Bake, Slice & Freeze Chicken – A Time & Money Saving Idea

Baked Chicken

Chicken, what’s not to love about a food that is a lean source of protein, flavorful, versatile, simple to prepare, & is every bit as good cold as it is hot?  …And the list could go on & on.  Now we’ve all seen the cooked chicken strips in the store, pre-packaged & ready for any number of recipes, from fajitas to chicken salad.  But what if you made your own cooked chicken slices?  You could lightly season them so that they could be incorporated into your favorite dishes, baked to the perfect juiciness (thanks to your instant read thermometer) & portioned into just the right quantities for your needs.  Finally, you pop these handy little gems into the freezer & you’ve just saved yourself a great deal of time when you’re looking for a quick meal or a lunchbox idea.  Our teenage son uses these to make quesadillas for lunch, heating them in the microwave with a little cheese, a flour tortilla, then topping with salsa &/or sour cream.

Lucky for us, chicken goes on sale pretty often, so that’s the perfect time to stock up!

Starting with boneless, skinless chicken breasts, just wash & pat them dry with paper towels, then place them in a large baking pan.  Next, drizzle both sides with a little olive oil, & season with kosher salt, fresh cracked pepper, garlic powder, & paprika.  This is a simple seasoning combination that will enhance the chicken, but not overwhelm when you’re adding the chicken to other recipes.

Bake in a hot oven, about 400 F until the instant read thermometer reaches 165 F.  I like to rotate the pan from time to time for even cooking & browning.  After it’s done cooking, remove it from the oven, & allow it to cool.  Transfer the chicken breasts onto a cutting board & using an electric knife, slice cross wise & diagonal.  Place the slices into freezer bags that have been labeled & dated, & freeze!

How would you use your baked chicken slices?  I’d love to hear your ideas!