Tag: Chicken prep

According to America's Test Kitchen, a whole, raw chicken typically yields about one cup of cooked, picked meat per pound of raw weight. This means the number of cups of shredded chicken you get from a whole chicken depends heavily on its initial weight and how thoroughly you pick the meat. For a standard 3-pound bird, you can expect a solid 3 cups of delicious, shredded meat, but larger and smaller chickens will yield different results.

The weight of 2 cups of cooked chicken can vary by up to 30%, depending on whether it is shredded or diced. It is a common challenge for home cooks to get this conversion right, affecting the outcome of recipes. So, how much is 2 cups of cooked chicken and what factors influence its measurement?

According to the USDA, boneless, skinless chicken breast weighs less after cooking due to moisture loss. To get 2 cups of shredded chicken, you will need approximately 1 to 1.5 pounds of raw boneless, skinless chicken breast, or about two medium-sized cooked breasts.

On average, one medium raw chicken breast (approximately 8 ounces) yields about 1 to 1.5 cups of chopped, cooked chicken. This simple kitchen conversion can be tricky for home cooks trying to determine exactly how many chicken breasts is 1 cup chopped for their recipes.