Two forks and a sore wrist is the old way to shred chicken. The new way takes about thirty seconds and does not hurt at all.

I used to dread taco night because shredding three chicken breasts meant ten minutes of stabbing and pulling. Then a friend told me to try my hand mixer. I thought she was joking. She was not.

The hand mixer trick

Put the cooked chicken breasts in a deep bowl and press a hand mixer into them on low speed. In about twenty seconds you have perfect shreds. No forks, no tearing, no aching hand.

Why it works

The beaters do the pulling that your arms used to do. The chicken breaks apart along its natural grain, so the texture comes out even. It works for pulled chicken sandwiches, tacos, salads, and soups.

Do it while it is still warm

Cold chicken shreds worse and fights back. Let the chicken rest for five minutes after cooking, then shred it while it is still warm. The meat is softer and the beaters glide through.

Stand mixer version

If you are shredding a whole batch for meal prep, the stand mixer with the paddle attachment does the same job even faster. Toss the chicken in the bowl, run it on low for ten seconds, check, repeat. Stop the moment it looks right or you will end up with chicken paste.

Do not use high speed

High speed turns shreds into mush. Low speed is the whole secret. Give it short bursts and check between them.

Still need two forks?

The fork method is fine when you only need a little chicken for one salad. But for anything bigger, the mixer wins every time.

I have not shredded chicken with a fork in a year. Taco night takes ten minutes instead of twenty, and my wrist says thanks.