Sun-Dried Tomato Stuffed Chicken Breasts

This is like a summer in Italy wrapped up in a chicken breast. Pull these out of the freezer for an elegant supper in no time...

This recipe makes 16 stuffed chicken breasts.

Ingredients:

• 16 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, pounded to 1/4" thickness
• 16 large fresh basil leaves
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cups chopped sun-dried tomatoes
• 16 ounces ricotta cheese
• 2 teaspoons rosemary
• 2 teaspoons oregano
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Coat one side of each flattened chicken breast with olive oil. Place one basil leaf on the oil-coated side of each breast.
2. In a bowl, combine sun-dried tomatoes, ricotta cheese, rosemary, oregano, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
3. Spoon equal amounts of tomato-ricotta filling on top of the basil leaf side of each chicken breast.
4. Carefully roll the edges of each breast around the basil leaf and filling. Secure with toothpicks if needed.
5. Place in a plastic food container seam side down. Label the container with the recipe title and date.

To serve:
1. Remove desired amount of chicken breasts from the freezer and defrost in the refrigerator.
2. Preheat oven to 375°. Place in a casserole dish seam side down. Brush or drizzle with olive oil. Bake until golden brown and meat is no longer pink, approximately 35-45 minutes.

Southwest Grilled Chicken

This is quick and easy, and still gives you that gourmet grilled taste.

Ingredients:

• 3 lbs chicken
• 1/4 cup oil
• 2 packets taco seasoning

1. Combine all ingredients in a ziploc bag. Smoosh all ingredients together. Squeeze all the air out of bag and seal. Freeze.

2. To serve. Thaw. Grill. Serve. Yep--easy as that!

The Best Chicken Marinade Ever!

I've been using the recipe so long that I don't even remember where it came from. I always have it in my freezer, and the recipe is burned in my mind. You can grill it or broil it--and YUM! In my opinion, it tastes better after its been frozen--the marinade kind of soaks into the meat of the chicken and flavors it as well. It works fine as a marinade that you don't freeze, but the flavor is not as intense. Oh--just a head's up--it darkens the color of the chicken as well...

Ingredients

• 3 lbs chicken (we prefer bone in for this recipe)
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
• 3/4 cup soy sauce (use the low sodium--it doesn't change the taste and it is better for you)
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 tablespoons dry ground mustard
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 3 cloves garlic, pressed
• 2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes

1. Place chicken in a gallon sized ziploc bag. Pour marinade ingredients over chicken. Smoosh together till everything is mixed. Label and freeze.

2. To serve: Thaw. Grill or broil chicken.

*The picture is one full recipe halved. As our kids have grown up and started moving out, we don't need as much. Plus, we have really started trying to follow portion guidelines (3-4 oz meat per meal). So these are quart sized bags with 5-6 bone in chicken thighs.

Sticky Roast Chicken

I know it seems like a duplicate recipe, but please let me tell you--this is a completely different recipe that is absolutely out of this world. I have made this for my freezer swap group on more than one occasion--it is the most popular recipe!

Sticky Roast Chicken

4 lbs chicken, cut into serving pieces
1/3 cup honey
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp paprika
1/8 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced

1. Place chicken pieces in 1-gallon ziploc bag. In medium bowl, mix remaining ingredients and pour over chicken. Seal bag, label, and freeze.

2. To thaw and cook: Thaw chicken and sauce overnight in refrigerator. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place chicken pieces and sauce in 9x13 baking pan; roast for 60 to 75 minutes. To make a sauce from the pan drippings, place pan over medium heat and add 1/2 cup chicken broth; bring to a boil.

Try this recipe. It is totally worth it!

Roast Sticky Chicken

This recipe was one of the first that I found on the internet when I started cooking for the freezer. Actually it all started with a purchase of The 30 Day Gourmet cookbook. Back in the 90's. In a yellow binder. I still have that cookbook, and I've added plenty of recipes to that bright yellow binder.

Anyway, this is one of the first recipes outside of that yellow binder that I tried, and it is definitely a keeper. This is part of Kim Tilley's Chicken Plan, again--from way back in the 90's!

Roast Sticky Chicken

• 4 tsp salt
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp white pepper
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 large roasting chicken - as big as you can find
• 1 cup chopped onion

In a small bowl, thoroughly combine all the spices. Remove giblets from chicken, clean the cavity well and pat dry with paper towels.

Rub the spice mixture into the chicken, both inside and out, making sure it is evenly distributed and down deep into the skin. Place in a resealable plastic bag, seal and refrigerate overnight.

When ready to roast chicken, stuff cavity with onions, and place in a shallow baking pan. Roast, uncovered, at 250 degrees for 5 hours (yes, 250 degrees for 5 hours).

After the first hour, baste chicken occasionally (every half hour or so) with pan juices. The pan juices will start to caramelize on the bottom of pan and the chicken will turn golden brown. If the chicken contains a pop-up thermometer, ignore it. Let chicken rest about 10 minutes before carving.

Notes: This recipe is a great way to roast a large chicken for planned leftovers. It is reminiscent of those rotisserie-style chickens that are so popular now, and it is very easy to make. The meat comes out very moist and flavorful, so it is as good leftover as freshly cooked. Please try it and you will never roast chicken any other way. You need to start this the night before serving.

Update: This one freezes well; take care because the chicken does start to fall apart, especially the legs and wings. It still tastes fantastic! I froze these in Ziplocs, next time I may freeze in a box type container so it doesn't fall apart. The leftovers were great as soup and chicken salad.

You can freeze this both before or after you roast it. I've done it before, and it has worked fine--but not too great for the summer because, even though it is at a lower temperature, it still heats up the kitchen. If you roast it before you freeze it, you can roast several at once. Not only is this recipe great as a main dish, extra chicken in the freezer is a great meal starter.