All Recipes (www.allrecipes.com) producer, Annie Campbell shared some terrific information the other day. If you like to cook with shredded chicken once in a while, this news is for you. Here in a nutshell is what she says is the easiest way, by far (say “GOOD BYE” to those two forks!).

First of all though, would you agree that the best rotisserie chicken deal comes from Costco? Consumer research shows theirs, at $4.99, is a shopping cart staple (even with it recently being under fire). Folks just love how it provides countless dinner options. (I’m not selling, I’m just sayin’.)

But wherever you get your rotisserie chicken, there’s a little hitch to all these dinner options. It’s getting all that deliciousness off the bones. Thankfully, an Instagram video (https://www.instagram.com/reel/CoWRHKhuexP/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=35f69eac-96ee-48f8-bde4-b65b561f81dd) is available to demystify the process. This comes from a Costco employee, Melissa, who’s done this hundreds of times.

Melissa demonstrates exactly how to "harvest" the chicken with just her hands—and with expert-level efficiency. Warning: just know this video might make you hungry for chicken tacos and buffalo chicken dip. But if you don’t have access to the video, read on for her clear instructions.

I know everybody has their own method and tools to use. For instance, some folks use a handmixer. But there’s such a thing as “too much shred,” and it’s been my experience that it’s too easy to shred too much using a mixer. You want a variety in size of the shred. Shredding chicken like a Costco butcher gets you this result. If that’s your preference, too, then here’s what to do (using a little bit of elbow grease):

To start, take the ties off the legs, then use your thumbs to locate the joints in between the breast and the thighs. “Stick your thumbs down between the thighs there, and just kind of pop those bones out of their sockets there,” Melissa says in the video.

If the bird is still hot, you can slide the skin right off (but don’t toss it—it's full of flavor). From there, you can take your thumbs and slide them right up under the breastbone. Grab the breasts on either side and pull them out in one handful.

“You want to be careful; there’s a couple of teeny tiny bones in there you need to watch out for,” she instructs.

Next, use your fingers to pick off all the rest of the meat from around the bones and sockets. With all the meat removed, you’re ready to place it on a large baking sheet. Use your hands to swiftly rip the meat between your fingers. After just a couple of pulls, the meat will be completely shredded.

Whether it’s White Bean Chili or fabulous fajitas, having shredded chicken at the ready is the way to quickly get dinner on. In a tightly covered dish, it refrigerates well for over a week. And one more thing: don’t toss the bones. This flavor-packed carcass will add a boatload of flavor to your next homemade stock, broth, or soup.

Not ready to do a soup or stock right now? The carcass freezes well. Add any veggie scraps you’ve been saving for this purpose and freeze in an airtight container until ready to use. Make it now, make it later—either way, you’re covered!