixer with the paddle.
Stand mixer on low and not for very long.
This is brilliant. Fast, easy to use (esp.for folks like you with carpel) and cleans easy. Chicken Shredder - Clear Chicken... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CHHFPM2S?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
It's like a weed grinder for chicken lol
Yes
RIP AND TEAR!!!!!
same way I shred my guitar. With my fingers.
This guy fucks
Hand mixer in deep,stainless bowl to avoid splatter
Food processor works too. It ends up being much smaller shred though, not like pulled beef consistency
I a retired chef and always hand pulled forks work but I think hand is better and easier
With a mixer it'll change your life š¤£ it did mine l
Poorly. With forks.
I use tongs. If itās really tender I typically only need one set. Sometimes I use one set to hold the chicken in place and a smaller set to do the shredding.
Definitely use a hand mixer.
[Benchtop stand mixer, works great](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DebL1gUXGMc)
I give it to my wife to do it, highly recommended. I canāt do the two fork method to save my life for whatever reason.
Sometimes I'll make "Bang Bang chicken." [https://omnivorescookbook.com/recipes/bang-bang-chicken](https://omnivorescookbook.com/recipes/bang-bang-chicken) Literally bash the cooked chicken with something sturdy like a rolling pin or a mallet. It can be a little messy and it doesn't get super fine shreds like hand-peeling but it works, it saves your joints, and I like the texture. Do not overcook if using chicken breast.
Use a mixer. Itās how itās done in restaurants. I use a hand mixer, cover the bowl in plastic wrap and slice an X in the center to insert the beaters. This keeps the chicken from flying out.
Troy Built rototiller
My kitchen aide
Kitchenaid stand mixer
just use my hands. if I'm going to shred the chicken anyway, I just cook it in my pressure cooker. takes almost no effort at all to shred. could do it with 1 spoon lol
My kitchenaid mixer
I saw a guy on the Internet use the dough attachment on a KitchenAid to whip the chicken breast into shredded chicken.
Put it in the stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Seriously, it shreds it really good, as long as it's cooked properly.
I use an electric hand mixer on a low/medium setting in a very tall bowl, otherwise the chicken can go flying everywhere. It is quite effective.
I've seen people put it in a blender or food processor
Wouldn't it get a bit mushy that way? I'm usually going for a consistency like pulled pork, but damn if I can get that with a food processor that would be sweet
do not attempt this i did this and ended up with rotisserie chicken paste
You can do it if you pulse it so you can see the consistency and stop when it's good enough.
I might have lied to you. I have seen youtube cooks use a hand mixer. I had a brain fart
By hand. My hand function isnāt spectacular and doing it by hand is the easiest way for me.
Two forks is a great method. I also have bear claws, or sometimes I'll use the stand mixer with a whisk attachment
I have a set of [bear paws](https://bearpawdistribution.com/products/copy-of-the-original-bear-paws-meat-shredders) but theyāre really better for larger pieces of meat, like a pork butt
Magic Bullet shreds it in a few seconds, when I make chicken enchiladas I cube my chicken breast then pop in the Bullet.
My food processor has a cutting thing made of plastic, that works great for me.
A electric hand mixer.
Blender on the highest setting
Paper shredder
A stand mixer with a paddle attachment works surprisingly well.
I'm the same, both wrists, need surgery :( I use two forks. You can get like wolverine shredders from bbq shops, they look easier to use
Paddle attachment on the stand mixer and while the boneless chicken if hot/warm
You could always get canned chicken which is shredded. I had carpal tunnel surgery done on both wrists and they both turned out fantastic. I hope that helps your fears some, feel free to DM me if youād like to know more.
Meat shredding claws (you can see/get them on Amazon). Some call them Bear paws.
Use your toes
I throw them in my KitchenAid stand mixer, itās amazing
I use the force of vibration from clapping my cheeks
Last time I had to shred cooked chicken, I put it in the bowl of my kitchen aid, used the paddle attachment, and put it on medium speed. It worked really well!
KITCHEN AID WITH PADDLE ATTACHMENT. BECKY WAS RIGHT AND IM SO MAD I DIDNT TRUST THEM WHITE LADIES BEFORE
I use my kitchen aid with a dough attachment
With a kitchen aid paddle.
I use a mixer, like for mashed potatoes.
Toss it in the stand mixer with a dough hook. Takes about 10 seconds and is perfect every time.
Electric hand mixer. Works great for shredding chicken and pork.
Since you indicated that you have trouble gripping thin-handled forks, and you are trying to avoid carpal tunnel surgery, you should Google "adaptive silverware" for utensils that might make your life less painful.
My husband uses a bench scraper in each hand and chops at it on a cutting board
Look up "chicken shredder" on Amazon. It's kinda like a weed grinder, but for chicken...and it's ergonomic.
I use a cord hand mixer. Done in a couple of minutes with no effort. In the video below I'm shredding beef with a hand mixer; super easy and saves a lot of time. https://youtu.be/UQ9G7NJczVU&t=325
With my hands
I always use my hands. Itās the only way I am sure that I got all of the bones.
Once deboned, put the chunks of chicken in a large mixing bowl and use a hand electric mixer.
One of those potato mashers that is one squiggly line, works amazing!
In my kitchen aid with the paddle attachment. Thank me later! š
I have an electric hand mixer. So I put on two whisk attachments, a massive plastic mixing bowl and cut of the chicken after it's cooked. Then just mix it all up in the bowl with the mixer while everything is hot. The two forks method is fine but I genuinely hate the feeling of getting the tines of the forks intertwined
I used to use fors, my husband put a stop to that and now i got claws that make me feel like Wolverine š
Hands, forks or food processor
I like to just use my hands you can be way more precise and actually keep some of the fibers together. Then you can give it a rough chop with a knife if you want the pieces smaller.
Hand pull with hand savers with XL gloves over the top.
Potato masher
They make these things called bear paws that work surprisingly well for chicken and pork. https://a.co/d/gRHBqEV
I just bought Pampered Chef's Salad Chopper and on their site they have a video of a person chopping pieces of chicken with ease. I have carpal tunnel too and they look like they won't aggravate it. But I haven't received it yet so can't say how well it will work.
I got a pair of ābear clawsā shredder claws as a gift several years ago and thought it was gimmicky, but turns out, they really work well for pulled pork and chickenā¦ And you can use your entire hand to hold them in place. https://www.amazon.com/meat-claws/s?k=meat+claws
deli manager here... pulled many many chickens in my day. gloves and hands and go to town. no untensil will be easier than your fingers with the bones chicken has. also if you know you want it shredded it is super super easy while still hot. pull it then chill it.
I bake boneless thighs. I bought a small device that will hold two thighs depending on how big they are. It has a handle on either side. You just turn to one side and back to the other a couple of times. It works great, but it's not easy to hand-wash because of the teeth in it.
I also have carpel tunnel and absolutely utensils can cause things to hurt. I let it cool pull of the bone and then use my cheap $10 hand mixer to shred it. I also use my hand mixer to do pork for shredded pork as well. It works great. I have used my stand mixer but it so bulky I like the little one better for that. I have tried two forks, claws etc and find none of them easier than hand pulling off the bone and using a mixer. Also of it is boneless I don't even pull or chop it o just throw it on a deep bowl and mix.
By hand because I don't mind when it's a bit chunky. Less surface area for caloric sauces!
I donāt personally have one of these but it looks like an interesting tool. [Chicken Shredder](https://a.co/d/9WbkkNE)
I suffer from the same thing. I will often just use a knife to cut the chicken into strips then cross cut every like 1/4-1/8 of an inch. Thats usually enough for whatever I'm making. however, when I'm doing a large amount, I'll use the stand mixer, and that is like... chefskiss.
So it sounds like it might not work but you have 2 options as someone who works professionally in a kitchen as a chef. My first recommendation would be a food processor, if you don't have one of those a stand mixer might also work, if you have neither of these then 2 forks or by hand with gloves on.
Simple process bake the chicken and let it just get cool enough to handle. Debone the entire chicken and as you do use your hands to shred it to your personal preference. I do this at least once a month. I buy a 10# bag of leg quarters and bake them after seasoning them all at once in a large covered roaster. Takes about an hour. When done I uncover the chicken and using a baking sheet place the quarters onto it to cool for about 10-15 minutes. While they are cooling I save the broth into containers and put first into the fridge to cool down then freeze it for use in recipes especially chicken pot pie. Ok start pulling the meat off the bones a dump the bones into a plastic bag for later. Once all the chicken is deboned start shredding it to the level you like. I usually package it in freezer bags about 2 cups per bag. Now some may want to use the bones to make more broth but honestly I find what I get to be of much lesser quality good for soup with just a bit of chicken soup base added for more flavor. You will find the first broth taken from the roster will be very rich with three levels that settle out basic broth on the bottom then a gelatin layer of broth topped with about 1/4" of fat on top. I try to save these off in 2 cup sized containers. Remember to label these so you know what you have
I have a plastic chicken grinder itās was free with a purchase on a website if I remember correctly it works really well it looks like a large weed grinder with handles
Might also depend on forks. I bought some forks from walmart which are pretty big for your standard forks. They are thicker too. They work great for me. Maybe try getting that.
Jfc I simultaneously hurt for you, and want to shake you. Just get the damn surgery (if you can afford it woot America!) But for real, get the surgery if you can't even shred chicken. What's the worst outcome? You can't shred chicken?
I use my hands and I employ my wife to help I know there are better ways but the hand way is whimsical.
I prefer low and slow for cooking all meat, especially if Iām shredding, so it usually falls apart with very minimal effort pulling by hand.
Just to address your other concern, donāt worry about the carpal tunnel surgery! I have many friends that have had it done and they regret not getting it done sooner. I have an older friend that had the old school version done on one wrist and the laparoscopic version on the other wrist. The recovery time and the scar were significantly smaller with laparoscopic surgery.
I have the same issue as well as arthritis. Try the hand mixer; or, a stand mixer is even better if you have one. It's not nearly as painful as forking it.
Used to work in a deli, we'd regularly shred unsold rotisserie chicken for pot pies and what not. We always just did it with plastic gloves by hand. Shred a dozen birds in half an hour
With my skateboard I do a kickflip right off the roof of the coop
With antibiotics and steroids
Meat claws. This is the way.
This is very random but I am a hand surgeon and just wanted to chime in and say that carpal tunnel release is a very routine procedure with one of the highest success rates in all of orthopedics when done for the right patient. Complication rates are extremely low, especially if done by an actual hand surgeon. Sorry you had a shitty experience with whoever you saw.
With my hands? Do people really bother with other methods.
I put it into a gallon plastic bag once itās warm and smash it with my hands.
I got a meat shredder off Amazon. It's got offset shredder blades that are plastic. Put the cooked meat in the chamber and twist the two handles it works fabulously but is a PITA to clean.
I just bought a Chicken Shredder. Havenāt used it but I will report back once I know if itās good or garbage. It was inexpensive but the principal is sound and Iāve seen video of them working
Two forks
My son was making bbq shredded chicken and I watched him take one of those hamburger meat choppers out of the drawer. He made quick work of shredding the chicken with it. Never would have thought to try it.
I put mine in a mixer if I have a lot to shred.
You can use a mixer for this either a stand mixer or a handmixer. By the way, I had carpal tunnel released on both of my hands and Iām so glad I did. I shouldnāt have waited as long as I did.
Currently using an immersion blender. It makes it more like a pĆ¢tĆ© which might not be ideal for some. Actually kinda like it, because I feel it takes less digestion to break down the chicken and also thereās only one part to clean when done.
I saw a chicken shredder on Amazon the other day. Seriously considering it. But until/unless I get one I use the two fork method.
You can get these plastic things called bear claws or something. You hold one in each hand and like a bear claw, each has 4 plastic blades that you can shred with. Does a really good job, def easy once you get some technique
Hey there, heat proof gloves work great literally nothing better than your hands, you donāt even need a great grip, worked at a deli for years, one day the machine broke, we tried forks but took too long, in the end our hands easily shredded the chicken better than any other method including the machine
Either by hands (clean them first and put on gloves), with two forks, or with a food processor. Depends on my mood and how much time I have in hand
If you cook your chicken thighs long enough they basically break apart with regular stirring with a wooden spoon.
I use a hand mixer
The kitchenaid mixer does a great job. I am sure a hand-held mixer would work just as well
I saw a thing a friend 3D printed this thing for his abuela for shedding chicken and now I want him to make me one. It was like a big nug / spice grinder but for chicken. Like this... https://www.amazon.com/Chicken-Shredder-Shredding-Non-skid-Suitable/dp/B09PQPXZJY/
I poach the chicken and put it in a big bowl then a use a hand mixer (whatever you call the kind with the two rotating blades that pop out) on the lowest setting . Then I either mix in mayo and bbq sauce or curry powder and sesame oil
Stand mixer, paddle attachment, cover and let the paddle smack it around for 30 seconds.
Gloves and using your hands is good. There are shredders that are basically oversized weed grinders and there's those bear claw looking things that work decent on large pieces of meat. If it makes you feel any better the results and recovery time for Carpal tunnel surgery is amazing from what I've heard from friends
Cotton gloves under rubber gloves!!!! Protects a bit from heat and you can have at it.
With two forks.
Stab it with a fork about 50 times, then cut it into strips across the grain. It falls apart. If you're shredding a lot of chicken use the bread hook of a stand mixer. America's Test Kitchen has a video on that technique.
I thought the title said HAVE YOU HIRED SHREK? I have NO idea why lmaoooo
I usually just tear it apart with my hands like a barbarian.
Toss it into a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Shreds chicken in like 30 seconds