A quick freezer meal for shredded chicken to use later. Make a big batch of this slow cooker chicken, stick it in the freezer, and you can throw dinner together in matter of minutes over the next few months. You’ll have shredded chicken ready for a healthy and quick meal.
Make Ahead Shredded Chicken- Freezer Meal
Ever feel like life is crazy at your house? Amid everything else on your plate you’re actually supposed to prepare and eat healthy meals as well? Luckily for you – today I’m sharing one incredible hack that will literally save you hours of time.
My wife is not only smoking hot, but she’s also the queen of Freezer Meals.
She literally will take an hour each month and put together about 10 meals that we can heat up in a hurry on busy nights.
This is one of our go-to’s that will literally save you hours of time.
Keep reading for the instructions for this recipe.
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My wife has actually had so many requests for her freezer meals that she put together an eBook of 75 of her favorite tried-and-true freezer meal recipes, along with all the tips and tricks she has learned along the way.
Her best-selling freezer meal eBook is on sale for $4.99. You can click here to buy it or click here to read more about what you will find in the ebook.
This is one of the most popular recipes in the book – Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken.
For any recipe that calls for cooked chicken, this is our go-to source. We will make a couple of big batches of this chicken, then put it in freezer bags and stick it in the freezer.
We can literally throw dinner together in a matter of minutes – tacos, sandwiches, pita pizzas, whatever the kids are craving.
It is so much healthier than going through a drive-thru and grabbing fast food. It will save you a lot of money too.
Keep reading for some freezer meal tips and the recipe.
HOW LONG DO FREEZER MEALS LAST?
Freezer meals are extremely convenient because all you have to do is heat it up and you have a great meal prepared for busy nights. If you like to prepare many freezer meals at a time, it’s good to know how long they will last in your freezer.
Frozen meals can last different amounts of time depending on the type of food; soups usually last about 2-3 months in the freezer, bread items last about 3 months, and raw uncooked food items can last 9 to 12 months in the freezer.
Typically, cooked chicken lasts 3-4 days in the fridge, and about 4 months in the freezer.
Freezer burn happens if a food is left in the freezer too long or if the package isn’t air tight. Freezer burn is okay to eat, but it makes your food taste terrible.
The general rule is that most food will last at least 3-4 months. So make your freezer meals last by packaging them correctly and labeling them with the date. You’ll have easy meals for months.
TIPS FOR FREEZING COOKED MEAT
When cooking poultry or meat and freezing it for later use (like with this recipe) you’ll want to follow a few tips for best results.
Cool the chicken completely before putting it in the freezer (but don’t let it sit out on the counter for more than 2 hours).
Put cooked chicken in air tight containers, such as freezer bags or sealed plastic ware containers.
For best results, don’t put the cooked chicken back into the freezer once it’s already been thawed to re-freeze. Just thaw what you need and leave the rest in the freezer. Portion the chicken into small containers that you can easily use up.
TIPS FOR REHEATING
Your hard work cooking up great meals and freezing them for later shouldn’t leave the leftovers tasting bad. Follow these simple tips for reheating.
Thaw in the microwave in a covered container to retain moisture. Now you can add your leftover chicken to cook with your favorite dishes.
You’ll want to reheat leftovers to 165 degrees F before eating. Make sure you cook it for a few minutes until it’s hot with no cool spots.
So next time there is a sale on chicken- stock up, make this shredded chicken freezer recipe, and you’ll have simple meals for months.
So give this recipe a try, check out my wife’s book, and enjoy making your life easier with freezer meals.
- 4-5 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
- 2 cups chicken broth
- salt and pepper to taste
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- Spray slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Place chicken inside slow cooker and pour chicken broth into the bottom of the slow cooker. Season with salt and pepper and other seasonings as desired.
- Cook on low for 5-6 hours or until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken from slow cooker and shred with two forks.
- Let chicken cool completely and then portion it into resealable freezer bags (I usually do about 2 cups of chicken per bag). To eat, remove chicken from freezer and thaw in microwave. Use in any recipe that calls for cooked shredded chicken.
Looking for more freezer meal ideas?
20 Easy and Healthy Freezer Meals Recipes
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Do the chicken beasts need to be thawed first or can you throw them in the crock pot frozen?
Hi Tori! You can throw them in frozen – just increase cooking time from 5-6 hours to 6-7 hours.
Hope that helps! Thanks!
Do you find that the chicken broth keeps the chicken moist? I have found that cooking chicken breast in the crock pot can make them very dry.
The secret is in the chicken broth, Tamla! Keeps it moist and flavorful, even after you freeze and thaw it!