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We shared this years ago as I got ready for a new baby, but it’s always the perfect time to bring this back out and get the freezer stocked! As you head into “the busiest time of the year” consider having dinner handled weeks ahead!! In one day you can knock out all the cooking for the next month!
These freezer cooking recipes all use common ingredients to cut down on cost and time. These are all freezer beef and chicken meals, but in the future I plan to share other kinds of meals.
If you are new to freezer cooking, let take some of the stress off and share a few tips with you. You can see my freezer cooking day and learn some tips in the video below:
Ready to get started stocking your freezer? I’ve put all the recipes below that we made. To make this super simple for you I’ve made a few printables to help out:
- Printable Shopping List – everything you need to make 23 meals! Don’t feel the need to buy this all at one time, this will help you shop from your pantry too.
- Printable Labels for Meals – cooking instructions and details all ready for you. Print on labels or just cut them out and tape on.
- Printable Recipes – a copy of what is below, just more handy.
From now on, once a month I plan to share ideas to stock your freezer. Stay tuned in the new year for more tips to stock your freezer!
Stock the Freezer: Freezer Beef and Chicken Meals
Chicken Pot Pie
(makes 5 pies)
3 sticks butter
6 medium onions, diced
salt and pepper to taste
9 cups frozen peas and carrots
2 1/4 cups flour
12 cups chicken stock (3 32 oz cartons)
6 cups cooked and shredded chicken
3/4 cup heavy cream
10 pie crusts (for bottom and top crusts; you’ll only need 5 if you want just top crusts)
1. In a stockpot, melt the butter over medium heat and add the onions, salt, and pepper. Cook until the onions are translucent, about 7 minutes. Add the peas and carrots and cook until heated through.
2. Sprinkle in the flour over the vegetable mixture and cook, stirring continuously, until the flour has turned a blonde color, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the chicken stock and continue whisking until the mixture is completely smooth. Allow to come to a gentle simmer and cook until the mixture has thickened slightly. Stir in the shredded chicken and heavy cream.
3. If you’re using bottom crusts, press a crust into each of your 5 pie pans (I used disposable). Ladle the chicken mixture evenly between the pans and top with the remaining crusts. Press the bottom and top crusts together at the edges and crimp.
4. Allow to cool before covering with foil, labeling, and placing in the freezer (it might be easiest to freeze your pot pies on cooking sheets so they don’t spill out).
To cook: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut 4 small slits in the top crust of your pie to allow for ventilation. Bake on a cookie sheet for 50-60 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly. If your crust begins to get too brown before the filling is ready, you can cover the whole pie in foil.
Shepherd’s Pie
(makes 3 pans)
3 tbsp olive oil
3 cups frozen peas and carrots
3 cups diced onion
salt & black pepper
3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 ½ cups ketchup
3 lbs cooked, ground beef
3 sticks unsalted butter
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
6 cups low sodium chicken broth
2 bags russet potatoes
2 cups milk (may need more or less)
1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the peas, carrots, and onion and cook until vegetables are tender, about 8 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce and ketchup and heat through. Add the ground beef to the mixture and stir.
2. While the vegetables are cooking, make the gravy. In a saucepan over medium low heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and cook until the flour is a blonde color (about 1 minute). Whisk in the broth in small increments until smooth and allow to cook until slightly thicker (about 4 minutes) while continuously whisking. Add the gravy to the meat mixture.
3. To make the topping, peel the potatoes and cut into chunks. Add them to a saucepan and cover with water. Boil until tender. Drain completely and mash with a potato masher. Add the milk and mash until your desired consistency is reached.
4. Add the meat mixture to the bottom of a casserole pan (I used disposable). Add the mashed potatoes on top of the meat mixture and be sure that they are even and that all holes are sealed. Cool, cover, and freeze.
To cook: Thaw in refrigerator overnight. Cook in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes or until heated through and slightly bubbly.
Chicken Enchiladas
(makes 3 pans)
3 tbsp olive oil
3 onions, diced
3 bell peppers, diced
3 jalapenos, diced (optional)
3 cups frozen corn kernels
3 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
6 cups cooked and shredded chicken
salt and pepper
2 tbsp ground cumin
1 block cream cheese, cut into cubes
6 cups shredded cheese, divided
3 jars salsa
24 large tortillas
1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions, bell peppers, and jalapenos and cook until soft, about 8 minutes. Stir in the corn and black beans and heat through.
2. Add the cooked chicken, along with the salt, pepper, and cumin. Stir in the cream cheese and 3 cups of the shredded cheese. Keep stirring until everything is melted and well combined.
3. Add a half a jar of salsa to the bottom of each casserole pan (I used disposable) and spread around (this helps prevent sticking on the bottom). Fill a tortilla with approximately 4 tablespoons of the chicken mixture, roll tightly, and place in the pan. Repeat with the remaining tortillas until you have 8 rolled tortillas in each pan (24 total).
4. Top the enchiladas with the remaining salsa (about 1/2 a jar for each pan). Add the remaining cheese to the top (about 1 cup for each pan). Cool, cover, and freeze.
To cook: Thaw in refrigerator overnight. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cook covered for about 25 minutes and then cook uncovered for an additional 10 minutes, until the filling is bubbly and the cheese has melted.
Creamy Baked Penne
(makes 3 pans)
2 sticks butter
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups heavy cream
salt and pepper
4 cups grated parmesan cheese, divided
6 cups cooked and shredded chicken
2 1/2 boxes penne pasta, cooked al dente
3 cups frozen peas
3 cups chopped broccoli
1. In a stockpot, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the garlic cloves and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the heavy cream along with the salt and pepper and allow to come to a gentle simmer. Cook until slightly thickened and reduced, about 5 minutes.
2. Stir in 2 cups of the grated Parmesan and stir continuously until the cheese has melted and everything is smooth. Add the cooked chicken and stir. Add the pasta along with the peas and broccoli and stir until everything is well coated with the sauce and evenly distributed.
3. Divide the pasta mixture between 3 casserole pans (I used disposable). Sprinkle the tops with the remaining parmesan. Cool, cover, and freeze.
To cook: Thaw in refrigerator overnight. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook covered for about 25 minutes and then uncovered for an additional 10 minutes, or until everything is bubbly and the cheese has melted.
Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff
(makes 3 meals)
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 1/2 cups chicken broth
3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
3 tbsp onion powder
3 tbsp dried parsley
1 1/2 tbsp dried thyme
3/4 cup flour
salt and pepper
3 lbs cooked ground beef
3 cups white mushrooms, cleaned and diced
1 1/2 blocks cream cheese (divided and to be added during cooking)
3 cups sour cream (divided and to be added during cooking)
egg noodles (for serving)
1. Whisk together garlic, broth, Worcestershire sauce, onion powder, parsley, thyme, flour, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
2. Add 1 pound of the ground beef and 1 cup of the mushrooms to a large freezer bag and repeat with 2 more freezer bags (3 total). Divide the broth mixture evenly between the bags. Seal tightly and freeze.
To cook: Thaw freezer bag in refrigerator overnight. Add contents to slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours. In the last 30 minutes of cooking, add the cream cheese (1/2 of 1 block). Stir and break up after 15 minutes and cook for 15 more minutes. Stir in the sour cream (1 cup) and heat through. Serve over egg noodles.
Tip: Remember that the ingredients listed are for 3 meals, so you’ll have to divide each listing by 3 for it to make sense in each recipe.
Slow Cooker Corn & Potato Chowder
(makes 3 meals)
15 cups diced red potatoes
3/4 cup flour
3 cups diced onion
3 packages frozen corn kernels
18 cups chicken stock
6 tbsp Italian seasoning
salt and pepper
3 cups heavy cream (divided and to be added during cooking)
bacon, cooked and crumbled (for serving)
1. Toss the potatoes with the flour and divide between 3 freezer bags. Divide the rest of the ingredients by 3 and add to the freezer bags (1 cup of diced onion in each bag, 1 package of corn in each bag, etc.). Seal tightly and freeze.
To cook: Thaw freezer bag in refrigerator overnight. Add contents and 6 cups of chicken broth to slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Stir in the heavy cream (1 cup) in the last 30 minutes of cooking. Serve with crumbled bacon.
Tip: If you’d rather simply store your stock in your pantry, you can freeze all the ingredients except that in your freezer bag and add the stock when you’re ready to cook. Also, remember that the ingredients listed are for 3 meals, so you’ll have to divide each listing by 3 for it to make sense in each recipe.
Slow Cooker Chili
(makes 3 meals)
3 lbs cooked ground beef
3 onions, diced
3 bell peppers, diced
3 jalapenos, diced (optional)
3 garlic cloves, minced
9 tbsp chili powder
6 tbsp ground cumin
salt and pepper
3 28 oz cans diced tomatoes
3 cans tomato sauce
3 cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
3 cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1. Divide all ingredients into 3 freezer bags and shake to combine. Seal tightly and freeze.
To cook: Thaw freezer bag in refrigerator overnight. Add contents to slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
I also had 3 cans of pasta sauce and 3 cans of tomatoes that I threw into bags with the extra hamburger for spaghetti sauce. Go ahead and also mince a garlic clove in there too.
