How Many Chicken Breasts is 2 cups of Chicken?

Mar 13, 2023
updated Jul 25, 2023

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If recipes that call for ‘2 cups of shredded chicken’ leave you confused about how many chicken breasts you’ll need, I’ve got your answer!

Knowing just how much chicken to make is a total meal saver. This post includes a chart plus additional tips for making perfectly shredded or cubed chicken. Let’s get started!

How Much Chicken is 2 Cups Shredded

To yield 2 cups of shredded chicken, you’ll need approximately 12 ounces of cooked chicken or 1 pound raw. In terms of cooked meat, this looks like 2 chicken breasts, 4 chicken thighs, or the meat from half of a rotisserie chicken.

So, if your recipe calls for 2 cups of shredded chicken, make sure you grab the right amount, whether cooked or raw; this way, there’s plenty to go around.

Why do you need more raw chicken to yield the same amount of shredded meat as cooked chicken? Great question! As chicken cooks, water evaporates from the surface and causes the meat to shrink, so 1 pound of raw chicken will weigh less when cooked.

large measuring bowl and small measuring cup filled with shredded chicken

How Many Chicken Breasts by Cup

The following chart is based on cooked chicken breast weight (ounces and pounds). An average raw chicken breast at the grocery store is 6-8 ounces, which will cool down to 4 to 6 ounces.

Shredded Chicken by Cups Yield Chart

Chicken breasts	Amount Shredded
6oz breast (approx 1)	1 cup
8oz breast (approx 1)	1 ⅓ cup
12oz breast (approx 2)	2 cups
16oz breast (approx 2-3)	3 cups
24oz breast (approx 3-4)	4 cups

Exact measurements vary based on the size of the chicken breasts

Preparing Shredded Chicken to Measure

Poaching is a great way to prepare chicken you want to shred. Not only is it the most hands-free way to cook chicken, but it retains moisture and creates a black canvas for whichever sauce or dressing you plan to toss it with.

Best of all, shredding poached chicken is easy if you use one of these three methods.

side by side photos of chicken breasts being poached in a large pot

How Many Chicken Breasts is 2 Cups of Cubed Chicken

For 2 cups of cubed chicken, you’ll need about 2 cooked chicken breasts, depending on how many ounces each chicken breast weighs. Just like with shredded chicken, every 6 ounces of cooked chicken breast will yield approx. 1 cup of cubed chicken.

Preparing Chicken Cubes or Pieces

Properly cutting raw or cooked chicken is crucial to keep it as juicy as possible.

To cube raw chicken, you’ll want to butterfly the fillet first, then slice the meat against the grain to create long strips. Cut each strip into 3-4 pieces, and voila!

For cooked chicken, same thing. Allow the chicken to cool down for 10 minutes (if it’s just been cooked), then use your knife to slice the meat against the grain, followed by that last cut.