If I just throw them in the freezer, I end up struggling to make meals with them, so I like to do several different marinades at once and stock the freezer in portions. All of the marinades I'm sharing with you today freeze really well, and have versatile cooking options.
I've cooked all of these on the grill, in the oven or in the crock pot and they come out slightly different each way, but all delicious. Tip: if we serve whole breasts, they all get eaten really fast with no leftovers. If we slice the meat before serving, everyone seems to eat less and we have leftovers. Every time! It saves us money in the end, plus we can have some leftover chicken slices on top of our delicious jar salads we can't get enough of.
Any of these chicken recipes go well with a steamed or sauteed veggie, potato, rice or a salad. I pick what we have as sides based on what my fresh produce delivery brings us.
First, we needed dinner for us plus guests that evening, so I quickly sprinkled some of my dry ranch seasoning on four of the breasts in a glass pan and stuck it in the fridge to marinate. Then I put two more breasts in a labeled and dated quart size freezer bag and stuck the bag in the freezer. Two meals, done. If you're making freezer meals, label the bags first with contents, date and any cooking instructions. Cooking Options: Bake at 425 for 20-25 minutes - I use a meat thermometer to cook to 160 degrees then rest for five minutes before slicing; crockpot for 5-6 hours on low; or grill for 3-4 minutes per side, again using a meat thermometer to 160 degrees and allow to rest for five minutes before slicing.
Dry Ranch Seasoning
1/2t black pepper
1/4t dried mustard
1/4t paprika
1/2t dried oregano
1t garlic powder
1T dried chives
1T dried parsley
Add all ingredients to a coffee grinder or bullet and blend.
This is incredibly versatile for seasoning meat, fish, or veggies, and can also easily turn into dips or dressings. I double this, sometimes quadruple, and store in a ball jar for easy use. A dash to some mayo or vegan mayo can dress up a sandwich, burger or crab cake. So many possibilities!
Next, I used a recipe I've been making and changing based on what ingredients I have on hand. The original recipe is for coconut lime chicken, and it's absolutely delicious as is. I don't always have the right ingredients on hand and like to use what I have, so I've come up with some easy variations over the years that change the flavors a bit but are really tasty too. No matter how I make this, the entire family gobbles it up. The coconut milk helps keep the chicken nice and moist.
Coconut Lime Chicken - Ingredients
1/4 cup olive oil
1 can coconut milk
3-4 cloves garlic pressed
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Combine all ingredients and pour over your chicken. Refrigerate for at least 30 min before grilling. If you're making freezer meals, label the bags first with contents, date and any cooking instructions. Add the chicken and pour the marinade over. I did three bags of two breasts each. Three more meals into the freezer. Cooking Options: Bake at 425 for 20-25 minutes - I use a meat thermometer to cook to 160 degrees then rest for five minutes before slicing; crockpot for 5-6 hours on low; or grill for 3-4 minutes per side, again using a meat thermometer to 160 degrees and allow to rest for five minutes before slicing.
Variations
- Try fresh squeezed lemon or orange juice if you don't have limes. I used about 1/4c of lemon juice this time.
- 1/2 cup cilantro instead of parsley
- If you don't have fresh herbs, try half the quantity of dried herbs. I used 1/4c dried parsley today.
Brown Sugar Spice Chicken - Ingredients
1/4 cup brown sugar (I use coconut palm sugar)
2 tablespoons paprika
1 teaspoon oregano
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1t Salt
1/2t pepper
If you're making freezer bags, label them first with contents, date and any cooking instructions. I doubled this recipe and mixed in a bowl, then divided into four bags and added the chicken. Into the freezer my four BSS Chicken bags went. Rachel bakes hers in the oven, but I've tried all three cooking methods and they all work well. Cooking Options: Bake at 425 for 20-25 minutes - I use a meat thermometer to cook to 160 degrees then rest for five minutes before slicing; crockpot for 5-6 hours on low; or grill for 3-4 minutes per side, again using a meat thermometer to 160 degrees and allow to rest for five minutes before slicing.
If you're counting, we just made 10 meals total. I made nine because I used four breasts the first night since we had company. You can make your freezer bags as big or as small as needed for yourself or your family. I've frozen single breasts, all the way up to eight breasts in a bag to plan for a party. Enjoy!
My pictures aren't pretty this time, since I didn't actually cook anything. I'll have to update with beautiful plate pics as we eat our freezer meals.