Freezer Meals Cilantro Lime Chicken
Freezer Meals Cilantro Lime Chicken recipe is a great way to get a jump start on the summer grilling season.
If you have never tried your hand at freezer cooking or freezer meals the summer time is a perfect time to start. With the kids out of school and the days filled with hanging out at the beach and summer activities, dinner time can become a real challenge.
Freezing ready-made meals in a bag so all you have to do is thaw it out and cook it at dinner time is a real sanity saver.
This Cilantro Lime Chicken is perfect for a weeknight dinner or a back yard bbq. Buying chicken when it's on sale then preparing this make-ahead freezer meal will not only help with your summer menu planning but will help you save money on your food budget by stocking up on chicken when the prices are low.
Chicken Cooking Tips
Here is one of my favorite chicken cooking tips. Get yourself a metal meat mallet and pound the chicken breasts until they are about the same thickness along the length. This helps ensure that the chicken breast cooks quickly and evenly.
How to Make Freezer Meals: Cilantro Lime Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, trimmed of all fat
- ½ cup lime juice, (about 4 small limes)
- zest from the limes
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- ⅓ cup loosely packed chopped cilantro
Directions
- Prepare the chicken by trimming the fat and pounding each breast half flat with a mallet.
- Place the chicken in a gallon size ziplock bag. Set aside.
- In a spouted measuring cup mix the lime juice, zest, olive oil, pepper, sugar, salt, and garlic.
- Chop the cilantro and mix into the other ingredients in the measuring cup.
- Pour the marinade into the zip lock bag.
- Remove most of the air from the bag and squeeze to evenly cover the chicken with the marinade.
- Flatten the chicken into a single layer and place on a cookie sheet and freeze until solid.
- Remove from cookie sheet once frozen. Store in the freezer for up to three months.
- Serves 4.
How to Cook Freezer Meals Cilantro Lime Chicken
- To cook the chicken heat a grill to medium-high. Cook the chicken until no longer pink in the center or until the internal temperature has reached 165 F. degrees on a meat thermometer.
- Alternatively, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet on medium-high heat, cook each side about 8 minutes or until no longer pink at the thickest section. Or until the thickest section reaches 165 F. degrees on a meat thermometer.
Freezer Meals Cilantro Lime Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 medium boneless skinless chicken breast halves (trimmed of all fat)
- ½ cup lime juice ((about 4 small limes))
- 4 whole limes, zest and juice
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- ⅓ cup loosely packed chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken by trimming the fat and pounding each breast half flat with a mallet.
- Place the chicken in a gallon size ziplock bag. Set aside.
- In a spouted measuring cup mix the lime juice, zest, olive oil, pepper, sugar, salt, and garlic.
- Chop the cilantro and mix into the other ingredients in the measuring cup.
- Pour the marinade into the zip lock bag.
- Remove most of the air from the bag and squeeze to evenly cover the chicken with the marinade. Flatten the chicken into a single layer and place on a cookie sheet and freeze until solid.
- Remove from cookie sheet once frozen. Store in the freezer for up to three months.
- Serves 4.
Recipe Expert Tips
- Grill: To cook the chicken heat a grill to medium-high. Cook the chicken until no longer pink in the center or until the internal temperature has reached 165 F. degrees on a meat thermometer.
- Skillet: Alternatively, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet on medium-high heat, cook each side about 8 minutes or until no longer pink at the thickest section or until the thickest section is 165 F. degrees on a meat thermometer.
Nutrition
Want to really get started with Freezer Meals but don't know where to start? Read How to Prepare for a Day of Freezer Meal Making
Just looking for more easy freezer meal recipe ideas? Check out the Flour On My Face Freezer Meals page for a list of all my freezer meal recipes.
Carrie C
Could this work to bake or put in the crockpot once thawed?
Arlene Mobley
Carrie
I've never cooked this in the crock pot. I prefer to grill it.
Diane
What about baking....plz reply to my e-mail, I loose trac of these comments.
Arlene Mobley
Diane
I have never tried baking this chicken recipe. You might try sauteing it in a skillet.
Melissa
Have you encountered any issues with the chicken getting a weird texture from being in contact with the lime juice for so long? I am starting to plan a list of freezer meals in anticipation of a baby coming (!). Last baby, I froze a bunch of a chicken breasts in bottled marinades, but this time I'd like to use homemade marinades. My only concern is that the chicken might get weird from the acid.
Arlene Mobley
Melissa
I haven't had that issue but if you get the freezer meals in the freezer fast it should help cut down on the change in texture.
Lisa B.
This looks like a great recipe to make! Thanks for linking up and sharing with us over at the Welcome Home Wednesdays Link Party!
Cynthia Rusincovitch
This looks amazing. i'm always looking for more freezer meal ideas and am adding this to the list! Thanks for linking up with Delicious Dishes Recipe Party!
Arlene Mobley
Thanks for stopping by Cynthia! Enjoy the recipe.
Edith
Hi can you do this chicken in the crockpot? Thankyou
Arlene Mobley
Hi Edith
I haven't made this recipe in the crock pot yet. I don't see why you couldn't. 4 boneless skinless chicken breats on high in a crock pot will cook in about 3-4 hours depending on how large and thick the breasts are.
stacey
Thanks for sharing with us at the #HomeMattersParty