https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Tue, 21 Apr 2026 20:43:32 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cooking-in-bulk-for-freezer-meals-chicken#post-2249999 Thu, 30 Jul 2015 13:32:55 +0000 mediagirl 2249999@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think the best thing to do is prep your chicken before freezing.<br /> -Slice it into strips for stir fry, tacos and soups.<br /> -Shred it for tacos, chicken salad, enchiladas, BBQ chicken sandwiches and pot pies. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cooking-in-bulk-for-freezer-meals-chicken#post-2249983 Thu, 30 Jul 2015 13:24:43 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2249983@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: That recipe is great! I just make sure I have the 3 ingredients for the cream (milk flour and cream cheese), the broth and the cajun season. Everything else is kinda just go with the flow. My husband doesn't like tomatoes so we leave those out. He adds extra cajun in his bowl for more spice later. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cooking-in-bulk-for-freezer-meals-chicken#post-2249840 Thu, 30 Jul 2015 12:09:41 +0000 My Only Sunshine 2249840@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: Here are a couple chicken marinades we use ALL the time:</p> <p>- This is my favorite - Rosemary Honey Mustard Chicken - <a href="http://www.pink-parsley.com/2010/02/grilled-rosemary-chicken-thighs.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.pink-parsley.com/2010/02/grilled-rosemary-chicken-thighs.html</a> - the recipe is for chicken thighs, but I usually do chicken breasts.</p> <p>- Taco Chicken: <a href="http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2014/06/grilled-taco-chicken-recipe.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2014/06/grilled-taco-chicken-recipe.html</a></p> <p>- We also do easy bottled stuff - teriyaki sauce, italian dressing, caesar dressing - just dump some in with the chicken and you're done. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cooking-in-bulk-for-freezer-meals-chicken#post-2249825 Thu, 30 Jul 2015 12:00:45 +0000 matador84 2249825@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>So I am in the middle of a 3 day freezer meal spree and here's what I have done and am going to do before I head back to work:</p> <p>5 pounds of ground beef cook and sealed in 1 pound increments in bags<br /> 2 lbs breakfast sausage same as above<br /> 10 chicken breasts cooked, same as above<br /> 25 sandwiches (ham/swiss, roast beef/cheddar) individually wrapped in foil, ready to be cooked in oven<br /> spaghetti sauce<br /> sloppy joe<br /> sour cream noodle bake<br /> 2 large pizza doughs frozen </p> <p>Trying to think if I left anything off...I'll probably get a pork shoulder also, and throw in crockpot and freeze. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cooking-in-bulk-for-freezer-meals-chicken#post-2249778 Thu, 30 Jul 2015 11:39:38 +0000 looch 2249778@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@T.H.O.U.: Thanks for that additional recipe, I am going to try that this weekend if all goes well.</p> <p>@My Only Sunshine: do you have any marinades that you like a lot? I get stuck and then I repeat until I get tired of things.</p> <p>@Ms.Badger: Thanks for the tip on the cooking trays, I have added them to my list for the weekend.</p> <p>@blackbird: Oh, that does look good too, and not too many ingredients. On the list!</p> <p>@gingerbebe: You have some great ideas in here, I basically copied all of them, so thanks! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cooking-in-bulk-for-freezer-meals-chicken#post-2249766 Thu, 30 Jul 2015 11:32:33 +0000 gingerbebe 2249766@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Last week we did 3 kinds of dump chicken.</p> <p>I mixed taco seasoning, a little water and lime juice on one big chicken breast. Chicken Montral seasoning and a little water for a second. And Indian curry paste and yogurt for another one. Mash around the ziploc bag to mix and coat and leave overnight. Then I cooked off all three from most neutral seasoning to strongest (so Montreal, then taco, then curry) just wiping down the pan between cooking. I just seat the meat and add a splash of water and throw a lid over the top to steam the rest of the way and let all the chicken cool. Then I chop it up in the same order and package up in Tupperwares with their juices. That week we had taco salad with salsa ranch, olives, cheese, avocado, and crushed up tortilla chips. Regular chicken salad with cashews, raisins, apples, and shredded carrots with a homemade French dressing. Then we had Indian salad with cashews, raisins, shredded carrots, cucumber, crushed plantain chips, and a herby yogurt dressing. Everything was atop a bed of baby greens from Costco although we added romaine to taco salad night. We are on a major salad kick so we've had Cobb and Waldorf salads in the last week too.</p> <p>We try to keep a few dressings and interesting toppers in the house. Shredded carrots and cukes, and avocado, some nuts and crunchy bits, some apple or red grapes, some raisins or Craisins. </p> <p>You can also buy those vacuum packs of rotisserie breast meat that's already cooked and skinned and just chop and go. We use it for so many things. Mash up with BBQ sauce, mash up with taco seasoning and lime juice and heat up, soup, risotto, chicken and dumplings, etc. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cooking-in-bulk-for-freezer-meals-chicken#post-2249703 Thu, 30 Jul 2015 10:47:26 +0000 blackbird 2249703@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I really like this lemon garlic dump chicken: <a href="http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2014/10/lemon-garlic-dump-chicken-whats-dinner.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2014/10/lemon-garlic-dump-chicken-whats-dinner.html</a> </p> <p>it's just a few ingredients and if you use tenderloins, they cook up SUPER fast. You could always cook and freeze, but these don't take long at all </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cooking-in-bulk-for-freezer-meals-chicken#post-2249669 Thu, 30 Jul 2015 10:26:12 +0000 Ms.Badger 2249669@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: I just did this! I cooked all the chicken in the pressure cooker (could use slow cooker), then used some chicken and the broth for chicken torilla soup, and the rest of hte chicken in enchiladas and zucchini ziti. I cooked and we ate the ziti right away and froze the other two. If you haven't done so yet, buy the cheap, metal cooking trays at Costco, easy to freeze in and bake in later without taking up your cook-ware </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cooking-in-bulk-for-freezer-meals-chicken#post-2249652 Thu, 30 Jul 2015 10:12:19 +0000 My Only Sunshine 2249652@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: During the summer, I freeze chicken in marinades so it can just marinate while it thaws. I cut any fat/weird parts off the chicken, pound it flat, and then freeze it with the marinade in a ziploc bag. Then I take it out in the morning and so we can grill it at night. You could also do the same thing for cooking on the stove or in the oven.</p> <p>If the marinade I'm using is kind of salty (anything with soy sauce), I freeze the marinade and the chicken separately and just pour the marinade on it when I take it out of the freezer. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cooking-in-bulk-for-freezer-meals-chicken#post-2249465 Thu, 30 Jul 2015 08:10:01 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2249465@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: There are a few crock pot dumping recipes but it really depends on your taste. My husband makes them so I'm not sure a good go to recipe. </p> <p>We try to keep on hand - Tortilla shells and shredded cheese (you can freeze both), salsa and onion and bell pepper (again you could cut up lots and freeze). That covers mexican pretty much any night of the week. Oh and then whatever seasoning you may want to use. </p> <p>For salads, I try to keep a few crunchy toppings on hand to make the salad seem fuller. Croutons, bacon bits, sunflower seeds, raisins/craisins, all keep well. Chicken, shredded cheese, and even a hard boiled egg on top of a bag of lettuce makes a pretty good salad. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cooking-in-bulk-for-freezer-meals-chicken#post-2249463 Thu, 30 Jul 2015 08:07:34 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2249463@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: <a href="http://www.skinnytaste.com/2012/02/cajun-chicken-pasta-on-lighter-side.html?m=1" rel="nofollow">http://www.skinnytaste.com/2012/02/cajun-chicken-pasta-on-lighter-side.html?m=1</a> This is another recipe I like that I make in a double batch and freeze half with chicken. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cooking-in-bulk-for-freezer-meals-chicken#post-2249460 Thu, 30 Jul 2015 08:05:20 +0000 looch 2249460@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@T.H.O.U.: Thanks for the ideas! Tell me about what I can keep on hand (pantry) and fresh items for the salads. And the dumplings...is that a make ahead thing or day of? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cooking-in-bulk-for-freezer-meals-chicken#post-2249458 Thu, 30 Jul 2015 08:03:22 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2249458@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would think about cooking a few packages (or really a full chicken) in the crock pot and then shredding a few pounds. From there we often do: </p> <p>Chicken on top of salads<br /> Enchiladas/quesadillas<br /> Chicken soup<br /> chicken and dumplings </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cooking-in-bulk-for-freezer-meals-chicken#post-2249445 Thu, 30 Jul 2015 07:53:43 +0000 looch 2249445@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Every couple of weeks, I buy a 6 pack of chicken at Costco and freeze it as soon as I get home. That means I end up standing in front of the pantry during the week wondering what to do with the chicken after I have defrosted it. This time, I am going to "process" it before I freeze it but I need ideas of what to do. Almost anything is fair game, but it should be able to defrost well and I don't want to use my crockpot on cook day, just reheat or finish off the cooking in the oven.</p> <p>Any ideas? </p>