chicken

Chicken in Mango Cream Sauce Over Pasta

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.

Baked Caesar Chicken Freezer Recipe

By Sharla

With just five ingredients, this baked Caesar chicken recipe is the perfect freezer dinner! You can prepare this quick and easy meal in a matter of minutes, then pop it in the freezer for a rainy day. And when you’re ready to reheat this delicious and flavourful chicken, simply thaw and bake for a main dish that’s ready in no time.

Baked Caesar Chicken Recipe:

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
pepper to taste
1 cup creamy Caesar dressing*
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups Parmesan cheese, grated

*I prefer to use the Caesar dressing in a jar rather than a bottle. These can usually be found in the produce aisle of the grocery store.

Assembly Instructions:

Place the chicken breasts on the bottom of a casserole dish or foil baking tray and sprinkle with pepper.
Mix together the Caesar dressing, sour cream, and 1/2 cup of the Parmesan in a bowl until well combined.
Spread the dressing mixture on top of the chicken, then sprinkle with the remaining parmesan cheese.
Cover the pan with foil and freeze until ready to eat.

Cooking Instructions:

Thaw the chicken, then preheat the oven to 375°.
Bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes.
If desired, broil for 3 minutes at the end until the sauce and cheese on top is golden brown. Watch carefully so that it doesn’t burn.

How to Freeze Chicken

Properly storing your chicken in the freezer is essential to ensure your dinner tastes amazing and to keep your family safe from food poisoning. Luckily, it’s pretty easy to safely freeze your chicken if you follow these simple tips:

Try a vacuum sealer. The best way to store frozen chicken and prevent freezer burn is with a vacuum sealer. Simply place your chicken and sauce in your vacuum bag and seal.
Store the chicken in the pan. For a recipe like this, you can freeze chicken directly in the pan you’ll be baking it in. That makes it quick and easy to transfer the dish from the freezer to the oven without any extra steps. To store your chicken in the pan, start by making sure your dish is freezer safe. Glass or aluminum pans are perfect for freezer cooking. After that, prepare your chicken according to the recipe, then wrap the pan in foil. For an added layer of protection, wrap the entire dish in plastic wrap before placing it in the freezer.

How Long Can You Keep Chicken in the Freezer Before it Goes Bad?

Freezing your chicken is a great way to extend its life. But even frozen chicken has an expiration date, so it’s important to know how long you can keep your chicken in the freezer before it goes bad. Raw chicken can be kept in the freezer for up to nine months before it should be cooked.

To ensure you use your chicken before it goes bad, it’s a good idea to write down the date you freeze it on the top of the casserole dish. That way, you know exactly when you need to take it out of the freezer and cook it for dinner.

What is the Proper Way to Thaw Frozen Chicken?

Once your chicken is frozen, it will need to be thawed before you can cook it. That’s because your chicken won’t cook evenly if you place it directly into the oven from the freezer. On top of running the risk of burning your sauce, your chicken will probably still be raw in the middle when the cook time is up.

That means you’ll need to reserve a little bit of extra time before you plan to cook your dinner to allow for the chicken to thaw. Follow these simple steps for safely thawing your frozen chicken:

Thaw the chicken in the refrigerator. The safest way to thaw your frozen chicken is in the refrigerator. Since thawing the poultry in the fridge takes some time, you’ll need to transfer the chicken to the refrigerator at least 24 hours before you plan to cook it.
Place the frozen chicken at the bottom of the fridge. To prevent cross-contamination between the chicken and the other ingredients, it’s a good idea to thaw your chicken on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator.
Use the chicken within three days. After the chicken has been thoroughly thawed, it should be cooked within three days. If you wait any longer than that, you run the risk of bacteria forming on the meat, making it unusable.
Is it OK to defrost chicken on the counter? It’s not a good idea to place your frozen meat on the counter to thaw. When chicken and other poultry products get warmer than 40 degrees or are at room temperature for more than two hours, bacteria quickly begins to form. Allowing the chicken to thaw on the counter gives that bacteria plenty of opportunity to start building up, potentially making the chicken unsafe to eat.

What to Serve with Caesar Chicken:

This delicious main dish is so versatile! That means you can easily pair your chicken dinner with a variety of side dishes. Try these serving ideas if you’re wondering what to serve with your Caesar chicken:

over pasta, preferably a long noodle such as spaghetti
over rice
on top of a salad
with steamed vegetables
alongside baked or mashed potatoes
with toasted garlic bread

Baked Caesar Chicken

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

50 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: baked chicken, chicken

Servings: 4

Ingredients

4 chicken breasts boneless, skinless
pepper to taste
1 cup creamy Caesar dressing*
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups Parmesan cheese grated

Instructions

Assembly Instructions:

Place the chicken breasts on the bottom of a casserole dish or foil baking tray and sprinkle with pepper.
Mix the Caesar dressing, sour cream, and 1/2 cup of the Parmesan together until well combined.
Spread the dressing mixture on top of the chicken, then sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan cheese.
Cover the pan with foil and freeze.

Cooking Instructions:

Thaw.
Preheat the oven to 375°.
Bake for 45-50 minutes.
If desired, broil for 3 minutes at the end until the sauce and cheese on top is golden brown. Watch carefully to prevent burning.

Recipe Notes

*I prefer to use the Caesar dressing in a jar rather than a bottle. These can usually be found in the produce aisle of the grocery store.

Baked Italian Chicken (Freezer Meal)

By Sharla

Who doesn’t love a freezer meal that includes the protein AND the veggies?! This baked Italian chicken recipe has all that and more. It is especially delicious served over pasta. Sometimes when you bake the chicken in the oven, it can dry out, but this recipe has a sauce, so the chicken stays nice and juicy.

This dish can also be cooked in the Crock-Pot® (which I know then technically is no longer called “Baked” Italian Chicken, but it still tastes just as good. And the slow cooker option is nice for a day when you need to be out of the house and come back to dinner waiting.

What I like best about this meal is that it includes some fresh-tasting vegetables as well as the chicken so I know my kids are getting a balanced meal and yet it’s so easy to throw together. Plus, when you serve it over pasta, it gets that homemade comfort food aspect down as well.

Baked Italian Chicken Recipe:

8-12 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
3/4 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup zucchini with peel, cubed
1/2 cup onion, diced
24 oz. jar pasta sauce

Assembly instructions:

Cut the zucchini and onion and slice the mushrooms.
Place the chicken thighs in a large resealable freezer bag.
Add the seasoning, vegetables, brown sugar, and pasta sauce.
Remove all the air you can from the bag, seal it, and freeze.

Oven Cooking Instructions:

Thaw. Put the contents of the bag in a casserole dish.
Bake in the oven at 375° for 50 minutes.

Crock Pot Cooking Instructions:

Thaw. Put the bag contents into the slow cooker.
Cook on low for 4-6 hours.

Serve over pasta and sprinkle with shredded or shaved Parmesan cheese. If you are on a gluten-free diet, you can instead serve this over rice. You can also serve this with a side salad if you want more greens.

Variations on this recipe:

Substitute 3-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts for the chicken thighs.
Add some crushed chili flakes either before cooking or when serving if you like to spice things up a bit.
You can substitute a can of sliced mushrooms for the fresh mushrooms, but I really suggest you use fresh. It’s hardly any extra work to slice them up and it tastes so much fresher.
Use whichever red pasta sauce is your favorite. By experimenting and trying different types of pasta sauce, you can change up the flavors of this meal.

Other chicken freezer meals:

Baked Italian Chicken

Prep Time

7 mins

Cook Time

50 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: baked chicken, chicken

Servings: 4

Calories: 428 kcal

Ingredients

8-12 chicken thighs boneless and skinless
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
3/4 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup zucchini cubed with peel
1/2 cup onion diced
24 oz. jar pasta sauce

Instructions

Assembly instructions:

Cut the zucchini and onion and slice the mushrooms.
Place the chicken thighs in a large resealable freezer bag.
Add the seasoning, vegetables, brown sugar, and pasta sauce.
Remove all the air you can from the bag, seal it, and freeze.

Oven Cooking Instructions:

Thaw. Put the contents of the bag in a casserole dish.
Bake in the oven at 375° for 50 minutes.

Crock Pot Cooking Instructions:

Thaw. Put the bag contents into the slow cooker.
Cook on low for 4-6 hours.

Recipe Notes

Serve over pasta and sprinkle with shredded or shaved Parmesan cheese.

Ranch Chicken Tenders (Make Ahead Freezer Meal)

By Sharla

There is no need to buy frozen chicken tenders from the store when you have homemade ones right in your freezer ready to cook when you need them. These baked Ranch Chicken Tenders are easy to make ahead and taste so much better than the ones you’ll find in the frozen food aisle.

It’s nice to know what ingredients are in your chicken tenders. You’ll feel confident feeding these to your kids without any hidden fillers. With just 5 ingredients, this is as straightforward as it gets.

And chicken tenders aren’t just for kids. These babies are crispy on the outside yet tender on the inside making the kid inside all of us happy!

Ranch Chicken Tenders Recipe:

Ingredients needed:

3 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, cut into strips
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup flour
1 Tbsp. dry Ranch seasoning
1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs

Assembly instructions:

Start by cutting the chicken into strips. You want to cut against the grain.
Next, beat the eggs in a small bowl with a fork.
Stir the ranch seasoning into the flour in a medium bowl.
Dredge the chicken strips in the beaten eggs, then in the flour mixture, back into the eggs, and finally, in the breadcrumbs.
Place the breaded chicken in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet and set the tray flat in the freezer.
Leave for several hours or overnight and then transfer the strips to a large resealable freezer bag.
Remove excess air, seal, and freeze.

Cooking Instructions:

Thaw.
Preheat oven to 375°.
Place the breaded chicken tenders on a greased cookie sheet.
Bake for 20 minutes, flipping at the halfway point. Be sure that the chicken has an internal temperature of 165° (use a meat thermometer to check).

By freezing the chicken flat on a cookie sheet first before putting them in a bag, you ensure that they don’t stick together. This also enables you to take just a few pieces out at a time to cook as needed.

Serve with Ranch dressing, honey mustard, or plum sauce for dipping.

Variations:

Sprinkle some shredded Parmesan cheese into your breadcrumb mixture.

Use Panko breadcrumbs mixed with the regular breadcrumbs (about half and half). This will increase crunch and texture. Add a minute or so of extra baking time.

If you want to make the chicken tenders more golden, spray with cooking oil and set the oven to 450° or broil for the last 2 minutes of the cooking time.

What should I serve with baked chicken tenders?

french fries
sweet potato fries
zucchini fries (are you noticing a theme here?!)
oven-roasted potatoes
buttermilk biscuits
coleslaw

Check out these other kid-friendly foods for your freezer:

Corn Dog Mini Muffins (great for school lunches or snacks)
English Muffin Pizzas
Ham and Cheese Roll-Ups
Beef and Bean Burritos (great for after school!)

Find more make-ahead lunch recipes along with printable shopping lists and labels in our Lunch Freezer Meal Plan.

Ranch Chicken Tenders

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chicken, chicken strips

Servings: 6 people

Calories: 291 kcal

Ingredients

3 chicken breasts boneless and skinless, cut into strips
2 eggs beaten
1 cup flour
1 Tbsp. dry Ranch seasoning
1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs

Instructions

Assembly instructions:

Slice the chicken into strips.
Beat the eggs in a small bowl.
Stir the ranch seasoning into the flour in a medium bowl.
Dredge the chicken strips in the beaten eggs, then in the flour mixture, back into the eggs, and finally, in the breadcrumbs.
Place the breaded chicken in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet and set into the freezer.
Leave for several hours or overnight and then transfer the strips to a large resealable freezer bag. Remove excess air, seal, and freeze.

Cooking Instructions:

Thaw.
Preheat oven to 375°.
Place the breaded chicken tenders on a greased cookie sheet.
Bake for 20 minutes, flipping at the halfway point. Be sure that the chicken has an internal temperature of 165° (use a meat thermometer to check).

Recipe Notes

Tip: If you want to make the chicken tenders more golden, spray with cooking oil and set the oven to 450° or broil for the last 2 minutes of the cooking time.

Chunky Cream of Chicken Soup (freezer meal)

By Sharla

If there were an award given for “hits the spot comfort food”, this chunky cream of chicken soup would win it! It’s got all the requirements. Hearty, good on a cold day, reminiscent of childhood. This hearty soup is great for cold or dreary days. It’s got enough sustenance to make this a full meal, but you can serve it with crusty bread and a side salad if you wish.

Chunky Cream of Chicken Soup Recipe:

Ingredients:

½ cup butter
1 onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
4 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
1/3 cup flour
6 cups chicken broth
3 sprigs fresh thyme
3-4 leaves of sage, chopped
1 tsp. poultry seasoning
2 ¾ cups cooked chicken, cubed
½ cup heavy cream
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
parsley for garnish (optional)

Instructions:

In a large pot over medium heat, melt the butter.
Add the chopped onion, celery, and carrots.
Cook for about 10 minutes stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft.
Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly for an additional 2 minutes.
Slowly pour in the broth.
Bring the soup to a low boil while stirring constantly.
Add the sage, thyme, and poultry seasoning.
Turn the heat to low and add the cream.
Stir in the chicken and simmer for 25-35 minutes.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Ladle into soup bowls.
Garnish with parsley if desired and serve.

Instructions to make this as a freezer meal:

OR you can cook the soup using the full stovetop instructions and then put it in a freezer-safe container to reheat when needed. If you use this method, you can freeze it in smaller containers and only take out as much as you need for lunch or dinner. Ways to adapt this recipe:

To make this soup gluten-free, substitute cornstarch or gluten-free flour for the flour.

If you want a vegetarian version, substitute vegetable broth for the chicken broth and use white navy beans in place of the chicken.

Chunky Cream of Chicken Soup

Course: Soup

Keyword: cream of chicken soup, soup

Servings: 6 people

Calories: 850 kcal

Ingredients

½ cup butter
1 onion chopped
3 stalks celery chopped
4 medium carrots peeled and chopped
1/3 cup flour
6 cups chicken broth
3 sprigs fresh thyme
3-4 leaves sage chopped
1 tsp. poultry seasoning
2 ¾ cups chicken cooked and cubed
½ cup heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste
parsley for garnish optional

Instructions

Instructions:

In a large pot over medium heat, melt the butter.
Add the chopped onion, celery, and carrots.
Cook for about 10 minutes stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft.
Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly for an additional 2 minutes.
Slowly pour in the broth.
Bring the soup to a low boil while stirring constantly.
Add the sage, thyme, and poultry seasoning.
Turn the heat to low and add the cream.
Stir in the chicken and simmer for 25-35 minutes.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Ladle into soup bowls.
Garnish with parsley if desired and serve.

Recipe Notes

Instructions to make this as a freezer meal:

You can make this soup as a freezer meal in two ways. The first is to put all of the ingredients into a large resealable bag, seal and freeze and then on the day you want to serve it, take it out of the freezer to thaw and simmer on the stovetop in a large pot for about an hour. OR you can cook the soup using the full stovetop instructions and then put it in a freezer-safe container to reheat when needed. If you use this method, you can freeze it in smaller containers and only take out as much as you need for lunch or dinner.

You might also be interested in these tasty freezer soup recipes:

Hamburger Soup

Spicy White Bean and Chicken Soup

Crock Pot Enchilada Soup