Chicken freezer packs are going to be your new favorite meal-planning tool, and here's why: all the ingredients for a chicken dish are added to a bag, which will later get "dumped" into a slow cooker, casserole dish, or pan. This method of meal planning is all the rage on Pinterest and with good reason. It takes maybe 10 minutes to prep a slew of freezer bags full of perfectly seasoned chicken, which can be frozen for up to nine months. It sounds so awesome, right? Here's a simple recipe to get you started!
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Freezer-safe resealable bags (write the name of the recipe and the date you should cook by) Lemons, zested and juiced (1 per bag) Poultry seasoning (1/2 teaspoon per bag) Garlic (2 minced cloves per bag) Olive oil (2 tablespoons per bag) Salt (generous 2 pinches per bag) Pounded boneless skinless chicken breasts (2 per bag) Wide-mouth mason jars or glass cups *If you want to make family-size bags of chicken, buy the largest size freezer bags and double this recipe, so each bag contains 4 chicken breasts.
Fit each resealable bag over a cup or mason jar. This will make filling the bags much easier. Add all the seasonings first.
Feel free to make little changes here and there to the recipe. Instead of lemon zest and juice, try lime or orange or even honey mustard. Rather than poultry seasoning, try chili powder or Italian seasoning. Substitute garlic for shallots. Forgo the olive oil and opt for melted (but cooled) ghee or another high-heat oil like refined peanut or grapeseed.
Chicken should be the last thing to go in the bag. Avoid touching the raw chicken on the outside of the bag. Wash your hands then pull the "zipper" part of the plastic bags out from under the cups.
So the bags are easy to store and the contents last longer, try to squeeze out as much air as possible before sealing the bags. Then work the chicken with your hands to flatten them out inside the bags.
Just in case there are any small holes in the bags, it's best to store them on a small sheet pan (with raised sides) as they freeze so you do not contaminate your freezer with any drippings. Once they are frozen solid, you can remove them from the sheet pan.
When you are ready to cook them, defrost them (keep the bag in a bowl) in the fridge 24 hours before you plan to cook or quick-thaw by filling the bowl with cold water and changing the water every 30 minutes until the meat is thawed through.
The sky is the limit when it comes to cooking the chicken. Bake at 450°F for 20 minutes. Slow-cook (in your crockpot) on low for six to eight hours. Sauté or grill until the internal temperature reads at least 165°F. If you choose to cook the chicken in the liquid, you'll end up with a poached texture and consistency. If you really love a crispy exterior, simply toss the sauce.
Garnish the chicken with some fresh herbs or chives and serve it with the sides of your choice.
