Freezer Meals 101

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Freezer Skillet Meals

Easy Kung Pao Chicken Recipe

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There’s no need to order takeout when you can make easy kung pao chicken this delicious at home! This make ahead meal is full of amazing flavours. You’ll be begging for seconds! a plastic bag filled with chicken, sauce, and vegetables is on top with a plate of rice covered in cubed chicken, red sauce, and vegetables is on the bottom with text that reads "Kung Pao Chicken freezer meal"Since this recipe is so simple to put together, I suggest making several at one time which takes only a minute or two longer than making just one. You’ll then be able to have this whenever you want to in less time than it would take to have food delivered. Or you can heat it in the slow cooker and have it ready when you get home from work. The Kung Pao sauce can be a bit hard to find. Neither of my usual grocery stores carry it. If you can’t find it near you, you can always order it online from Amazon. I buy mine at WalMart. Since WalMart isn’t usually where I get my groceries, it means an extra stop, but this recipe is so worth it!

I make several of these at once, so when I do go, I buy 4 or 6 bottles, so that makes the extra stop more worthwhile.

What’s the difference between kung pao chicken and General Tso’s chicken?

While there are a few similarities between kung pao chicken and General Tso’s chicken, they are far from the same dish. They both are usually served over rice and are an Asian inspired chicken dish, but the parallels pretty much  end there.

General Tso’s chicken is breaded, deep-fried chicken dish with hints of both sweet and spicy. Kung pao chicken is not breaded or deep fried and the flavours are sweet and sour, giving it a more tangy taste. Kung pao chicken also usually has other ingredients such as peppers, water chestnuts, and peanuts, whereas, General Tso’s is generally just the chicken.

Easy Kung Pao Chicken Recipe:

Kung Pao Chicken Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. chicken breast, boneless, skinless, cubed
  • 18.75 oz. (554 mL) bottle Kung Pao sauce
  • 1 red pepper, diced
  • 1 green pepper, diced
  • 8 oz. can water chestnuts, drained
  • 1 bunch green onions, sliced

For serving:

  • peanuts (optional)

Assembly instructions:

  1. Cube the chicken breast.
  2. Chop the peppers and slice the green onions.
  3. Place the chopped chicken, peppers, green onions, and water chestnuts in a large resealable freezer bag. Pour the bottle of kung pao sauce over everything.
  4. Remove excess air, seal, and freeze.

Slow cooker instructions:

  1. Thaw.
  2. Place everything from the bag into the Crock Pot.
  3. Cook on low for 3-5 hours.
  4. Serve over rice.
  5. If desired, sprinkle some peanuts on top.

Skillet cooking instructions: 

  1. Thaw.
  2. Dump everything from the freezer bag into a skillet.
  3. Cook over medium-high heat until chicken is thoroughly cooked through and the sauce has thickened slightly.
  4. Serve over rice.
  5. Sprinkle some peanuts on top if you like.

Note: If you want to make assembling this much faster, you can put the chicken breasts into the freezer bag whole and then cube them on the day of cooking either before or after cooking. I find that way is messier so I don’t like it, but if you’re wanting to assemble a lot of freezer meals at once and just going for speed, that is an option.

Check out these other asian inspired freezer meals:

Asian Rice Bowl

Easy Asian Meatballs

Mahjong Chicken

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Easy Kung Pao Chicken Freezer Meal
Ingredients
  • 1 lb. chicken breast boneless, skinless, cubed
  • 18.75 oz. 554 mL bottle Kung Pao sauce
  • 1 red pepper diced
  • 1 green pepper diced
  • 8 oz. can water chestnuts drained
  • 1 bunch green onions sliced
For serving:
  • peanuts optional
Instructions
Assembly instructions:
  1. Cube the chicken breast.
  2. Chop the peppers and slice the green onions.
  3. Place the chopped chicken, peppers, green onions, and water chestnuts in a large resealable freezer bag. Pour the bottle of kung pao sauce over everything.
  4. Remove excess air, seal, and freeze.
Slow cooker instructions:
  1. Thaw.
  2. Place everything from the bag into the Crock Pot.
  3. Cook on low for 3-5 hours.
  4. Serve over rice.
  5. If desired, sprinkle some peanuts on top.
Skillet cooking instructions:
  1. Thaw.
  2. Dump everything from the freezer bag into a skillet.
  3. Cook over medium-high heat until chicken is thoroughly cooked through and the sauce has thickened slightly.
  4. Serve over rice.
  5. Sprinkle some peanuts on top if you like.
Recipe Notes

If you want to make assembling this much faster, you can put the chicken breasts into the freezer bag whole and then cube them on the day of cooking either before or after cooking.

Creamy Tomato Beef Skillet Meal

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This creamy tomato beef skillet meal is so easy to make. It can be on the table in a flash! This is a great dinner idea for when you’re in a hurry, but still want a healthy dinner. The best part is that this can be made as a freezer meal so that it’s ready to go whenever you need it.

a green skillet sits on a brown cutting board. The skillet is filled with noodles, beef, and tomato sauce. The text reads "Homemade Hamburger Helper"Once you’ve got the sauce for this made and in your freezer, it becomes like a healthier, more delicious homemade Hamburger Helper. This meal is a real family classic.

Creamy Tomato Beef Skillet Recipe:

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. ground beef, browned
  • 1/2 an onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 cups beef stock
  • 15 oz. can tomato sauce
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tsp. Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp. garlic salt
  • 1 tsp. pepper
  • 2 Tbsp. brown sugar

For the day of cooking:

  • 16 oz. package of egg noodles
  • 2 Tbsp. flour
  • 2 cups of shredded cheddar jack cheese (or Parmesan if you prefer)

Assembly instructions:

  1. Brown the ground beef. Allow to cool slightly.
  2. Place the ground beef in a large resealable freezer bag.
  3. Add the chopped onion, minced garlic, tomato sauce, seasonings, heavy cream, brown sugar, and beef stock.

Skillet cooking instructions:

  1. Remove the bag from the freezer. Thaw.
  2. Cook the egg noodles according to the package directions. In the meantime, place the freezer bag contents in a large skillet on the stovetop.
  3. Cook on medium until the flavours and well blended. Stir in the flour and allow the sauce to thicken somewhat.
  4. Turn the heat to low and let the sauce simmer while you finish cooking the pasta. When noodles are cooked, drain well, and add them to the skillet.
  5. Stir all together so that the meat sauce and the egg noodles are well mixed. Sprinkle the skillet ingredients with the grated cheese and stir just until cheese melts. Serve immediately.

You may also enjoy these family friendly freezer meals:

Ground Beef Stroganoff

Shrimp Stir Fry Packs for the Freezer

Pizza Stuffed Chicken

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Creamy Tomato Beef Skillet
Ingredients
  • 1 lb. ground beef browned
  • 1/2 an onion diced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 cups beef stock
  • 15 oz. can tomato sauce
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tsp. Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp. garlic salt
  • 1 tsp. pepper
  • 2 Tbsp. brown sugar
For the day of cooking:
  • 16 oz. package of egg noodles
  • 2 Tbsp. flour
  • 2 cups of shredded cheddar jack cheese or Parmesan if you prefer
Instructions
Assembly instructions:
  1. Brown the ground beef. Allow to cool slightly.
  2. Place the ground beef in a large resealable freezer bag.
  3. Add the chopped onion, minced garlic, tomato sauce, seasonings, heavy cream, brown sugar, and beef stock.
Skillet cooking instructions:
  1. Remove the bag from the freezer. Thaw.
  2. Cook the egg noodles according to the package directions. In the meantime, place the freezer bag contents in a large skillet on the stovetop.
  3. Cook on medium until the flavours and well blended. Stir in the flour and allow the sauce to thicken somewhat.
  4. Turn the heat to low and let the sauce simmer while you finish cooking the pasta. When noodles are cooked, drain well, and add them to the skillet.
  5. Stir all together so that the meat sauce and the egg noodles are well mixed. Sprinkle the skillet ingredients with the grated cheese and stir just until cheese melts. Serve immediately.

Asian Rice Bowl Freezer Meal

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Lunch doesn’t get more satisfying than an Asian Rice Bowl! This one is even better because it can be made ahead. Then it’s so quick to have it on your plate. Asian Rice Bowl #freezermeals101 #freezercooking #makeaheadmealsThis is so fast to make both when putting together the freezer meal and when cooking it that it just makes sense to make several at once time.

Asian Rice Bowl:

  • 1 cup snap peas
  • 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
  • 2 Tbsp. green onions, sliced
  • 4 oz. sliced water chestnuts*
  • 1 tsp. ginger, minced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/4 cup rice vinegar
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce (use gluten free if desired)
  • 1 Tbsp. sesame oil
  • 2 Tbsp. honey, melted
  • 1 tsp. Sriracha sauce
  • optional: can of baby corn, drained

*Cans of water chestnuts are 8 oz. which is a great excuse to double this recipe and make two bags in the same amount of time it would take you to make one!

Assembly instructions:

  1. Add all the ingredients to a large resealable freezer bag. Take out any excess air, seal, and freeze.

Cooking instructions:

  1. Thaw. Stir fry over medium-high heat in a large skillet for 5-7 minutes.
  2. Serve over rice.

If you like things spicy, you can add some extra Sriracha sauce when serving.

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Asian Rice Bowl
Ingredients
  • 1 cup snap peas
  • 2 carrots peeled and sliced
  • 2 Tbsp. green onions sliced
  • 4 oz. sliced water chestnuts*
  • 1 tsp. ginger minced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/4 cup rice vinegar
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce use gluten free if desired
  • 1 Tbsp. sesame oil
  • 2 Tbsp. honey melted
  • 1 tsp. Sriracha sauce
  • optional: can of baby corn drained
Instructions
Assembly instructions:

  1. Add all the ingredients to a large resealable freezer bag. Remove the excess air, seal, and freeze.

Cooking instructions:
  1. Thaw. Stir fry in a large skillet for 5-7 minutes.
  2. Serve over rice.
Recipe Notes

*Cans of water chestnuts are 8 oz. which is a great excuse to double this recipe and make two bags in the same amount of time it would take you to make one!

Check out some of our other easy freezer meals:

Chicken in Mango Cream Sauce over Pasta 

Chickpea and Vegetable Curry Shrimp Stir Fry Pack for the Freezer 

Easy Chicken Marsala

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This easy Chicken Marsala can mostly be made ahead as a freezer meal. It is then heated on the stove in a skillet. This is such a quick recipe to make.

Easy Chicken Marsala Freezer Meal #freezermeals101 #chickenmarsala #onceamonthcookingChicken Marsala is named for its use of Marsala wine. This wine originates in Western Sicily. This dish is a variation of the traditional Italian Scaloppine.

It’s bold flavours come from the reducing of the wine as it cooks.

Easy Chicken Marsala Recipe:

  • 2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • ½ cup flour
  • 1 cup mushrooms, sliced lengthwise
  • 1/4 cup shallots, diced extremely fine
  • 1 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, chopped coarsely
  • 1/4 tsp. garlic salt
  • ¾ cup marsala wine
  • ⅓ -½ cup heavy cream (1/3 cup if using 2 chicken breasts, 1/2 cup if using 3)

For the cooking day:

  • 2 Tbsp. of olive oil
  • optional: more rosemary and parsley for garnish

Pound the chicken breasts with a meat tenderizer. Put the flour onto a plate and place each chicken breast into the flour, flipping over so that both sides are covered. Place the dredged chicken into a large resealable freezer bag. Seal.

In another freezer bag, add the mushrooms, finely diced shallots, 1/2 of the rosemary, wine, and the heavy cream. Take out the excess air and seal. Staple the bags together above the seal and freeze.

On the day of cooking, take the bag out of the freezer to thaw.

Place 1 Tbsp. of oil into the skillet on medium heat and heat. Once the oil is heated up, place the floured chicken breast into the pan. Cook the chicken on each side for 5-8 minutes per side. Add the remaining oil to the skillet and add the contents of the other bag with the chicken.

Lower the heat. Cook for 7-10 minutes. Allow the wine to reduce slightly, cooking until it is nice and fragrant.

Keep a careful eye on the sauce because of the cream, making sure that it doesn’t break. If the sauce does break, add more cream.

Remove skillet from the heat. When you plate the chicken, cover it with the sauce. Garnish with leftover rosemary and parsley.

Serve over angel hair noodles or with rice and a side of vegetables. Asparagus goes beautifully with this meal.

Check out these delicious freezer meals:

Make Ahead Apple Pork Chops Make Ahead Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa 

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Easy Chicken Marsala Recipe
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: Chicken Marsala
Ingredients
  • 2-3 chicken breasts boneless, skinless
  • ½ cup flour
  • 1 cup mushrooms sliced lengthwise
  • 1/4 cup shallots diced extremely fine
  • 1 Tbsp. fresh rosemary chopped coarsely
  • 1/4 tsp. garlic salt
  • ¾ cup marsala wine
  • ⅓ -½ cup heavy cream 1/3 cup if using 2 chicken breasts, 1/2 cup if using 3
For the cooking day:
  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • optional: more rosemary and parsley for garnish
Instructions
  1. Pound the chicken breasts with a meat tenderizer. Put the flour onto a plate and place each chicken breast into the flour, flipping over so that both sides are covered. 
  2. Place the dredged chicken into a large resealable freezer bag. Seal.

  3. In another freezer bag, add the mushrooms, finely diced shallots, 1/2 of the rosemary, wine, and the heavy cream. Take out the excess air and seal. Staple the bags together above the seal and freeze.

  4. On the day of cooking, take the bag out of the freezer to thaw.
  5. Place 1 Tbsp. of oil into the skillet on medium heat and heat. Once the oil is heated up, place the floured chicken breast into the pan. Cook the chicken on each side for 5-8 minutes per side. Add the remaining oil to the skillet and add the contents of the other bag with the chicken.
  6. Lower the heat. Cook for 7-10 minutes. Allow the wine to reduce slightly, cooking until it is nice and fragrant.
  7. Keep a careful eye on the sauce because of the cream, making sure that it doesn't break. If the sauce does break, add more cream.
  8. Remove from the heat. When you plate the chicken, cover it with the sauce. Garnish with leftover rosemary and parsley.
Recipe Notes

Serve over angel hair noodles or with rice and a side of vegetables. Asparagus goes beautifully with this meal.

Make Ahead Apple Pork Chops

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This freezer meal is a little bit more involved in terms of the prep ahead, but it’s worth it. The apples make these Apple Pork Chops the perfect Fall recipe.  Apple Pork Chops freezer meal #fallrecipes #freezermeals101 #freezercooking #porkchopsIf you have an apple tree, you can even harvest your own apples to use. These fall flavours are nice to bring indoors.

Apple Pork Chops Recipe:

  • 4 pork chops
  • 4 fresh apples (more if you are using smaller ones from your backyard)
  • 1/2  jar of apple butter
  • 4 Tbsp. butter
  • 4 Tbsp. brown sugar, packed
  • 2 tsp. chili powder
  • 2/3 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 tsp. seasoning salt*

*You can make your own seasoning salt by mixing equal parts salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder or you can purchase it from the store.

Season both sides of each pork chop with the seasoning salt blend. Place the pork chops in a large resealable freezer bag. Remove the excess air and seal.

Slice and core each apple.

In a large skillet, melt 2 Tablespoons of butter. Add the apple slices and allow them to cook until soft, about 5 minutes.

Add in 1/2 of the jar of apple butter, brown sugar, and chili powder. Stir well to combine. Pour in the cream and continue to stir. Bring it all to a light boil. Remove it from the heat and allow it to cool. making apple pork chopsPour the cooled apple mixture into a medium sized resealable freezer bag. Seal. Staple the bag to the pork chop bag above the seals and freeze.

On the day of cooking, thaw.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add the pork chops to the preheated skillet and cook each side for about 3-4 minutes.

Pour a spoonful of the apple topping on top while it cooks. Pour the rest of the apple mixture into the skillet on top of the pork. Serve hot. Even though this meal requires cooking the apples and sauce ahead of freezing which is more involved in the prep than most of my freezer meals, it is still quite fast to prepare. I like to do a mix of more time consuming make ahead meals with simpler ones. It provides more variety in my freezer.

Check out these easy freezer meals that are also great for Fall:

Apple Maple Chicken Dump Recipe 

Beef Curry Freezer Meal 

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Apple Pork Chops Recipe
Ingredients
  • 4 pork chops
  • 4 fresh apples more if you are using smaller ones from your backyard
  • 1/2  jar of apple butter
  • 4 Tbsp. butter
  • 4 Tbsp. brown sugar packed
  • 2 tsp. chili powder
  • 2/3 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 tsp. seasoning salt*
Instructions
  1. Season both sides of each pork chop with the seasoning salt blend. Place the pork chops in a large resealable freezer bag. Remove the excess air and seal.
  2. Slice and core each apple.
  3. In a large skillet, melt 2 Tablespoons of butter. Add the apple slices and allow them to cook until soft, about 5 minutes.
  4. Add in 1/2 of the jar of apple butter, brown sugar, and chili powder. Stir well to combine. Pour in the cream and continue to stir. Bring it all to a light boil. Remove it from the heat and allow it to cool.
  5. Pour the cooled apple mixture into a medium sized resealable freezer bag. Seal. Staple the bag to the pork chop bag above the seals and freeze.
  6. On the day of cooking, thaw.
  7. Melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add the pork chops to the preheated skillet and cook each side for about 3-4 minutes.
  8. Pour a spoonful of the apple topping on top while it cooks. Pour the rest of the apple mixture into the skillet on top of the pork. Serve hot.
Recipe Notes

*You can make your own seasoning salt by mixing equal parts salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder or you can purchase it from the store.