I prefer to do mini sessions when I do freezer cooking. I’ve tried doing day long cooking days and it does not work for me. So I do smaller sessions and sometimes a 2-3 hour session.
For example: When chicken breasts go on sale, I take advantage of the sale and buy 2 or 3 packages.
THE MINI SESSION
1. I boil 6-8 breasts in a pot of water. I let the water boil before adding the breasts. I cook them for about 20 minutes. I take them out and let them cool. Some times I save the water for broth. Once they are cool I put them into Ziploc freezer bags. I put 2-3 in each bag. Sometimes, I dice the chicken and store in freezer bags or containers in 1 or 2 cup amounts. Generally, 3/4 pounds of boneless chicken breasts will yield 2 cups of cubed/shredded chicken.
2. I put 2-3 raw breasts in seperate Ziploc freezer bags and label them Chicken Breasts. I do 2-3 bags.
3. I freeze the packages flat if possible or rolled up next to each other in a freezer shelf or basket.
Right there I have created starters for at least 5 meals. The pre-cooked chicken I usually use to make chicken tacos, enchilada casserole, or chicken divan.
COOKING DAY
When I am ready to use the chicken, I take it out a couple of days before. This week I used a bag of pre-cooked chicken to make the following:
Chicken Tacos
1-2 breasts
salsa
cheddar cheese (or any cheese of your choice)
tortillas (corn for gluten free diets) but flour would work
Oil to fry tacos
1. Shred the chicken. One breast is enough for 12 tacos for our family.
2. Mix chicken with the salsa.
3.Warm the tortillas in the microwave to soften.
4. Put oil in a large frying pan and warm the oil.
5. Put a large spoonful in the middle of the tortilla and add some cheese. I fold it in half and place carefully in the hot oil. I fry on each side for 4-5 minutes each. I use thongs to flip over. I’ve tried the spatula and its a bit more difficult.
6. Drain the tacos on paper towels after they are crispy.
This is just one of the many recipes I make with the cooked chicken. If I can’t think of what to do with the raw chicken, I can always defrost it and boil to use for these recipes.
I use the raw chicken for chicken nuggets and any new chicken recipe I might be trying.
