Freezer Meals 101

When it comes to delicious family-friendly meals, you can’t go wrong with chicken parm! But who has the time to batter and fry chicken cutlets after a busy day? With the help of this lazy chicken parmesan casserole, you can prepare a delicious dinner ahead of time that features all the flavors of your family’s favorite Italian chicken. And the best part is that there’s no frying required for this easy recipe!We have at times made a full Chicken Parmesan freezer meal, but when time is short, this is a great alternative. We like to serve this with a side salad and pasta. There are some other serving suggestions below.

Lazy Chicken Parmesan Casserole Recipe

Ingredients:

• 4 cups cooked, cubed chicken
• 28 ounce jar pasta sauce
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup Panko or bread crumbs
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• dash salt and pepper
• large resealable freezer bag or silicone reuseable bag
• 2 medium resealable freezer bags or silicone reuseable bags

Freezing instructions:

1. Add the cooked cubed chicken to a large resealable bag, then pour in the pasta sauce. Remove the excess air from the inside of the bag and seal.
2. In a separate medium size freezer bag, add the two types of cheese. Remove the excess air from the bag and seal it closed.
3. Grab the final medium size freezer bag, and add the Panko or bread crumbs, olive oil, and seasonings. Shake the bag to combine all the ingredients together. After that, remove all the air that you can and seal the freezer bag.
4. To store all the bags together in the freezer, staple the three bags together. Make sure the staple goes above the seals to prevent air from getting into the bags while they’re in the freezer.

Serving instructions:

1. Allow the casserole ingredients to thaw completely in the refrigerator.
2. When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
3. Pour the ingredients in the large bag into a greased baking dish.
4. Top the chicken with the cheeses, then sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the top of the casserole.
5. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the cheeses are melted and the chicken is heated through.

How Long is Chicken Parmesan Casserole Good For?

After freezing your lazy chicken parmesan, it will stay good for up to three months in the freezer. To ensure you use your casserole before it goes bad, always label the bag with the name of the recipe, the date it was frozen, and the expiration date.

Once the casserole is prepared, it should be eaten within three days. Store leftovers in an airtight container and keep them in the fridge until you’re ready to enjoy them again.

What to Serve with Lazy Chicken Parmesan

This delicious lazy casserole is a quick and easy main dish that’s sure to be a hit with the family. But it’s a good idea to come up with a few simple side dish ideas as you’re putting together your meal plan to ensure you have a full meal to serve your family with dinner.

Try these side dish ideas to take this lazy chicken parmesan casserole up a notch:

• Cooked pasta with marinara sauce
• Chopped salad with Italian dressing
• Caesar salad
• Steamed vegetables
• Broccoli and Cauliflower Side Dish
• Cooked white or brown rice

Chicken Parmesan Casserole Tips & Tricks

Once you whip this easy freezer meal, you’re going to want to make it again and again. That’s because it’s so simple to prepare. On top of being able to get this easy dinner ready for the freezer in a matter of minutes, this dump and bake meal can also be prepared in record time. And with these easy baking and freezing tips, you’ll be able to put this simple dinner together for your family in no time at all.

• Use leftover chicken. While you could cook some chicken breasts especially for this casserole, there’s no reason to go out of your way to prepare cubed chicken if you already have leftover chicken on hand. You can even use rotisserie chicken to prepare this easy dinner, making it the perfect dump and go meal for a busy night.
• Always thaw your ingredients in the fridge. Since this casserole is made with chicken, it’s important that you take measures to safely thaw the ingredients before cooking them. The day before you plan to bake your casserole, transfer the freezer bags to the fridge and allow them to thaw completely before preparing the casserole in the oven.
• Let the ingredients sit at room temperature before baking. While it’s always a good idea to allow your freezer meals to thaw in the refrigerator before cooking them, cooking the casserole ingredients directly from the fridge could require extra cooking time. To ensure your ingredients are ready for the oven, try removing the bags from the fridge around 30 minutes before you’re ready to cook them to give the ingredients time to come to room temperature.

Is There a Difference Between Chicken Parmesan and Parmesan Chicken?

This popular dish goes by a variety of names, so it can be confusing trying to figure out if all these names go along with the same recipe. In fact, chicken parmesan and parmesan chicken are the same recipe! You might also hear this recipe called by its traditional Italian name, chicken Parmigiana.

No matter the name, chicken parmesan is a delicious Italian dish made by coating chicken cutlets in breadcrumbs and Italian seasoning and frying them until golden brown. The chicken pieces are then covered in marinara sauce and cheese and baked until the cheese is gooey and melted.

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Lazy Chicken Parmesan Casserole

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

 

Course: Main Course

Keyword: chicken

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 4 cups chicken cooked and cubed
• 28 ounce pasta sauce
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese shredded
• 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded
• 1 cup Panko or bread crumbs
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 tsp. Italian seasoning
• dash salt and pepper

Instructions

Assembly instructions:

1. Add the cooked cubed chicken to a large resealable bag, then pour in the pasta sauce. Remove the excess air from the inside of the bag and seal.
2. In a separate medium size freezer bag, add the two types of cheese. Remove the excess air from the bag and seal it closed.
3. Grab the final medium size freezer bag, and add the Panko or bread crumbs, olive oil, and seasonings. Shake the bag to combine all the ingredients together. After that, remove all the air that you can and seal the freezer bag.

4. To store all the bags together in the freezer, staple the three bags together. Make sure the staple goes above the seals.

Cooking instructions:

1. Thaw.

2. Preheat the oven to 350°.

3. Pour the ingredients from the large bag into a greased baking dish.

4. Top the chicken with the cheeses, then sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the top of the casserole.
5. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the cheeses are melted and the chicken is heated through.

Chicken is always a great option for dinner. And when it comes to baking chicken, drumsticks are a delicious choice. On top of being quick to bake, chicken legs are packed with flavor. And when you top them with a flavorful herb sauce, you have a delicious dinner that everyone in the family will love. This freezer-friendly recipe for honey mustard drumsticks is going to be a meal planning favorite!

If you’re fond of drumsticks, you’ll want to also check out our Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Drumsticks. They are a favourite around here.

Honey Mustard Drumsticks Recipe

Ingredients:

• 12 chicken drumsticks (about 2 ½ pounds)
• 1/4 cup honey, melted
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons grainy Dijon mustard
• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon Herbes de Provence
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Freezing instructions:

1. Place the chicken legs in a large resealable freezer bag.
2. Add the honey, cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic, Herbes de Provence, salt, and pepper to the bag.
3. Squish the bag to combine the ingredients and coat the drumsticks in the sauce. Open the bag slightly, then press out the remaining air and reseal.
4. Place the bag in the freezer until ready to eat.

Serving instructions:

1. When you’re ready to prepare your drumsticks, thaw the chicken legs in the refrigerator.
2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
3. Place the drumsticks in a single layer in a 9×13 baking pan. Pour all the remaining sauce from bag onto chicken.
4. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove the pan from the oven and baste with the sauce. Return to the oven and cook for an additional 25 minutes. 

Are Drumsticks the Same as Chicken Legs?

If you want to be technical, chicken legs and drumsticks aren’t exactly the same – although the two words are often used interchangeably. Technically, a whole chicken leg is made up of both the thigh and the drumstick. But while a drumstick is just part of a chicken leg, most people use the words drumstick and chicken leg to mean the same thing.

Can You Freeze Fresh Drumsticks?

Freezing fresh chicken – including chicken legs or drumsticks – is a simple way to prepare make-ahead dinners for your family. That’s because it’s so easy to freeze fresh drumsticks and cook them later. Just follow these simple steps for freezing fresh chicken legs:

1. Remove the chicken from the original packaging. Transferring the chicken from the original package will help prevent freezer burn and make adding sauces and seasonings easier.
2. Transfer to a freezer-friendly container. Freezer bags are a great option for saving space in your freezer. But you can transfer the chicken to any freezer-friendly container, including airtight plastic containers, glass baking dishes, or aluminum baking pans.
3. Add sauce or seasoning. While you can freeze your drumsticks plain, adding some flavor to your chicken before freezing is simple. And once you mix the sauce or seasoning on your chicken, you instantly have a main dish ready to be baked! The sauce will serve as a marinade for your chicken, adding flavor to the meat while it freezes.
4. Cover and freeze. If you’re storing your chicken legs in a freezer bag, simply remove the excess air from the bag and seal it. Otherwise, cover the dish with the included lid or wrap it in plastic wrap to seal and protect the chicken.
5. Thaw before cooking. When you’re ready to prepare your chicken legs, remove the package from the freezer and transfer it to the refrigerator to safely thaw the chicken. This will take up to nine hours, so it’s a good idea to move the frozen chicken to the fridge the night before you plan on cooking the drumsticks.

Can Drumsticks Be Cooked from Frozen?

While your chicken drumsticks can be frozen raw, they need to be thawed before you start baking them. Cooking drumsticks from frozen isn’t recommended because it can be difficult to evenly cook the chicken when it’s frozen. While the outside of the chicken legs may look done, the inside could still be raw.

Instead of trying to cook your chicken from frozen, make sure to allow plenty of time for your drumsticks to thaw before baking them or cooking them in the slow cooker.

How to Get Crispy Baked Drumsticks

One of the best parts about eating drumsticks is enjoying the crispy skin on the outside of the chicken legs. But it can be difficult to get that crispy texture when you’re baking the chicken legs in the oven or cooking them in a crockpot.

If you’re hoping to get your honey mustard drumsticks extra crispy, the easiest way to add a crunch to your chicken legs is with the broiler. When cooking your drumsticks in the oven, simply turn the broiler on and cook the chicken legs under the broiler for 5 to 7 minutes.

But if you’re using your slow cooker to cook the chicken legs, you’ll need to transfer your drumsticks to a baking dish after they’re finished cooking in the crockpot. After that, you can cook your drumsticks under the broiler for 5 to 7 minutes.

Either way, it’s a good idea to keep an eye on the chicken legs as they’re broiling. They can quickly burn, so it’s important to watch the chicken closely at this point in the recipe to ensure your drumsticks don’t overcook.

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Honey Mustard Drumsticks

Prep Time

7 mins

Cook Time

45 mins

 

Course: Main Course

Keyword: chicken

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 12 chicken drumsticks about 2 ½ pounds
• 1/4 cup honey melted
• 2 Tbsp. cider vinegar
• 2 Tbsp. grainy Dijon mustard
• 1-2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tsp. Herbes de Provence
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper

Instructions

Assembly instructions:

1. Place the chicken legs in a large resealable freezer bag.
2. Add the honey, cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic, Herbes de Provence, salt, and pepper to the bag.
3. Squish to combine. Open the bag slightly, then press out the remaining air and reseal.
4. Freeze.

Cooking instructions:

1. When you’re ready to prepare your drumsticks, thaw the chicken legs in the refrigerator.
2. Preheat the oven to 400°.
3. Place the drumsticks in a single layer in a 9x13 baking pan. Pour all the remaining sauce from bag onto chicken.
4. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove the pan from the oven and baste with the sauce. Return to the oven and cook for an additional 25 minutes.

When it comes to meal prepping, meatloaf is always a great option because it’s perfect for freezing. But why prepare classic meatloaf week after week when you can easily take the flavour up a notch with a few simple substitutions? This BBQ meatloaf recipe is packed with flavour thanks to the sweet and salty filling and homemade BBQ glaze on top. But the best part about this simple dinner is that you can make it ahead of time and store it in the freezer until you’re ready to enjoy it!

If you’re looking for a lighter option that can also be made ahead, you can also check out our Turkey Meatloaf.

BBQ Meatloaf Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds ground beef, raw
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup graham wafer crumbs
• 2/3 cup evaporated milk
• 1/4 cup onion, minced
• 2 eggs
• Salt and pepper
• 3 tablespoons MSG-free onion soup mix

BBQ Sauce Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon dry mustard
• 1 tablespoon chili sauce

Assembly Instructions:

1. Mix the ground beef, bread crumbs, evaporated milk, onion, eggs, salt, pepper and onion soup mix together in a large bowl.
2. Transfer the meat mixture to a large resealable freezer bag. Remove excess air from the bag and seal.
3. In a separate bowl, mix together ketchup, brown sugar, dry mustard, and chili sauce to make the BBQ glaze.
4. Pour the sauce mixture into a medium resealable freezer bag. Remove excess air from the bag and seal.
5. Staple the BBQ sauce to the meat mixture above the zipper line of the bags. Place both bags in the freezer.
6. Alternatively, this dish can be made in an 8×8 square pan, with BBQ sauce spread on top of the meat mixture, covered tightly with tin foil and then frozen.

Cooking Instructions:

1. Transfer the meatloaf mixture to the refrigerator to thaw.
2. When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
3. Press the meat mixture into an 8×8 square pan and top with BBQ sauce.
4. Bake uncovered for one hour, then let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Do You Cover Meatloaf with Foil When You Cook It?

Meatloaf is a very versatile dish, which means you can cook it covered or uncovered. If you’re worried about the meatloaf getting dry as it cooks, try covering the pan with foil for the first 40 minutes of cook time. Then, remove the foil and continue cooking another 20 minutes uncovered. The foil will help retain the moisture inside of the pan during the time it’s placed on top. And removing the foil at the end of the cook time will allow the BBQ glaze to thicken while the meatloaf finishes cooking.

What is the secret to moist meatloaf?

Ensuring your meatloaf stays moist while it cooks is essential to a delicious dinner. Luckily, this recipe provides you with plenty of opportunity to create a moist meatloaf thanks to several different ingredient additions. On top of the BBQ sauce on top of the meatloaf, adding eggs and evaporated milk to the meat mixture will ensure that your loaf stays nice and juicy as it cooks.

What should I serve with meatloaf?

Meatloaf is a nice hearty main and can be served with a variety of side dishes. Here are some suggestions:

• Garlic Mashed Potatoes
• Steamed Broccoli
• Southern Cornbread
• Roasted Potatoes
• Cheesy Jalapeño Slow Cooker Corn 
• Garlic Bread
• Potato Wedges
• Brussels Sprouts
• Broccoli Salad
• Cauliflower Tots

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BBQ Meatloaf

Course: Main Course

Keyword: ground beef

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. ground beef raw
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup graham wafer crumbs
• 2/3 cup evaporated milk
• 1/4 cup onion minced
• 2 eggs
• salt and pepper
• 3 Tbsp. dry onion soup mix

BBQ Sauce Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp. dry mustard
• 1 Tbsp. chili sauce

Instructions

Assembly Instructions:

1. Mix the ground beef, bread crumbs, evaporated milk, onion, eggs, salt, pepper and onion soup mix together in a large bowl.

2. Transfer the meat mixture to a large resealable freezer bag. Remove excess air and seal.

3. In a separate bowl, mix together ketchup, brown sugar, dry mustard, and chili sauce to make the BBQ glaze.

4. Pour the sauce mixture into a medium resealable freezer bag. Remove excess air and seal.

5. Staple the BBQ sauce to the meat mixture above the seal. Freeze.

6. Alternatively, this dish can be made in an 8x8 square pan, with BBQ sauce spread on top of the meat mixture, covered tightly with tin foil and then frozen.

Cooking Instructions:

1. Thaw.

2. Preheat the oven to 350°.

3. Press the meat mixture into an 8x8 square pan and top with the BBQ sauce from the medium bag.

4. Bake uncovered for one hour, then let stand for 10 minutes before serving.