We Tried the Popular Hack for Shredding a Rotisserie Chicken in Seconds
Spoiler: We don’t recommend it.
The best part about buying a rotisserie chicken from the store is that 90 percent of the work is already done for you. But getting the chicken off the bone is still a task, and sometimes, it can be a dirtier job than expected.
So, when we heard about a popular new hack that makes shredding chicken “less messy, faster, and easier,” we grabbed a $5 Costco bird and got to work.
Allrecipes/Debbie Wolfe
The Plastic Bag Chicken Shredding Hack
This isn’t the first rotisserie chicken-shredding method to take off online, but it’s certainly one of the most original. Why? Because it all takes place in a zip-top bag. Here’s how to do it.
Start by cutting the string (or plastic) trussing on the legs. Then place the whole chicken in a gallon-sized bag, zip it up, and go to town.
Use your fingers to prod, poke, and pull the meat from the bone. After about a minute of working, you should have a full bag of loose meat. Then, fish out the bones, and your bag of chicken is prepped and ready to toss in the fridge or freezer for easy future meals.
Sounds pretty simple and seamless, right? Well, there are some major downsides. Your hands still get messy digging out the bones from the bag. “It does get a lot off, but I still find myself shredding chicken with my hands,” said our recipe tester, Nicole McLaughlin.
Plus, the chicken isn’t necessarily “shredded” into strips. Instead, it ends up more pulverized, like pounded chicken bits. This might be ideal for baked chicken dips but not for uses like tacos, salads, or even casseroles.
Finally, the biggest concern of all: The smaller, weaker bones in the chicken carcass get crushed and lost in the mix of meat, creating the risk of a serious choking hazard for you and your family. Yikes.
Our Final Thoughts
After testing the viral trick, we were left unimpressed. “At the end of the day, it’s fast and easy, but I wouldn’t do it,” said McLaughlin. “It ended up being more of a mess than usual as I tried to get all the meat off that was left. It’s a no for me.”
The (Actual) Easiest Way to Shred Rotisserie Chicken
Don't worry—there's a better way to debone and shred the chicken. (If you'd prefer a totally mess-free operation, we'd recommend wearing gloves.)
To start, remove all of the chicken skin and set it aside. Cut or remove the plastic or string trussing as well.
Next, remove the breasts, thighs, drumsticks, and wings from the carcass. As you work, gently pull the meat away from the bones. It's usually easier to start with the larger pieces like the breasts and thighs. Set aside the bones, cartilage, and tough pieces to discard or use to make a stock.
Once you've removed the meat from the bones, you can shred it by hand. Use your fingers to tear the meat into thin strips, or use two forks to pull away shreds. Toss it into a gallon-sized bag, and your chicken is ready to go for the week.
These steps might take a few more minutes than the plastic bag method, but for bone-free, ready-to-eat shredded chicken, the extra effort is worth the reward.
Read the original article on All Recipes.
