Shredded Chicken
This is a very easy way to prepare chicken that can be used in many other recipes, for fillings, or simply eaten on its own with rice, pasta, potatoes, or vegetables.
It is usually served as a filling for arepas or as part of a national meal “Pabellon” in Venezuela.
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breasts or tenders
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 small onion diced
- 1/2 red bell pepper diced
- 1 green onion
- 6 large cloves garlic smashed
- ½ leek stalk diced with no green
- leaves
- 1 package sazón criolla
- 1 tbsp fresh cilantro chopped
- 1 large stewed tomato diced
- salt and pepper to taste
- squeeze of lime or a 1/2 teaspoon or to taste white vinegar
Instructions
- Add chicken to a pot, cover with water by about an inch and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Immediately turn down to a simmer, add a teaspoon of salt and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Remove chicken from broth and let it cool down a few minutes. Reserve a cup of the broth to finish the dish. Shred the chicken using a couple of forks to separate it into shreds or “mechas” (hence the name “mechado”)
- In the meantime, heat oil in a skillet over medium heat; add cook and stir onion for about 3 minutes. Add green onion, leek, red bell pepper; cook and stir until onion and pepper are softened, several more minutes. Add garlic and sofrito; cook and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add the shredded chicken, tomato paste and the ½ cups of reserved broth and vegetable broth to moisten.
- Heat through, gently, stirring often to blend flavors until chicken is still moist but most of the moisture is gone from the pan, about 15 minutes.
- Taste and adjust for salt and pepper and add a squeeze of lime.
Notes
- This a great filling for arepas. Enough for 10-12 arepas (see recipe)
- Also accompanied by queso fresco, lime & avocado or black beans
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