Seven simple recipes for you to make 14 Super Fast Chicken Freezer Meals that are both family friendly, beyond delicious and can easily be put together in just 90 minutes!
CROCKPOT FREEZER MEALS
Freezer meals are my saving grace! I’ve been making them for going on 5 years now and these seven recipes are in my regular rotation! All are super family friendly and quick to throw together!
For the most part, all they recipes are just chicken and a sauce. Which makes them SO fast to put together. All the recipes are also meals that I generally just serve with rice and a quick vegetable. So, not only are they quick to assemble, but they’re just as quick to prepare and serve!
When I make these recipes, I generally add on, 2 recipes from my original Freezer Meals post (this post is getting a face lift soon)! I also assembled 2 meals of each menu. So, I ended up with 14 freezer meals in about 1 ½ hours! Can I get a WooWoo?!?
Below are the seven recipes! Each recipe is for ONE Freezer Meal! So, in order to get the 14 freezer meals that I got out of this Freezer Meal session, I had to make TWO of each recipe! So, that means you need to double the recipes to get the 14 freezer meals!
FRENCH CHICKEN RECIPE
My family calls this Candy Chicken, because it’s really that good! If you’re wanting to make this in the oven, feel free to check out my post Easy French Chicken! You can serve it as whole breasts or shred it!
French Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 4-6 Chicken Breasts cleaned and trimmed
- 1 can Cranberry Sauce Whole Berry
- 8 oz French Dressing
- 1 packet Lipton Onion Soup Mix
Instructions
Instructions to Assemble:
- Combine the Cranberry Sauce, French Dressing and Lipton Onion Soup Mix in a Gallon Freezer Ziplock Bag. After closing, take your hands and smash all the ingredients to combine. Open the bag, add the chicken breasts and close.
Crock Pot Cooking Instructions:
- Take the Freezer Meal out of the freezer a hour before starting or run it under some room temperature water for about 15-30 seconds. Dump meal in the a Crock Pot and cook on Low for 4-6 hours! Shred and serve over rice!
Instant Pot Cooking Instructions:
- Take the Freezer Meal out of the freezer a hour before starting or run it under some room temperature water for about 15-30 seconds. Dump meal in the a Instant Pot, add ½ cup water and cook on manual or meat for 15-20 minutes. Once it beeps, then let it release the pressure naturally (approx 15 minutes). Open and shred. Serve over Rice!
Notes
Nutrition
CROCKPOT CHICKEN TERIYAKI
I got this recipe from my mother-in-law! It’s a classic that my husband grew up on and quickly became a favorite of mine too!
Instant Pot Chicken Teriyaki
Ingredients
- 6-8 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs
- 1 cup Teriyaki Sauce
- 1 cup Water
- ⅔ cup Brown Sugar
- 3 cloves Garlic minced
- A Few Slices Ginger
Instructions
Instructions to Assemble:
- Add all ingredients to a Freezer Gallon Ziplock Bag! Don't stress about trimming the fat off of the Chicken Thighs. It's really not needed, because it will melt off and only add flavor to your meal!! Once bag is closed with all the air out use your hands to mix all the ingredients and make sure the Thighs are sitting in a good sauce!!
Crock Pot Cooking Instructions:
- Take the Freezer Meal out of the freezer a hour before starting OR run it under some room temperature water for about 15-30 seconds. Dump meal in the a Crock Pot and cook on Low for 4-6 hours!
- Remove the chicken (after you verify it is cooked all the way though) and place it on a pan and cover. Serve with Rice and a Veggie!
- If you'd like to thicken the sauce to serve with the chicken, follow these instructions: Take the sauce from the crock pot and add it to a large sauce pan on your stove. Take a teaspoon or two of cornstarch and a couple ounces of cold water and mix. Add it slowly to your sauce, stirring over a medium-high heat until the sauces bubbles somewhat and thickens to your liking.
Instant Pot Cooking Instructions:
- To cook: Take the Freezer Meal out of the Freezer a hour before starting OR run it under some room temperature water for about 30 seconds. Dump meal in the a Instant Pot, add ½ cup water and cook on manual/meat for 15-20 minutes! Allow pressure to manual release (approx 15 minutes). Remove from Instant Pot. Serve with Rice and a Veggie!
- If you'd like to thicken the sauce to serve with the chicken, follow these instructions: Take the sauce from the crock pot and add it to a large sauce pan on your stove. Take a teaspoon or two of cornstarch and a couple ounces of cold water and mix. Add it slowly to your sauce, stirring over a medium-high heat until the sauces bubbles somewhat and thickens to your liking.
Notes
Nutrition
SWEET BBQ CHICKEN DINNER
I adapted this recipe from one that a friend shared with me from Just a Pinch Recipes. If you decide to use a Sweet BBQ Sauce, then you’ll want to reduce the amount of Brown Sugar you use, otherwise the sauce will be really sweet!
CROCKPOT BBQ CHICKEN
Ingredients
- 4-6 Chicken Breasts cleaned and trimmed
- 12 oz BBQ Sauce
- ½ cup Brown Sugar if you like it extra sweet, feel free to add a little more
- ¼ cup Vinegar
- ¼-1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper adjust to liking
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
Instructions
Instructions to Assemble:
- Once the chicken is cleaned, rub the bests with the Cayenne Pepper. But, if you're in a hurry you can just add the Cayenne to the bag with the rest of the ingredients.
- Add the chicken and the rest of the ingredients to a Gallon Ziplock Bag. Once bag is closed, use your hands to mash all the ingredients together and to coat the chicken in the sauce.
Crock Pot Cooking Instructions:
- Take the Freezer Meal out of the freezer a hour before starting OR run it under some room temperature water for about 15-30 seconds. Dump meal in the a Crock Pot and cook on low for 4-6 hours! After you've verified the chicken is cooked all the way through, shred and serve over rice!
Instant Pot Cooking Instructions:
- Take the Freezer Meal out of the freezer a hour before starting OR run it under some room temperature water for about 15-30 seconds. Dump meal in the a Instant Pot and add ½ cup water. Cook on manual or meat for 15-20 minutes! Once it beeps, allow the pressure to release naturally (about 15 minutes). After you've verified the chicken is cooked all the way through, shred and serve over rice!
Notes
Nutrition
CREAMY ITALIAN CHICKEN RECIPE
This is my husbands favorite of these 7 recipes! It’s super creamy and tastes amazing over rice!
ITALIAN CHICKEN RECIPE
Ingredients
- 4-6 Chicken Breasts cleaned and trimmed
- 8 Oz Cream Cheese softened
- 1 can Cream of Chicken
- 1 packet Dry Italian Seasoning
Instructions
Assembly Instructions:
- Take the softened Cream Cheese, Cream of Chicken and Italian Seasoning and mix together in a bowl.
- Take cleaned chicken and place in a Freezer Gallon Ziplock Bag and top with the mixture. After Ziplock bag is closed, take your hands and disperse the cream cheese, cream of chicken mixture around the chicken.
Crock Pot Cooking Instructions:
- Take the Freezer Meal out of the Freezer a hour before starting OR run it under some room temperature water for about 15-30 seconds. Dump meal in the a Crock Pot and cook on Low for 4-6 hours! Verify the Chicken is cooked all the way though and then shred! Serve over Rice!
Instant Pot Cooking Instructions:
- Take the Freezer Meal out of the freezer a hour before starting OR run it under some room temperature water for about 15-30 seconds. Dump meal in the a Instant Pot and add ½ cup water. Cook on manual or meat for 15-20 minutes! Once it beeps, allow the pressure to release naturally (about 15 minutes). After you've verified the chicken is cooked all the way through, shred and serve over rice!
Nutrition
CROCKPOT CAFE RIO CHICKEN
This is a classic shredded chicken recipe, based on the chicken from Cafe Rio! This is my go-to recipe that is perfect to serve for a potluck or party!
CAFE RIO CHICKEN
Ingredients
- 4-6 Chicken Breasts washed and trimmed
- ½ bottle Zesty Italian Dressing (approx 1 cup)
- 1 packet Dry Ranch Dressing (approx 3 tablespoons)
- ½ cup Water
- ½ tablespoon Minced Garlic
- ½ tablespoon Chili Powder
- ½ tablespoon Ground Cumin
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a Freezer Gallon Ziplock Bag. Once ziplock bag is closed, take your hands and combine all ingredients together well.
Crock Pot Cooking Instructions:
- Take the Freezer Meal out of the freezer a hour before starting OR run it under some room temperature water for about 15-30 seconds to get it to release from the sides of the bag. Dump meal in the a Crock Pot and cook on Low for 4-6 hours! Verify chicken is cooked through and shred!
Instant Pot Cooking Instructions:
- Take the Freezer Meal out of the freezer a hour before starting OR run it under some room temperature water for about 15-30 seconds to get it to release from the sides of the bag. Dump meal in the Instant Pot and add ½ cup water. Cook on manual or meat for 15-20 minutes! When the timer goes off, allow the pressure to naturally release (approx 15 minutes). Open lid and shred for tacos, salads, enchiladas, etc.
Notes
Nutrition
SLOW COOKER FREEZER MEALS
I also made a couple of the Freezer Meal Recipes from Round #1. I made a couple Worlds Best Chicken Freezer Meals and a couple Garlic Lime Chicken Freezer Meals (updates coming soon to this post). My husband really enjoyed both of those last time!
Recipe #6: Garlic Lime Chicken
Recipe #7: Worlds Best Chicken
It feels so good to have my Deep Freezer FULL! WooWoo!! I hope these recipes are ones that you and your family enjoy! Good luck filling up your freezers!
*This post was originally posted February of 2013 and has been updated.
If you love this recipe, make sure and check out these other recipes!
INSTANT POT RECIPES
- 30 Must-Try Instant Pot Chicken Dinners
- 25 Instant Pot Soups
- 25 Must-Try Instant Pot Breakfast Recipes
- 30 Must Try Instant Pot Beef Recipes
If you love this recipe, make sure and pin it for later!
Juliee
Thank you times a million! I’m spending some of Spring Break getting prepared for soon-to-start-very-overbooked-softball-baseball-hockey season and these are EXACTLY what I need. We are going to be out at a field or the rink almost every night for the next two months and I am in a panic trying to imagine how we will manage to eat. Can’t wait to explore your site a little more. Thank you for sharing these!
Pam Dana
I am so glad you loved them!! I’ve now been making them for 10 years and my family still loves them!!
Laura
Just made the French Onion Chicken last week and it was DELICIOUS! I love finding new yummy freezer meals because I can make several on a Sunday afternoon and freeze them for an easy and satisfying weeknight meal. This one was a huge hit…adults and kiddos all enjoyed it. I served it with a side of mashed potatoes and asparagus. Adding this to our regular rotation, it’s soooo easy and delicious!
Pam Dana
Yay!! I’m so so glad you loved it! It’s legit one of our favorites!!
Meghan Kleinschmidt
These recipes look amazing! I’m looking at a big surgery this summer, and l’ve been looking for some new freezer meals to make beforehand. I will for sure be pinning this. Thank you!
Pam Dana
Good luck on your surgery and I hope you love the recipes!!
Tanya Schroeder
These all look so good, I don’t know which one to try first!
Pam Dana
Thanks so much! They’re all so good! Hope you love them!
Liz
I just bought a big package of chicken at Costco, now I know what I can make with it! Thanks!
Pam Dana
Yay! Good luck, hope you love them!
Aimee Shugarman
These are all delicious dinner recipes!!
Pam Dana
I’m so glad you loved them! Thanks!
Cailyn
Awesome post, thanks for sharing! We’re big on chicken in our house so I’m saving this.
Pam Dana
Our house mostly eats chicken too!
Sommer
These are all great recipes! Made life so much easier!
Pam Dana
Yay! I’m so glad you loved them!
Jessica
Best freezer meal post ever. Thanks so much!
Katrina
Just had the Sweet BBQ Chicken for dinner tonight and even my 3 year old thanked me for making it. SO GOOD! I did find it was a bit too vinegary though because of the BBQ sauce I used. Would it be possible to opt out the 1/4 cup of vinegar? It was very tasty though! I’ve never seen my son finish off a plate so fast!
Pam Dana
Yay! We love that one! You could for sure leave the vinegar out if it’s too strong for you! Thanks again for the nice comment!
Marilyn Gisi
I just got an instant pot for Christmas. I am having so much fun cooking with it.! Have you ever tried cooking these recipes in an Instant Pot.?
Elle
Well, one thing is for sure. You’ll be sufficiently pickled and preserved after you eat this junk. Sugared up, too.
Kristal
Thanks can’t wait to try I will start with the Pineapple Chicken first?
Rhys91
I see your blog is in the same niche like my site. Do you allow guest posts?
I can write excellent content for you. Let me know
if you are interested.
Pam Dana
At this time I am not accepting guest posts! Thanks so much those!
Jennifer
How long are these meals good for in your freezer?
becca
How many people is each set of ingredients for? I’ll only be cooking for me ?
Jenn
On the creamy chicken italian, is the italian seasoning a salad dressing/marinade seasoning? Or if not, what is it?
Megan B
Hi, I’m guessing these recipes are all for smaller families? I have teenagers and school age kids. So I would need to double these correct?
Pam Dana
I probably would double them yes!! Thanks for your comment!
Joyce
so I dont see the link to print……
William
I just read your blog. What are the recomended freezer storage times for each recipe?
William
I just read your blog. What are the recomended freezer storage times for each recipe?
Amy Wigand
Sure would be nice if this was printable, and not a 40 page long annoying waste of time, paper, and ink
Amy Wigand
Sure would be nice if this was printable, and not a 40 page long annoying waste of time, paper, and ink
Shari Carder
Copy and paste into a Word document the recipes that you want.
Shari Carder
Copy and paste into a Word document the recipes that you want.
Pam
What is the weight of one chicken breast in your recipes?
Pam Dana
I always buy Costco Chicken Breasts, which run on the large size! I’d say 6-8 oz per Chicken Breast!
Meal Planning Mommies
We also posted your creamy Italian chicken. 🙂 I made it for my friend who had a baby recently and she was very happy with it. Thank you. 🙂 I love chicken freezer meals! Even better when you can pop them in the crockpot! http://www.mealplanningmommies.com/freezer-friendly-crock-pot-creamy-italian-chicken/
Meal Planning Mommies
I liked the teriyaki chicken recipe and I will be sharing that on on our site this week. http://www.mealplanningmommies.com. We will be giving you a shout out. Thanks for the good ideas! Keep up the great work. 🙂
Lina
YUCK! Way too much dependence on cheap processed foods and sugar for these recipes. Thanks for the ideas, but I will be making substitutions with real ingredients. (takes a little longer to prepare, but isn’t made from chemicals!)
Jennice
Yikes! I’m out of cayenne for the Sweet BBQ Chicken and we’re in the middle of a snowstorm so I can’t run and get some. What can I use as a substitution?
Pam Dana
You could use some Chili Powder or just omit that ingredient. The flavor will have a little less of a kick. You could add hot sauce after cooking if you want!! Stay safe and warm!
Amanda
I’m cooking for two, so I cut down the recipes. Do you think it’ll effect the cook time?
Kelli
I make a version of the Creamy Italian Chicken all the time, and it is fantastic. I, however, add a can of diced tomatoes. Totally worth it!
KCF
I make a similar recipe to the “French Chicken”, called “Cranberry Chicken”, and the only difference is I use Catalina dressing instead of French dressing. Other than that, it’s identical, and amazingly delicious!
However, I never put frozen chicken directly into my crock pot or slow cooker. The chicken spends too much time in that “danger zone” temperature where bacteria can thrive. It’s just not worth the risk. I prefer to take the meal out of the freezer a day ahead and let it thaw in the fridge, or if pressed for time, simply cook in the oven.
These all look like good, tasty, time-saving recipes, and I’ll be saving them to my recipe file to try out. Thanks so much!
LCannon
Not sure you will get this comment since your post was from last year. I made the Teriyaki chicken but some of the liquid in the bag is not freezing. It just feels slushy. Do you have any suggestions?
Pam Dana
As long as it is kept in the freezer – it is fine! Some of mine is the same way!!
RaCHEL
Hi can you tell me how much is in a packet of Italian seasoning? From the Uk x ( sorry if it’s been asked already)
Lauren Allen
I’m going to need this post in my arsenal for when baby #2 comes! Thanks Ladies!!
Pam Dana
Yes Laur! You will be SOOO happy you did! Jess and I each did a big round before our last babies! Best thing ever!!
Vanessa Marquiss Barker
We just got a chest freezer and I can’t wait to fill it up with great freezer meals. Thanks for the recipes.
Kristina
This is fabulous!! Thank you!
Amber @ DessertNowDinnerLater!
I plan on trying several of these! Pinning!
Melissa
These look like great recipes, thanks for sharing! =)
Pinned.
Dana
Did you have a problem with freezing the cream cheese? I’ve never tried it, but I found another recipe that advised against it and suggested to add it the day it was being cooked. Any thoughts?
Pam
Nope – never had a problem! It’s always turned out fine!
-Pam
Manda
Some cheeses and other dairy products will curdle if placed in the cooker too soon. Most manufacturers suggest adding them towards the end of the cook time.
Jenna Oak
I made a french onion chicken freezer meal last week that said to freeze the sourcream in with it….yup it curdled big time!! i was so mad lol
kdarsi
Can I substitute cooked,leftover turkey for the chicken and would I need to make any other adjustments? Thanks!
overthebigmoon
I don’t see why that would be a problem. If the Turkey is already cooked, then you won’t need to cook it as long. Good luck – let me know how they turn out!
Kelley
I’m looking for the recipe from the World’s Best Chicken Freezer Meal post but don’t see it??? thanks.
Desiree Morris
Hi! I wanted to let you know I tried out the French Chicken recipe and it was delicious! I wrote a review on the recipe. You can check it out here – http://desidabbles.com/halloween-jell-o-jigglers/
Nicole
Question…I’ve always been told that you should discard the sauce or marinade that raw meat or chicken has been marinading in and then after the meat or chicken is cooked, add “fresh” sauce. Have I been told wrong all this time or why does this not apply to these dishes?
johnlisa02
If you boil the sauce it should be fine and kill all of the bacteria. Just like raw chicken has bacteria but cooked chicken doesn’t. By cooking the sauce in the crock pot all day you kill the bad bacteria.
Nicole
I was always leery about doing freezer meals because of the question of bacteria. Thanks! 🙂
Missy
I freeze the meat Ina separate bag because of concerns about bacteria.
Jessica Schroeder
I am so excited to have found these recipes! I am gonna make these next weekend to prepare for the birth of my 1st child. These will be a lifesaver!
ML White
Love your recipes. They are the kind of meals my family eats. Preparing myself for freezer crock pot meals for the first time. Thanks for sharing your easy recipes.
Auntie
It would be a good idea to put the date on your freezer meals so they get rotated properly. Without dates they tend to get shoved to the back and forgotten. Also, check your freezer’s instruction book so you’ll know how long you can safely keep them. Frost-free freezers will keep things for a much shorter time that manual defrost freezers.
Lisa Dille Carrelli
Was the chicken frozen when you first put it in the bag with the ingredients??
Rowanvamp0
I would also like to know I’m a newbie to freezer cooking.
Michelle Nguyen-Gonzalez
Thank you so much for posting! I made two batches of each recipe this week. Love #4 and 7! #6 was a little too salty and lime was too overpowering for our taste. I forgot to add lime to this bag, so next time I just won’t add it and ill add more water and sugar to balance out the salt. You’re amazing! Thanks so much for compiling these.
Becki
Garlic lime chicken is very salty. The rest have been very yummy.
Beverly
These all sound awesome. We are retired, but my husband still expects me to cook just about every night. I’ve tried to tell him that I’m retired too, but these sound easy. Thanks so much for sharing.
Judy Carter
Hi: I am new to this site, so please forgive my ignorance. Do you combine all the ingredients and THEN freeze? And defrost for an hour or so before placing in the crock pot? I just wanted to make sure before I tried this. It looks like SUCH a time saver, and I’m ALWAYS looking for ways to make chicken taste better. Thanks!
Pam
Yes, combine everything according to the instructions and then freeze. I just run my frozen bag under warm water to loosen it from the sides of the bag for a few seconds and then place it in the crockpot! Thanks for the comment and good luck!
Pam
http://www.overthebigmoon.com
kelly
Aren’t you supposed to thaw meat in cold water?
Heidi L.
Kelly, I believe the point is to just get the stuff in the bag loosened up to be able to get it into the crock pot….not actually thaw the meat.
overthebigmoon
Yes, correct! Thanks – I must have missed this question!
Gayle
You are my hero!!! Hubby and kids have tons of allergies and are difficult to cook for. I have lost all interest in cooking. All of these recipes will work for us. Can’t wait to get started! Thank you!
Jenna
oven cooking instructions if we don’t want to use a crock pot?
overthebigmoon
I would say probably 34-45 minutes at 350 degrees. You really just need to make sure the chicken is cooked all the way through!
Keleyna Staves
I’ve tried doing the cream cheese one and every time I do it I have to throw it away; the cream cheese always looks and smells curdled no matter the cook time or temp in my crock pot. 🙁 Do you have any ideas on that?
overthebigmoon
I’m sorry- I’ve never had a problem with the Cream Cheese. Once the cream cheese mixes with everything else it’s just part of the sauce and I’ve never noticed any curdling or smell issues. How long are you freezing it for?
Jen R.
I’ve used this recipe before and mine says to add the soup and cream cheese just for the last 30-60 minutes on high. That way there’s no curdling and you just get it all heated up together.
Michelle Lovesmike Sharp
What do you make to go with these main dishes?
Pam
Generally we serve rice and a veggie with them!
Pam @ Over the Big Moon
Mary Adiutori
My crockpot says do not use frozen meat. New crockpot, new at trying these recipes. Cooking on high and hoping for the best.
Stephanie Chambers
I usually thaw my crock pot freezer meals in the fridge overnight, then put it in the crock pot in the am.
Jen
These were great! I didnt use the crockpot though. Took one out in the AM and cooked covered for one hour on 375 and served over rice. Chicken was juicy and flavorful!
Jenn
When you say took it out, you mean took it out of the freezer in the AM and then cooked in the evening, right? I am wanting to cut the recipes in half, since it’s just the hubs and me; how do you think that would affect cooking time in the oven? Thanks 🙂
Sondra Elizabeth King
What do these look like complete, they really sound mushy and in appetizing to me So i Never try them. I’m not being negative, I really am wanting to see a finished product please.
Jennifer Martin
I’m not a crockpot chicken person, but I plan to bake these instead. I’ve made a freezer version of the french chicken before and just baked it. We enjoyed it and I can’t wait to try a few of these in the oven. 🙂
Meal Planning Mommies
I made the chicken teriyaki. My husband loved it. He kept saying how great the house smelled. I served it with brown rice. To see what it looks like cooked, you can go here: http://www.mealplanningmommies.com/family-fun-meal-idea/ I also made the creamy Italian chicken. I doubled it and gave a bag to my friend who just recently had a baby and she raved about it. We liked it too. I served it with egg noodles and broccoli. To see what the creamy Italian chicken looks like cooked you can go here: http://www.mealplanningmommies.com/freezer-friendly-crock-pot-creamy-italian-chicken/
Nicole
I’m so excited to try these! Thank you so much for including these! Question though, if its just my hubby and me, if I were to split these in half, would that be enough? My hubby doesn’t “like” leftovers, so I tend to cook every night. Thanks!
Pam
Yeah, I think that cutting them in half would generally work. Just make sure that you have enough sauce and add the amount of chicken you need (assuming 2 or 3 breasts). Good luck!
Sylvia
Have you ever tried them with anything other then chicken? I have venison steak and I think some of the recipe combos would work well with that also.
overthebigmoon
These particular recipes I have only done w/ Chicken. Good luck trying them with the venison!
Sylvia
Thank you. I think I am going to try the teriyaki marinade recipe this weekend and then make some rice and broccoli to go with. Thank you for sharing these great ideas.
Danelle
Sylvia, did you ever try it with venison? That’s a great idea. 🙂
Stephanie Chambers
I’ve had something similar to the French Chicken with pork chops that was delish!
Kathryn Wood
Thank you for these recipes. I’ve pinned them!
Andreia Krause
what size crockpot do you use? also, with a 4-6 hour cook time, it doesn’t really allow for a person to turn on the crockpot, go to work, then come back to a ready dinner; so is there a oven temperature and time that would be quicker for an after work preparation?
overthebigmoon
I use a 6 qt sized Slow Cooker. My crockpot allows me to set it to cook on low for a certain amount of time and then automatically switches to warm. So, that’s what I generally do. I would say cook it on 350 for approx an hour (give or take 15 mins) depending on your altitude!
Beth
You can plug your crock pot into a Christmas light timer and set it to go on and off when you want. Mine isn’t fancy enough to turn itself to warm so I fix everything before I go to work, turn it to low, and set the timer so it is ready when we want dinner. Works like a charm as long as you turn the crock pot on. 🙂
Trish
Oh my gosh Beth, I am having one of those “how did I never think of this!?” moments. Thanks for the idea!
Kathy
BRILLIANT!!!!!!!
Waylon William Werner
Great looking Recipes! I am looking forward to trying them. I also buy my chicken at Costco and I find that each 2 pack is around 1lb each. Do you normally have leftovers? It feels like some of the recipes have A LOT of chicken in them. Just kind of curious what kind of portion you are serving etc (as a reference point for meat to sauce ratio and leftover amount etc).
overthebigmoon
I share the recipes based upon my original sources – but for me personally I use 3 of the Costco breasts or 7 of the Costco thighs per recipe. But, it’s just my, my hubby and our two small boys. I sometimes will throw an extra breast in on the recipes my hubby especially likes, so there are leftovers for him the next day!
Busy Mom
I love your recipes, want to try more. I cant find the recipes for the Garlic Lime and the Worlds Best Chicken. How can I get them?
overthebigmoon
If you click on their name above the picture, it will link you to the post where I originally shared the recipes. Here is the link as well: http://overthebigmoon.com/freezer-meals/ Thanks so much!
Tammy
Are the chicken in pouches fresh or frozen?
Pam Dana
Fresh!
Christina
Quick question, do you split the ingredients in half, or double each one?
overthebigmoon
All the recipes are ingredients for ONE Freezer Meal. So, if you’re doing two, then you’ll need double what the typed recipe reads! Thanks!
Garcia
So, you give each person a whole pice of chicken breast on top of rice?
overthebigmoon
Some of the recipes we’ll shred up a little and I generally just serve the chicken with a side of rice and veggies. But, you could for sure serve it on top of the rice. That is just something you would decide basked upon preference.
jlb30
Are these meals able to be defrosted and cooked in the oven as well? What do you think the cook time would be in the oven?
overthebigmoon
Yes! I would suggest trying it at 350 for approx an hour (give or take 15 minutes) depending on your altitude. Good luck!
michelle
I love these but what about the sodium content and additives i would love to come up with meals like this using fresh ingredients.
overthebigmoon
For me – the point of these are to make them easy, fast and something my boys would eat without complaining. We are big rice fans in this house and chicken goes over best with my boys. So, that was my angle. On days that I cook I bring in fresh ingredients. These meals are not being used daily – just more like once or twice a week.
Kathy
I sell Wildtree products. Wildtree is simple, healthy and Natural. We have also been Certified Organic. As I was reading the recipes I was using my Wildtree products making it very healthy. http://www.mywildtree.com/231239 Love this product. Kathy
Kari
These are awesome! Can you use frozen chicken or does fresh work best?
overthebigmoon
I would suggest fresh, but I think if you took a frozen chicken breast and stuck it right in the ziplock and stuck it right back in the freezer it would be okay.
Haz
Hi, Thanks for the awesome ideas, how long is the maximum time thatyou have those bags in the freezer?
overthebigmoon
3 months in a regular freezer / 6 months in a Deep Freezer!!
mimi5680
This is great! Thanks! What sides do you add to these? i never know what goes well together.
overthebigmoon
We are BIG rice fans in our house – so with these meals I generally do a rice and then just a veggie – corn, green beans, broccoli, carrots. Just something quick and easy of course!!