Shredded Chicken with Mashed Potatoes
This classic dish of shredded chicken poured over creamy mashed potatoes is total comfort food and a great way to use up leftover chicken or you can use chicken breasts to make it.
Years ago when I was living on a very tight budget having decided to stay home with my daughter to care for her. I would make this dish almost weekly as it doesn’t cost much to make and it was a great use for any leftover chicken I might have had on hand. In this case, I am using skinless chicken breast for those tender pieces of chicken so if you don’t have leftover chicken from Sunday, that is ok.
The chicken breast does the trick nicely and the best part is you can use the liquid the chicken was cooked in as your gravy base. So nothing goes to waste. The first time I cooked this, I knew it was gonna be one of those weekly dinner recipes in our home.
Imagine tender pieces of chicken cooked in gravy and poured over warm buttery mashed potatoes. Can you picture anything more fitting of a comfort meal? But it doesn’t stop there. To garnish this meal with extra goodness I highly suggest serving it with this homemade cranberry sauce. This will give the meal a sweet but tart contrast to the salty flavors in the chicken and potatoes.
Whether you make this savory dish with chicken breast or leftover chicken, it is a cost-conscious meal and with today’s grocery prices, that is a very good thing in my book.
Shredded Chicken with Mashed Potatoes Is…
- A great way to use up leftover chicken.
- Made with simple ingredients.
- Great for any night of the week especially rainy days.
- Classic home cooking that results in a delicious dinner.
- A comforting dish for the whole family and one of the most popular recipes on this blog.
Ingredients
Chicken-I use boneless skinless chicken breasts or saved leftover chicken from a baked chicken carcass. You can also use boneless skinless chicken thighs if you prefer darker meat over the light meat of a chicken breast.
Stock- a good quality chicken stock or chicken broth will create a flavorful gravy. I like to use my homemade bone broth for this when I have some made. You can also use plain water to boil the chicken as the gives the liquid flavor.
Bay Leaf- use a large bay leaf.
Potatoes- I like to use russet potatoes or Yukon gold potatoes for my mashed potatoes but red potatoes also work great.
Milk- use whole milk or heavy cream if you like. Milk is used for the mashed potatoes and using a fuller fat milk helps create creamy mashed potatoes.
Flour- all-purpose flour works perfectly for thickening gravy.
Butter- I use salted butter but unsalted works fine too. You can adjust the seasoning to taste.
Seasoning- I use sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
Tools
Electric mixer or stand mixer (optional)
*Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive commissions if you choose to purchase through the links I provide (at no cost to you).
Directions
Peel potatoes and then chop them up into equal chunks. Add them to pot of water and boil until soft. When the potatoes are ready strain the water and add the potatoes to a mixer bowl. Add the butter, cream or milk, salt, and cracked black pepper. Mix until creamy. Or you can hand mash with a potato masher as well. Set aside.
In a medium pot, place the chicken breasts, stock (or water), salt, pepper, and bay leaf inside. If using shredded leftover chicken skip to step 6. Bring chicken to a simmer over medium heat and let the chicken cook all the way through. Cooking time will vary with the size of the chicken breasts used.
Once the chicken is cooked, remove the breasts and set the cooked chicken aside to cool down for shredding. Chicken is fully cooked when the internal temperature reaches 165F.
Take a bowl and strainer and pour the chicken stock out making sure to strain out the small bits from cooking the chicken.
Place the chicken pot back on the stove and add the butter. Melt butter completely before adding the flour in. Whisk to move it about the pan to create a roux. Once combined slowly begin adding back the stock and whisk until the roux (flour mixture) is worked into the stock. While the gravy thickens, shred the chicken.
Note: If you don’t want to make a roux, you can also use cornstarch to thicken the gravy. To use, blend 1/4 cup water with 2 tbsp. of cornstarch and whisk it in while simmering.
Add it directly back into the gravy. Salt and pepper again if needed.
Serve over mashed potatoes with a good side of cranberry sauce.
Cooking Notes
- Use a fine mesh strainer to strain off the broth to remove any clumps or debris.
- Be sure to slowly pour the broth as the gravy thickens otherwise, it will not thicken properly.
- If you don’t want to make a roux, you can also use cornstarch to thicken the gravy. To use, blend 1/4 cup water with 2 tbsp. of cornstarch and whisk it in while simmering.
- Chicken is fully cooked when the internal temperature reaches 165F.
Pro Tip: The next time you write out your grocery list, add a whole chicken to use for baked chicken or even salt crusted chicken one night and the following night, make this shredded chicken with mashed potatoes. This will help save money and makes meal planning that much easier.
How To Store
Store leftover shredded chicken with mashed potatoes in an airtight container kept in the fridge. I store mine all in the same container but you can separate if you prefer. Shredded chicken gravy will keep for up 3 days. Mashed potatoes will last up to 4 days.
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Other Recipes To Try…
Homestyle Chicken and Dumplings
Quick Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
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Shredded Chicken with Mashed Potatoes
This classic dish of shredded chicken poured over creamy mashed potatoes is total comfort food and a great way to use up leftover chicken or you can use chicken breasts to make it.
Ingredients
- 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts (or 4 cups of shredded leftover chicken)
- 4 cups of chicken stock (or you can use water)
- 1 large bay leaf
- 2 tbsp. flour
- 2 tbsp. butter
- sea salt
- cracked black pepper
- Mashed potatoes:
- 4 large russet potatoes
- 3 tbsp. butter
- 1 cup of cream or milk
- sea salt
- cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Peel potatoes and then chop them up into equal chunks. Add them to a pot of water and boil until soft.
- When the potatoes are ready strain the water and add the potatoes to a mixer bowl. Add the butter, cream or milk, salt, and cracked black pepper. Mix until creamy. Or you can hand mash as well. Set aside.
- In a medium pot, place the chicken breasts, stock (or water), salt, pepper, and bay leaf inside. If using shredded leftover chicken skip to step 6.
- Bring chicken to a simmer over medium heat and let them cook all the way through.
- Once the chicken is cooked, remove the breasts and set the cooked chicken aside to cool down before shredding.
- Take a bowl and strainer and pour the chicken stock out making sure to strain out the small bits from cooking the chicken.
- Place the chicken pot back on the stove and add the butter.
- Once melted sprinkle the flour in and whisk to move it about the pan. Once combined slowly begin adding back the stock and whisk until the roux (flour mixture) is worked into the stock.
- While the gravy thickens, shred the chicken.
- Add it directly back into the gravy.
- Salt and pepper again if needed.
- Serve over mashed potatoes with a good side of cranberry sauce.
Notes
- Use a fine mesh strainer to strain off the broth to remove any clumps or debris.
- Be sure to slowly pour the broth as the gravy thickens otherwise, it will not thicken properly.
- If you don't want to make a roux, you can also use cornstarch to thicken the gravy. To use, blend 1/4 cup water with 2 tbsp. of cornstarch and whisk it in while simmering.
- Chicken is full cooked when the internal temperature reaches 165F.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 569Total Fat: 28gSaturated Fat: 17gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 112mgSodium: 586mgCarbohydrates: 54gFiber: 5gSugar: 8gProtein: 25g
