Freezing Rotisserie Chicken For Meal Planning

Freezing rotisserie chicken for meal planning

Freezing Rotisserie Chicken For Meal Planning

Monthly meal planning is a game changer for mamas who are busy, face chronic illness, homeschooling, or even just moms who like to be prepared in advance!

For ease in creating last-minute or future freezer meals,  create a habit of picking up Rotisserie chickens from Costco.

They seem larger than many stores, and the price can’t be beaten at 4.99 per chicken. Thinking for future meal planning, pick up two.

Shred as much meat as possible and set aside the bones. (If you have a stand Kitchenaid mixer, it works SO quickly at shredding chicken!)

Spending about 1/2 hour in the kitchen will yield approximately 10 cups of shredded white meat chicken. Juicy, already flavorful, and most importantly, already cooked.

Does rotisserie meat freeze well?

Definitely!

And, to save even more towards the grocery budget, put all of the carcass and juice from the bottom of the package into the crockpot. Make your own stock!

Add carrot, celery, bay leaf, and whatever seasonings you have. Turn it on low for 6+ hours, or just about 3 on high.

There is no exact science here, just when the broth is flavorful and bubbling, it’s done.  (check out Frugal Money Saver for more ideas on zero food waste)

Cool for a few hours, drain the liquid, and toss the solids. Pour 2 cups of cooled broth into quart size bags and you’ll wind up with about  8 cups of chicken broth as well.

While the broth is cooking, here are a few ideas for meal planning!

How to Do a Freezer Inventory Printable

Simplify And Save Money With Meal Planning

Julia Pacheco’s extreme budget meal plan

10 cups of chicken and 8 cups of broth are definitely worth the time investment (very little) and provide the base for many meals!

For example, this month our family will have Cinnamon Chicken Salad, Stir Fry, Tacos, and Pot Pie. I could also decide last-minute to make Chicken and Dumplings or Chicken and Rice soup in a pinch!

If you are just visiting looking for meal planning today, may I invite you to stay awhile and check out all the other categories designed to encourage you in your life? 

Welcome. (you can meet me over here!)

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8 Comments

  1. The Kroger where I live marks down the ready-to-eat chicken all the time–about $2.99. I pick them up and freeze them. Sometimes I bone them to make a chicken salad. They also mark down the milk quite often. I get the skim and freeze it. It works out just fine. I freeze the others, too, but some might not like them as much due the fat not freezing as well. I just love your idea of making broth! I had never even considered it. Thanks, again!

    Joyfully,
    Jackie
    My Attempt at Blogging

    1. Thanks! That is a smokin’ deal for chicken! I have never tried to freeze milk, but I like the idea. We get fat free always…sometimes it is actually on sale and I know will pick some up. Do you open it first to let some out (and a small amount of expansion room) or just as is?

  2. I freeze it as is and it works great. I try to stand it up in the freezer, but sometimes lay it down and never have problems.

    If anyone freezes the other (higher fat content) just be sure to shake well to try to remix it. Guess you could strain out the fat and use the other as fat free. Would work great in baking too.

    Sometimes I get the marked down milk between 75-89 cents for a half gallon and $1.99 for a gallon. My family is a huge milk drinking family (husband and daughter). I live out in the country and the small town milk is way too expensive, so I buy a couple of gallons when I’m in town and ALWAYS buy the marked down milk so I have some on hand when I’m out.

    Joyfully,
    Jackie

    1. Thanks for taking a look Julie, if you need more ideas, check out my post from this week about Simplifying dinner.

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