One of my favorite meal-prep shortcuts is also one of the simplest: simmer a large pot of chicken with aromatics for several hours and you’ll walk away with two valuable things — rich, homemade broth and a generous supply of tender, shredded chicken. It’s an effortless two-for-one that saves time, reduces waste, and yields versatile ingredients you can use all week.
The shredded chicken is incredibly useful — mix it into salads, add it to soups, fold it into casseroles, toss it into pasta, or use it for hearty breakfast hashes. (Not for dessert, though.) For a quick idea, try it in a buffalo-style chicken salad to kickstart your meal planning. The broth, meanwhile, makes a comforting, flavorful base for soups, stews, risottos, or simply sipping from a mug when you want something warm and nourishing.
- 6 drumsticks
- 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts
- 8 cups water
- 2 carrots (no need to peel)
- 2 stalks celery
- 1 yellow onion, halved (no need to peel)
- 5 stems parsley
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- 2–4 cloves garlic
- 1 bay leaf
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Place all the ingredients in a large stockpot. The carrots and onion do not need peeling; they contribute flavor and can be discarded after cooking.
- Bring the water to a boil, then lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cover the pot and let everything cook, checking and stirring occasionally, for about three hours. A long, slow simmer extracts maximum flavor and yields tender meat.
- When the cooking time is complete, use tongs to transfer the chicken breasts and drumsticks to a rimmed baking sheet or plate. Let them cool until they’re safe to handle; resting on a rimmed sheet keeps juices contained.
- While the chicken cools, strain the stock through a colander into a heatproof container, discarding the solids (carrots, onion, celery, and herbs) that were used only for flavor. Set the broth aside to cool before refrigerating or freezing.
- Remove and discard the chicken skin. Using clean hands or two forks, carefully shred the meat, removing and discarding all bones. Take care: some small bones can remain in bone-in pieces, so inspect the shredded chicken carefully.
- Store the shredded chicken and the strained broth in separate airtight containers. The shredded chicken can be refrigerated for up to a week, and the broth will keep in the fridge for up to a week as well; both freeze beautifully for longer storage (broth up to three months). Always cool foods promptly and follow safe handling practices.
Tips and variations: for a deeper flavor, roast the onion and carrots before adding them to the pot, or add a few extra herb stems like thyme or a slice of ginger for a different aromatic profile. If you prefer a hands-off method, this recipe can be adapted to a slow cooker — cook on low for 6–8 hours — or pressure-cooked to reduce time, though the gentle simmer yields particularly clear broth and tender meat. Salt the finished broth to taste after skimming any fat if you prefer a lighter stock.
How to use the results: keep portions of shredded chicken ready for salads, wraps, quesadillas, and casseroles. Use the broth as the base for chicken soup, grain cooking liquid, or to enrich sauces and risottos. Freeze individual portions in labeled freezer-safe containers so you can pull out exactly what you need without thawing the entire batch.
This simple approach saves time and yields flexible, flavorful components that make weeknight cooking faster and more satisfying. With minimal hands-on work, you’ll have ready-to-use protein and a deeply flavored broth that elevate everyday meals.
