Freezer Meals 101

Less time cooking, more time living

Freezer Chicken Pot Pie Filling

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Chicken pot pie is one of my all time favourite comfort foods. For four years, I’ve been attempting to create a freezer chicken pot pie recipe. Every single attempt was a flop. Either the topping became too mushy or the sauce didn’t have the right texture once it was thawed and cooked. Then I decided to switch tactics.

The last time we made freezer meals, I took some of our leftover ingredients and made a chicken pot pie filling. I ensured that I wouldn’t have mushy topping or gross textured sauce by leaving those out. For the make ahead portion of this, I only included the filling. Make Ahead Chicken Pot Pie Filling #freezermeals101 #freezercooking #comfortfood #chickenrecipes #chickenpotpie #makeaheadmeals

It still saved a ton of time because all the chopping was done, the chicken was cooked, and the seasonings were there. On the day I served it, all I had to do was add a few ingredients to form the sauce, top with pre-made biscuits, and bake.

The best part is that it maintained its incredible flavour. It has the perfect crispness and the sauce was just right.If you’re a fan of good chicken pot pie, you’re going to love how much easier this is. It allows you to make it anytime by pulling the filling out of your freezer anytime the craving hits!

I recommend that you make several bags of freezer chicken pot pie filling at once. This saves even more time.

Make Ahead Chicken Pot Pie Filling:

  • 3 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, cooked and cubed
  • 10 mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 red pepper, chopped
  • 3/4 cup frozen peas
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. ground sage
  • 1/4 tsp. marjoram
  • 1/4 tsp. thyme

On the day of cooking:

  • 2 Tbsp. butter
  • 2 Tbsp. flour
  • 1 cup milk
  • 340 g package Pillsbury Country Biscuits

Assembly instructions:

  1. Cook and cube chicken. Allow to cool.
  2. Chop onion and red pepper and slice the mushrooms.
  3. Add the chicken, onions, red peppers, mushrooms, and peas to a large resealable plastic bag. Add in the seasonings and give it a quick shake. Remove the excess air from the bag and seal before freezing. 

Cooking instructions:

  1. Take the filling out of the freezer to thaw. Dump the bag contents into a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook for 5 minutes.
  2. Add the butter and flour and stir. When well mixed in, slowly pour in the milk.
  3. Heat for another 3-5 minutes until sauce has thickened slightly.
  4. Transfer the chicken pot pie filling to an oven safe casserole dish.
  5. Top with the country biscuits.*
  6. Bake at 400° for 18-20 minutes and the biscuits are golden brown.

*I like to split the biscuits in half lengthwise so they are thinner and less doughy. I like more of a crispy texture, but if you prefer more of a dumpling texture, leave the biscuits whole when placing them on top.

Other freezer meals that may interest you:

Chicken Pasta Bake Tater Tot Pizza Casserole 

Chicken and Vegetable Casserole with Crispy Onion Topping 

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Chicken Pot Pie
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
18 mins
 
Course: Main Course
Keyword: chicken, chicken pot pie
Ingredients
  • 3 chicken breasts boneless and skinless, cooked and cubed
  • 10 mushrooms sliced
  • 1 red pepper chopped
  • 3/4 cup frozen peas
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. ground sage
  • 1/4 tsp. marjoram
  • 1/4 tsp. thyme
On the day of cooking:
  • 2 Tbsp. butter
  • 2 Tbsp. flour
  • 1 cup milk
  • 340 g package Pillsbury Country Biscuits
Instructions
Assembly instructions:
  1. Cook and cube chicken. Allow to cool.
  2. Chop onion and red pepper and slice the mushrooms.

  3. Add the chicken, onions, red peppers, mushrooms, and peas to a large resealable plastic bag. Add in the seasonings and give it a quick shake. Remove excess air from the bag, seal and freeze.

Cooking instructions:
  1. Take the filling out of the freezer to thaw. Dump the bag contents into a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook for 5 minutes.
  2. Add the butter and flour and stir. When well mixed in, slowly pour in the milk.
  3. Heat for another 3-5 minutes until sauce has thickened slightly.

  4. Transfer the chicken pot pie filling to a casserole dish.

  5. Top with the country biscuits.
  6. Bake at 400° for 18-20 minutes and the biscuits are golden brown.

Blue Cheese Hamburgers

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Having these delicious blue cheese hamburgers in the freezer is going to make summer way more fun! The flavour in these is next level.

Homemade burger patties are always best. Your guests are going to be impressed at your culinary skills. They don’t need to know how easy they were to make. Make Ahead Blue Cheese Hamburgers #freezermeals101 #BBQrecipes #summerrecipes #hamburgers #yum #makeaheadmealsThis recipe will make between 8 and 12 blue cheese hamburger patties depending on how large you make them. It doubles (or triples or quadruples) well. My philosophy is that if you’re going to get your hands gunky anyway, you might as well make a whole bunch at one time and have enough to last you all summer long.

Blue Cheese Hamburgers Recipe:

  • 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 2 tsp. olive oil
  • 2 lbs. lean ground beef
  • 6 oz. crumbled blue cheese
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. pepper
  • 2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/3 cup sweet onion, finely chopped
  • parsley

Assembly instructions:

  1. In a large bowl, mix everything together. It’s best if you do this with your hands so that you can separate the hamburger and combine things well.
  2. Form the mixture into patties.
  3. Freeze in large resealable freezer bags.*

*If you freeze them stacked on top of each other, the patties will stick together. You can either put a piece of parchment or wax paper in between each patty or you can flash freeze the burgers in a single layer on a cookie sheet before adding them to a freezer bag.

Cooking instructions:

  1. On the day of cooking, grill the frozen patties on the BBQ until the meat is no longer pink. Serve on buns or lettuce leaves.

What toppings should I use?

The sky is the limit when choosing burger toppings, but here are some of my recommendations:

  • blue cheese (yes, really!)
  • cheese
  • lettuce
  • tomato
  • avocado
  • guacamole
  • white or purple onion
  • caramelized onion
  • sautéed mushrooms
  • jalapeños
  • crispy fried onions or jalapeños
  • potato chips
  • pickles
  • BBQ sauce
  • mayonnaise
  • ketchup
  • mustard
  • relish
  • sriracha mayo
  • hot sauce
  • Ranch dressing
  • Caesar dressing
  • tzatziki
  • steak sauce
  • bacon
  • coleslaw
  • fried egg
  • grilled pineapple (soak first in fireball cinnamon whiskey for a super interesting flavour)
  • pico de gallo
  • salsa
  • mango salsa
  • apple slices

Check out some of our other delicious make ahead meals:

Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken on Buns BBQ Pulled Pork Instant Pot Turkey Sloppy Joes 

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Blue Cheese Hamburgers
Ingredients
  • 4 cloves garlic finely chopped
  • 2 tsp. olive oil
  • 2 lbs. lean ground beef
  • 6 oz. blue cheese
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. pepper
  • 2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/3 cup sweet onion finely chopped
  • parsley
Instructions
Assembly instructions:
  1. In a large bowl, mix everything together. It's best if you do this with your hands so that you can separate the hamburger and combine things well.
  2. Form the mixture into patties.
  3. Freeze in large resealable freezer bags.*
Cooking instructions:
  1. On the day of cooking, grill the frozen patties on the BBQ until the meat is no longer pink.
Recipe Notes

*If you freeze them stacked on top of each other, the patties will stick together. You can either put a piece of parchment or wax paper in between each patty or you can flash freeze the burgers in a single layer on a cookie sheet before adding them to a freezer bag.

Freezer Friendly Instant Pot Borscht Recipe

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My mom grew up in Vegreville. It’s a small town in Alberta, Canada that has a rich Ukrainian culture. Although my mom’s heritage is not Ukrainian, she grew up familiar with the food and culture. She then brought those into our home. I was familiar with all kinds of traditional Ukrainian food, including this Borscht recipe.Instant Pot Borscht Recipe #freezermeals101 #freezercooking #souprecipesBorscht is a classic beet soup. I’ve adapted the original recipe to make it faster to make thanks to the Instant Pot and freezer friendly. Now, I can make this ahead of time and have it ready anytime.

Beets give this soup its vibrant red colour. It has a unique look and an even more unique flavour. My favourite way to eat it is topped with a dollop of sour cream and fresh dill.

Freezer Friendly Instant Pot Borscht Recipe:

Ingredients:

  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 onion, minced
  • 8 medium-sized beets, peeled and chopped
  • 5 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 6 cups water or broth
  • salt and pepper, to taste

For cooking day:

  • 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
  • optional: sour cream
  • optional: fresh dill

Directions:

Instant Pot and Assembly Instructions:
  1. Prepare all vegetables and ingredients before starting the recipe.
  2. Set the Instant Pot to sauté and add the oil.
  3. Once the oil is hot, add the onion and beets. Stir occasionally, until onions are translucent, about 2-3 minutes.
  4. Add the garlic and stir for one minute.
  5. Turn off the sauté setting and add in broth or water and salt and pepper seasoning.
  6. Secure the lid of the Instant Pot and cook on the soup setting for 20 minutes.
  7. Natural release then either use an immersion blender to purée the soup or wait until it has cooled and use a blender.
  8. When the soup has somewhat cooled, ladle it into a large resealable freezer bag or two medium resealable freezer bags.
  9. Seal, remove excess air, and freeze.

Cooking instructions:

  1. Remove the bag from the freezer to thaw.
  2. Reheat in the microwave or in a pot on the stovetop.
  3. Taste and adjust seasoning – adding in lemon and topping with sour cream and dill, if desired before serving.

Adaptations to this beet soup recipe:

  • Borscht can be served hot or cold (as a gazpacho).
  • You can replace some of the beets with parsnips or carrots. This produces a milder flavour.
  • For adults only: you can add a shot of iced vodka to the soup when serving.

Many recipes for Ukrainian borscht call for grating the beets, which is obviously time consuming and leaves you with very stained hands! You will be amazed at how much time you’ll save using the Instant Pot for this soup.

This isn’t the first traditional Ukrainian dish that I’ve adapted for freezer cooking. You can also check out our Cabbage Roll Casserole Freezer Meal.

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Freezer Friendly Borscht Recipe
Ingredients
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 onion minced
  • 8 medium sized beets peeled and chopped
  • 5 cloves garlic smashed
  • 6 cups water or broth
  • salt and pepper to taste
For cooking day:
  • 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
  • optional: sour cream
  • optional: fresh dill
Instructions
Instant Pot and Assembly Instructions:
  1. Prepare all vegetables and ingredients before starting the recipe.
  2. Set the Instant Pot to sauté and add the oil.
  3. Once the oil is hot, add the onion and beets. Stir occasionally, until onions are translucent, about 2-3 minutes.
  4. Add the garlic and stir for one minute.
  5. Turn off the sauté setting and add in broth or water and salt and pepper seasoning.
  6. Secure the lid of the Instant Pot and cook on the soup setting for 20 minutes.
  7. Natural release then either use an immersion blender to purée the soup or wait until it has cooled and use a blender.
  8. When the soup has somewhat cooled, ladle it into a large resealable freezer bag or two medium resealable freezer bags.
  9. Seal, remove excess air, and freeze.
Cooking instructions:
  1. Remove the bag(s) from the freezer to thaw.
  2. Reheat in the microwave or in a pot on the stovetop.
  3. Taste and adjust seasoning - adding in lemon and topping with sour cream and dill, if desired before serving.
Recipe Notes

Borscht can be served hot or cold (as a gazpacho).

Check out some of our other freezer friendly Instant Pot soups:

Instant Pot Tomato Soup 

Keto Bone Broth in the Instant Pot 

Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo Bake

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This Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo Bake is a great make ahead casserole for busy weeknights. I suggest you double the recipe. Serve one immediately and freeze the other for when you need it.Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo Bake Freezer Meal #freezermeals101 #freezercooking #makeaheadmeals #casserolesThis recipe includes everything needed for a balanced meal. It’s so nice to be able to have supper all ready to go. Just pull it out of the freezer and put it in the oven and it’s ready to go.

Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo Bake Recipe:

  • 2-3 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, cooked and cubed
  • 1 cup broccoli, steamed and coarsely chopped
  • 1 lb. penne pasta
  • 8 Tbsp. butter
  • 16 oz. heavy whipping cream
  • 1 cup + ½ cup Parmesan cheese, shredded, divided
  • 2 egg yolks

Assembly instructions:

  1. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and whisk in the heavy cream.
  2. Whisk in egg yolk and 1 cup cheese.
  3. Simmer for 5 minutes, then remove from heat and set aside.
  4. Preheat oven to 350°.
  5. In a large pot, prepare pasta al dente as directed on the package.*
  6. Drain and put back in pot.
  7. Pour ½ of sauce over pasta and toss to coat.
  8. Gently mix in chicken and broccoli.
  9. Dump into a 9×13 pan and top with remaining Parmesan.
  10. Cover with two layers of tin foil.
  11. Freeze.

Cooking instructions:

  1. Thaw.
  2. Bake for 30 minutes.*Note: If you’re making this ahead to freeze it, I suggest cooking the pasta to slightly underdone.
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Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo Bake
Ingredients
  • 2-3 chicken breasts boneless, skinless, cooked and cubed
  • 1 cup broccoli steamed and coarsely chopped
  • 1 lb. penne pasta
  • 8 Tbsp. butter
  • 16 oz. heavy whipping cream
  • 1 cup + ½ cup Parmesan cheese shredded, divided
  • 2 egg yolks
Instructions
Assembly instructions:
  1. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and whisk in the heavy cream.
  2. Whisk in egg yolk and 1 cup cheese.
  3. Simmer for 5 minutes, then remove from heat and set aside.
  4. Preheat oven to 350°.
  5. In a large pot, prepare pasta al dente as directed on the package.*
  6. Drain and put back in pot.
  7. Pour ½ of sauce over pasta and toss to coat.
  8. Gently mix in chicken and broccoli.
  9. Dump into a 9x13 pan and top with remaining Parmesan.
  10. Cover with two layers of tin foil.
  11. Freeze.
Cooking instructions:

  1. Remove from freezer. Thaw.

  2. Bake for 30 minutes.
Recipe Notes

*Note: If you're making this ahead to freeze it, I suggest cooking the pasta to slightly underdone.

Check out these other freezer meal casserole dishes:

Tater Tot Pizza Casserole Irresistible Chicken Pasta Bake Chicken and Vegetable Casserole with Crispy Onion Topping 

Make Ahead Hot Roast Beef or Ham Sandwiches

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These hot roast beef or ham sandwiches are perfect for taking camping or serving at a teen birthday party. The handheld sandwiches are great for a large group. Make Ahead Hot Beef or Ham Sandwiches #campingfood #freezermeals101 #freezercooking #makeaheadmealsWe made these leading up to summer, so we quadrupled this recipe. The kids helped us assemble and wrap a lot of sandwiches! It was a fun project to do together. We set up an assembly line so that one person would spread the sauce, another would place the meat and cheese, and the last would wrap the sandwich. 

Hot Roast Beef or Ham Sandwiches:

    • 12 hamburger buns
    • 1 lb. thinly shaved roast beef or ham
    • 12 cheese slices (provolone, Swiss, or mozzarella)
    • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
    • 3 Tbsp. grated onion
    • 1 Tbsp. poppy seeds
    • 1 Tbsp. spicy mustard
    • dash of Worcestershire
    • 1 Tbsp. horseradish
    • tin foil

Assembly instructions:

  1. Mix together the mayonnaise, grated onion, poppy seeds, spicy mustard, Worcestershire, and horseradish in a medium bowl.
  2. Spread some of the sauce on both sides of the bun.
  3. Add a few slices of either beef or ham.
  4. Top with a slice of cheese.
  5. Wrap each sandwich in tin foil.
  6. Place the wrapped sandwiches into two large resealable freezer bags. Freeze.

Cooking instructions:

  1. Remove the sandwiches from the bags, but keep them wrapped in the foil.
  2. Cook them in a 350° oven right in the foil for 20-30 minutes (20 minutes if the sandwich is thawed and 30 minutes if cooking from frozen). You want the cheese to be melted.

You can also use turkey in place of the ham or roast beef if you prefer.

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Hot Roast Beef or Ham Sandwiches
Ingredients
  • 12 hamburger buns
  • 1 lb. thinly shaved roast beef or ham
  • 12 cheese slices provolone, Swiss, or mozzarella
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 3 Tbsp. grated onion
  • 1 Tbsp. poppy seeds
  • 1 Tbsp. spicy mustard
  • dash Worcestershire
  • 1 Tbsp. horseradish
  • tin foil
Instructions
Assembly instructions:
  1. Mix together the mayonnaise, grated onion, poppy seeds, spicy mustard, Worcestershire, and horseradish in a medium bowl.
  2. Spread some of the sauce on both sides of the bun.
  3. Add a few slices of either beef or ham.
  4. Top with a slice of cheese.
  5. Wrap each sandwich in tin foil.
  6. Place the wrapped sandwiches into two large resealable freezer bags. Freeze.
Cooking instructions:
  1. Remove the sandwiches from the bags, but keep them wrapped in the foil.
  2. Cook them in a 350° oven right in the foil for 20-30 minutes (20 minutes if the sandwich is thawed and 30 minutes if cooking from frozen).

Check out these other easy make ahead meals:

Keto KFC Chicken Beef Dip Make Ahead Breakfast Sausage Hand Pies