Freezer Meal Recipes

Easy Chicken Curry Make Ahead Recipe

Curry is a delicious Indian dish that’s packed with flavour. But since traditional curry often takes hours to prepare, it’s not the best option for a busy weeknight dinner. With the help of this easy chicken curry recipe, you can put together a simple make-ahead dinner with just a few minutes of prep work. Simply store the ingredients in the freezer until you’re ready to start cooking, then pop the curry in the oven to bake for dinner.

Easy Chicken Curry Recipe

Ingredients:

3-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or 8-10 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 clove garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 tablespoon curry powder
2 teaspoons minced ginger
pinch salt
1 cup chicken broth

Freezing instructions:

Place chicken in a large resealable freezer bag.
Add the minced garlic, diced onion, red pepper, curry powder, minced ginger, salt, and chicken broth in the bag with the chicken.
Seal the bag and squeeze the ingredients together to mix and coat the chicken with sauce.
Open the corner of the bag to remove the excess air, then reseal and freeze.

Cooking instructions:

Transfer the chicken curry to the refrigerator to thaw.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and pour the contents of the bag into a large casserole dish. Cover and cook for one hour.
To prepare the chicken curry on the stovetop, pour the contents of the freezer bag into a large skillet. Simmer the curry until the sauce and chicken are heated through.

You can find this recipe in our Chicken Dump Recipes cookbook.

Can Chicken Curry Be Made in Advance?

Making your meal ahead of time is a great way to speed up meal prep on a busy weeknight. One of the easiest ways to prepare this make ahead meal is to combine all the ingredients in a freezer-safe container and store it in the freezer until you’re ready to prepare it.

When you’re ready to start cooking, simply thaw the frozen chicken curry and heat it up in the oven or skillet.

Easy Chicken Curry Serving Ideas

You’re going to love how quick and easy this recipe is to prepare! Once you have your dinner cooked and ready to go, try some of these serving suggestions to prepare a delicious dinner for your family.

Serve your curry with rice. Rice makes a great side dish to this spicy chicken dinner. Traditional white or brown rice is a great option. Or add even more flavour to your curry with a side of jasmine or basmati rice.
Top with fresh herbs. Adding a sprinkling of fresh cilantro or chopped parsley is a simple way to add some freshness to your make ahead dinner. Before serving your chicken curry, sprinkle a few fresh herbs over the top to enhance the flavour.
Add a side of vegetables. To round out your meal, try serving this easy chicken curry with a side of veggies, like peas or broccoli. Or substitute regular rice with cauliflower rice for a low carb dinner option.

Chicken Curry

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

25 mins

Course: Main Course

Keyword: chicken, chicken dump

Servings: 4

Ingredients

3-5 chicken breasts boneless, skinless or 8-10 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 clove garlic minced
1 onion diced
1 red pepper diced
1 Tbsp. curry powder
2 tsp. minced ginger
pinch salt
1 cup chicken broth

Instructions

Assembly instructions:

Place chicken in a large resealable freezer bag.
Add the minced garlic, diced onion, red pepper, curry powder, minced ginger, salt, and chicken broth in the bag with the chicken.
Seal the bag and squeeze the ingredients together to mix and coat the chicken with sauce.
Open the corner of the bag to remove the excess air, then reseal and freeze.

Oven Cooking instructions:

Thaw.
Preheat the oven to 350° and pour the contents of the bag into a large casserole dish. Cover and cook for one hour.

Stovetop Cooking instructions:

Thaw.
Pour the contents of the freezer bag into a large skillet. Simmer the curry until the sauce and chicken are heated through.

Some of our other easy chicken dump recipes:

Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas Freezer Meal

By Sharla

There’s no reason to leave home to enjoy a delicious Mexican meal at your favourite restaurant! When you prepare these sheet pan chicken fajitas, you can eat your favourite Mexican restaurant meal at home with just a few minutes of prep work! And since you can make this simple meal ahead of time and freeze it for later, it’s perfect for dinner any night – no matter how busy you are!

Sheet pan meals are all the rage and I’ve jumped on the bandwagon. Because who doesn’t love having less dishes to do?!

We’ve already put our Sheet Pan Cajun Sausage and Root Vegetables and Sheet Pan Pesto Chicken and Veggies into our regular recipe rotation. These chicken fajitas have joined them.

If you’re wanting to make a stack of sheet pan freezer meals, I invite you to join us in making some for yourself. We have created a free sheet pan meal plan for you that includes the recipes, prep list, shopping list, and printable labels.

Once you download that and get your ingredients, watch the video below to cook along with us. You’ll walk away with 10 sheet pan dinners including this fajita meal.

Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas Recipe

Ingredients:

3 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, cut into thin strips
1 green pepper, sliced
1 red pepper, sliced
1 yellow pepper, sliced
1 purple onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 to 3 tablespoons fajita seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil

For day of cooking:

6 8-inch flour tortillas
Optional toppings: chopped cilantro, sour cream, salsa, guacamole, shredded cheese

Assembly Instructions:

Prep the ingredients for your fajitas by cutting the chicken breast into strips, slicing the peppers and onions, and mincing the garlic.
Combine the prepared chicken, peppers, onions, garlic, seasonings, and olive oil in a large resealable freezer bag.
Seal the bag and give it a squish to combine all the ingredients.
Open the corner of the bag and squeeze to remove the excess air, then reseal, and freeze.

Cooking Instructions:

Transfer the fajita ingredients to the refrigerator to thaw.
When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Spread all the ingredients in the bag out on a cookie sheet in a single layer and bake for 20 minutes.
Serve in flour or corn tortillas with optional toppings.

Do Fajitas Freeze Well?

Since all the ingredients in these sheet pan chicken fajitas are freezer-friendly, this recipe is perfect for meal planning! On top of being simple to cook, this quick recipe is also easy to put together.

And because there’s no cooking involved in preparing your fajitas for the freezer, all you have to do is slice the meat and veggies and combine everything in a freezer friendly container. You can store your make-ahead fajita ingredients in a freezer bag or airtight container until you’re ready to cook them.

When you’re ready to start cooking, it’s important to plan for plenty of time to allow your chicken to thaw. The day before you plan on cooking, transfer the frozen ingredients to the refrigerator so it can safely thaw overnight.

Can You Freeze Cooked Fajita Meat?

The beauty of freezer cooking is that most meat can be frozen raw or cooked. Deciding which preparation method you’ll use when putting together your fajitas depends on how much time you want to spend cooking the fajitas at dinner time.

If you would rather spend less time prepping the meal on prep day, freezing the chicken raw is the best option. But if you would rather spend less time cooking your fajitas when you’re ready to eat them, try cooking the chicken before freezing it.

You can cook your sheet pan chicken fajitas on prep day by following the instructions in the recipe. Once the chicken and veggies are cooked, allow the ingredients to cool completely. Then, transfer the cooked meal to a freezer bag or container and store in the freezer.

When you’re ready to cook your fajitas, transfer the frozen ingredients to the refrigerator to thaw. Then, you can reheat your cooked meal in the oven, skillet, or microwave.

How Long Are Fajitas Good for in the Freezer?

After storing your fajita ingredients in the freezer, they’ll stay good for up to nine months. To make sure you enjoy your dinner before it goes bad, take the time to label your bag with the name of the recipe, date of freezing, and expected expiration date before placing the ingredients in the freezer.

How Do You Store Leftover Fajitas?

After you prepare your sheet pan fajitas, any leftovers must be stored in the refrigerator. Transfer the meat and veggies to an airtight container and keep them refrigerated. The ingredients will stay good for up to three days when stored properly.

When storing your leftovers, it’s a good idea to keep the meat and veggies stored separately from the tortillas and toppings. That’s because the meat and vegetables could make the tortillas soggy if they’re stored together.

Are Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas Healthy?

Since the main part of this quick meal is made up of low-fat chicken and healthy peppers and onions, this is a great dinner option when you’re searching for a healthy meal for your family.

When served alone, these chicken fajitas are low carb. To keep them low carb, you can add sugar-free toppings, like cheese, sour cream, cilantro, salsa, and guacamole.

In addition to being healthy, the filling ingredients in this sheet pan meal are also gluten free. Make sure to serve your chicken and peppers with gluten free tortillas or corn tortillas.

clear bag with chicken and bright vegetables

Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Course: Main Course

Keyword: chicken, fajita

Servings: 6

Ingredients

3 chicken breasts boneless, skinless, cut into thin strips
1 green pepper sliced
1 red pepper sliced
1 yellow pepper sliced
1 purple onion sliced
3 cloves garlic minced
2 to 3 Tbsp. fajita seasoning
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
3 Tbsp. olive oil

For day of cooking:

6 8 inch flour tortillas
Optional toppings: chopped cilantro, sour cream, salsa, guacamole, shredded cheese

Instructions

Assembly Instructions:

Prep the ingredients for your fajitas by cutting the chicken breast into strips, slicing the peppers and onions, and mincing the garlic.
Combine the prepared chicken, peppers, onions, garlic, seasonings, and olive oil in a large resealable freezer bag.
Seal the bag and give it a squish to combine.
Open the corner of the bag and squeeze to remove the excess air, then reseal, and freeze.

Cooking Instructions:

Thaw.
Preheat the oven to 425°.
Spread all the ingredients on a cookie sheet in a single layer and bake for 20 minutes.
Serve in flour or corn tortillas with optional toppings.

Crock Pot BBQ Chicken Legs Freezer Meal

By Sharla

BBQ chicken doesn’t have to be reserved for the summer if you have a slow cooker at home. With the help of this freezer-friendly crock pot BBQ chicken legs recipe, you can enjoy the delicious flavours of grilled chicken without the need for a grill at all. And since this simple recipe can be prepared in a matter of minutes, it’s a great option for a busy weeknight dinner at home.One of our sons is a huge fan of drumsticks, so I was thrilled to figure out a way to cook them at home that allowed them to be that perfect blend of tender and crispy.

Crock Pot BBQ Chicken Legs Recipe

Ingredients:

3 pounds chicken drumsticks
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
¼ teaspoon salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 ¾ cups BBQ sauce, divided

Freezing instructions:

Stir together the paprika, cumin, and salt in a small bowl.
Place the chicken legs in a large freezer bag and add the spice mixture. Shake the bag to coat the chicken legs in the seasoning.
Add the minced garlic and one cup of the BBQ sauce to the bag. Squeeze the bag to combine the ingredients and coat the drumsticks in sauce.
Seal the bag leaving a small opening at the end. Remove the excess air from the bag and seal it completely.
Pour the remaining BBQ sauce into a medium freezer bag. Staple the bag to the bag with the chicken legs in it above the seal. Place both bags in the freezer.

Serving instructions:

Allow the chicken to thaw completely in the refrigerator.
Place the chicken in the slow cooker and set it to cook on low for four to six hours.
When the chicken is cooked through, transfer the chicken to a foil-lined baking sheet. Brush the chicken with half the reserved BBQ sauce.
Place the chicken under the broiler for one to five minutes, until the sauce starts to brown.
Remove the pan from the oven and flip the drumsticks over. Brush with remaining sauce and return the pan to the oven to broil an additional one to five minutes.

How Long Do I Cook BBQ Chicken Legs in the Crock Pot?

Cooking chicken in your slow cooker is a great way to help speed up the prep time. But since the chicken cooks slowly, you’ll need reserve several hours for cooking your drumsticks. Depending on how large your chicken legs are, they will be done cooking between four and six hours when cooked on low.

Can You Freeze Chicken with BBQ sauce on it?

Adding sauce and spices to your chicken before freezing is a great way to add some flavour to your drumsticks. That’s because marinade allows the flavours of your sauce to soak into the chicken. To prevent the acid in your sauce from breaking down the meat too much, it’s usually not recommended to marinate chicken for more than 12 hours.

But since the marinating process stops when the sauce is frozen, there’s no reason to worry about the breakdown process occurring in the freezer. That means it’s completely safe to freeze your chicken legs in BBQ sauce.

When you’re ready to cook your BBQ chicken drumsticks, simply transfer the freezer bag to the refrigerator to thaw. After that, you can prepare them on the grill, in the slow cooker, or in the oven.

Can You Cook Frozen Drumsticks in the Crock Pot?

Frozen drumsticks can be prepared in the slow cooker, but the cook time will need to be increased to ensure your chicken is cooked through. If cooking the chicken legs from frozen, allow for 8 to 10 hours of cooking when using your crock pot.

But while it’s possible to cook chicken from frozen in your crock pot, for best results I recommend thawing the drumsticks before cooking them. On top of being a safer method of cooking, giving your drumsticks time to thaw is the best way to ensure that they’re not stringy or rubbery when you’re ready to eat them.

BBQ Chicken Legs Tips & Tricks

This freezer-friendly chicken recipe couldn’t be easier to prepare! And with these baking tips and tricks, you’ll be on your way to prepping a delicious dinner for your family to enjoy in the future.

Always label your freezer bag. These frozen chicken legs will stay good for up to 9 months. Before you add the ingredients to your freezer bag, make sure to label the bag with the name of the recipe, the date it was frozen, and the estimated expiration date.
Try different cuts of chicken. These BBQ drumsticks are delicious in the slow cooker, but you can easily adjust this recipe for other chicken cuts. Chicken thighs or boneless breasts are also great options for freezing and cooking in the crock pot.
Keep an eye on the broiler. As you’re browning the chicken legs in the oven, it’s important that you watch the drumsticks closely as they cook under the broiler. The heat from the broiler can quickly burn your chicken and sauce, so make sure to stay close to the oven during this step of the cooking process.

Drumstick side dish suggestions:

BBQ Chicken Drumsticks

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

4 hrs

Broiling

10 mins

Total Time

4 hrs 10 mins

Course: Main Course

Keyword: chicken

Servings: 6

Ingredients

3 lbs. chicken drumsticks
1 Tbsp. paprika
1 tsp. cumin
¼ tsp. salt
2 cloves garlic minced
1 ¾ cups BBQ sauce divided

Instructions

Assembly instructions:

Stir together the paprika, cumin, and salt in a small bowl.
Place the chicken legs in a large freezer bag and add the spice mixture. Shake the bag to coat the chicken legs in the seasoning.
Add the minced garlic and one cup of the BBQ sauce to the bag. Squeeze the bag to combine the ingredients and coat the drumsticks in sauce.
Remove excess air and seal.
Pour the remaining BBQ sauce into a medium freezer bag. Staple the bag to the large bag above the seal. Freeze.

Cooking instructions:

Thaw.
Place the chicken in the slow cooker and cook on low for 4-6 hours.
When the chicken is cooked through, transfer the chicken to a foil-lined baking sheet. Brush the chicken with half the reserved BBQ sauce.
Place the chicken under the broiler for one to five minutes, until the sauce starts to brown.
Remove the pan from the oven and flip the drumsticks over. Brush with remaining sauce and return the pan to the oven to broil an additional one to five minutes.

Make Ahead Taco Salad Meat Recipe

By Sharla

Salads are a quick and easy dinner idea on a busy weeknight. But it can be hard to prepare a filling salad that pleases everyone at the table – especially when you have kids. With the help of this taco salad meat recipe, you can whip up a delicious and healthy dinner for your family with just a few minutes of prep work. And since this recipe includes instructions for freezing your meat, you’ll be able to make this dinner ahead of time for even faster dinner time prep!

We love taco flavours in pretty much any form. Some of our other favourites include Salsa Fish Tacos, Salsa Verde Chicken Tacos, and Taco Sloppy Joes.

Taco Salad Meat Recipe

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef, browned
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
14 ounce can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup salsa

For day of serving:

lettuce
optional toppings: avocados, tomatoes, green onions, salsa

Freezing instructions:

Allow the cooked ground beef to cool, then transfer it to a large freezer bag.
Add the chili powder, garlic, kidney beans, and salsa to the bag. Seal the freezer bag and squish the ingredients in the bag to mix them all together.
Open the corner of the bag to remove excess air, then reseal the bag and place it in the freezer.

Serving instructions:

Allow the taco salad meat to thaw completely.
Transfer the meat mixture to a skillet and cook over medium heat until warmed through.
Serve the meat over lettuce.

Does Taco Meat Freeze Well?

Preparing taco meat ahead of time is a great way to reduce the amount of prep work you need to do at dinner time. And since all the ingredients in taco meat are freezer-friendly, it’s a great option for meal planning and freezer cooking. All you have to do to get your taco meat ready for the freezer is cook the ground beef, add some seasoning, and mix in additional add-ins, like beans or tomatoes.

What’s the Best Way to Freeze Taco Meat?

Freezing taco meat is quick and easy. That’s because there are several different methods you can use to store your meat in the freezer, depending on the supplies you have on hand. To ensure your taco meat stays fresh and tastes amazing when it’s reheated, try these simple tips and tricks for freezing:

Cook the meat first. One of the best ways to cut down on your prep work at dinner time is to precook as much of the meal as you can. And since cooked ground beef is perfect for the freezer, you can reduce the amount of cooking time you need to do in the evening by cooking the taco meat before you freeze it.
Allow the meat to cool before freezing. If you transfer your cooked meat directly from the skillet to your freezer storage container, you might run into issues when you try to freeze the meal. That’s because the hot meat can create steam inside the container. When placed in a plastic container, the steam could result in freezer burn. And if you put a hot glass container in the freezer, it could crack or even shatter. That’s why it’s essential that you give your cooked meat plenty of time to cool. Once the meat reaches room temperature, you can transfer it to the freezer container.
Pick the right container. My favorite way to store taco meat in the freezer is in a freezer bag. After you transfer the meat to the bag, remove excess air and seal the top of the bag. Then, you can lay the bag flat in the freezer to conserve space. Cooked taco meat can also be stored in freezer-friendly plastic or glass containers.
Label the container. After you pick the container you plan to store your cooked meat in, always label the container with the name of the recipe and the date you put it in the freezer. It’s also a good idea to jot down the date the meal will expire so you’ll be sure to use up the taco meat before it goes bad. I also add cooking instructions to my labels.

How Long is Taco Meat Good for in the Freezer?

If you cook your taco meat before freezing it, the meat will stay good for up to four months. When you’re ready to eat your taco salad meat, make sure to allow the meat to thaw completely before you cook it. Transfer the meat from the freezer to the refrigerator the night before you plan to cook to give it plenty of time to safely thaw in time for dinner.

What to Serve with Taco Salad

Once you have your meat mixture ready to go, you can easily spoon it over the top of some lettuce to create a quick and easy dinner for your family. But if you have a little bit of extra time to prepare some mix-ins for your salad, you can create an even more delicious meal!

As you’re preparing your taco salad, try including these add-ins to spice up your taco dinner:

sliced green onions or chopped purple onion
shredded Tex-Mex or cheddar cheese
taco sauce or salsa
sour cream
diced tomatoes
sliced black olives
corn
cubed avocado
tortilla chips or crushed taco shells
corn chips

Taco Salad Meat

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

12 mins

Course: Main Course

Servings: 6

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef browned
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic minced
14 ounce can kidney beans rinsed and drained
1 cup salsa

For day of serving:

lettuce
optional toppings: avocados, tomatoes, green onions, salsa

Instructions

Assembly instructions:

Brown ground beef. When cool, transfer to a large resealable freezer bag.
Add the chili powder, garlic, kidney beans, and salsa. Seal and squish the ingredients to combine.
Remove excess air, freeze.

Cooking instructions:

Thaw.
Transfer the meat mixture to a skillet and cook over medium heat until warmed through.
Serve the meat over lettuce and desired toppings.

Chicken in Mango Cream Sauce Over Pasta

By Sharla

This is one of my favourites. I’ve been making Chicken in Mango Cream Sauce over Pasta for years. Now that I mainly only make freezer meals, I was missing its flavours, so I adapted the recipe into a freezer meal. I wasn’t sure if it would be as good once frozen and heated, but it’s amazing! It’s one of those recipes where the kids squeal when they find out we’re having it.

I am going to put myself out there and admit something. On the very rare occasions that there are leftovers of this, I hide them. I’m not proud of it, but it’s true. I hide them in a container in the far back of the fridge.

It tastes so good the next day heated up with some chili flakes and asiago cheese on top. Yum!The fact that I have to hide in the bathroom to eat it so that I don’t have to share only slightly detracts from the experience!

Chicken in Mango Cream Sauce Recipe:

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
1/2 purple onion, sliced thinly
1/2 green pepper, sliced
2 tsp. garlic, minced
1 heaping Tbsp. Madras curry paste
2 Tbsp. flour
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup mango tangerine juice
1 cup evaporated milk
1 Tbsp. mango chutney
1 tsp. red chilies

For serving:

spaghetti or other long noodle pasta
red pepper flakes (optional)
Parmesan cheese, grated (optional)

To cook the chicken, I like to use the oven. I make many freezer meals at once, so this is the most efficient way. Put the chicken breasts in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 50 minutes at 350° before cubing.

Place the cooked, cubed chicken, onions, garlic, peppers, flour, and curry paste into a large, resealable freezer bag. Give it a good shake to coat the chicken and veggies with flour and curry paste. Add the chicken broth, juice, evaporated milk, chutney, and red chili flakes. Squish together to combine. Remove the excess air from the bag, seal, and freeze.

To cook, take the bag out of the freezer to thaw. Reheat the sauce in a large skillet or in the microwave. Serve over long noodles such as spaghetti. If desired, top your chicken in mango cream sauce pasta with more chili flakes and grated Parmesan or asiago cheese.

You can find similar make-ahead recipes ready in a splash in our Dinner in 20 Freezer Meal Plan. It includes everything you need: shopping lists, prep lists, recipes, and printable labels.

Other freezer meals you may enjoy:

Spinach and Chicken Penne Alfredo Casserole Beefy Rice Crock Pot Casserole

Chicken in Mango Cream Sauce Recipe

Course: Main Course

Keyword: chicken, freezer meal

Servings: 6

Calories: 208 kcal

Ingredients

3 chicken breasts boneless, skinless, cooked and cubed
1/2 purple onion sliced thinly
1/2 green pepper sliced
2 tsp. garlic minced
1 heaping Tbsp. Madras curry paste
2 Tbsp. flour
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup mango tangerine juice
1 cup evaporated milk
1 Tbsp. mango chutney
1 tsp. red chilies

For serving:

spaghetti or other long noodle pasta

Instructions

Put the chicken breasts in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 50 minutes at 350° before cubing.
Place the cooked, cubed chicken, onions, garlic, peppers, flour, and curry paste into a large, resealable freezer bag. Give it a good shake to coat the chicken and veggies with flour and curry paste.
Add the chicken broth, juice, evaporated milk, chutney, and red chili flakes. Squish together to combine. Remove the excess air from the bag, seal, and freeze.
To cook, take the bag out of the freezer to thaw. Reheat the sauce in a large skillet or in the microwave. Serve over long noodles such as spaghetti.

Recipe Notes

If desired, top with more chili flakes and grated Parmesan or asiago cheese.