Dietitian Freezer Prep: Five Chicken Marinades

Ingredients

• 2 lb Chicken breast or thighs (Persian saffron marinade; cut into bite-sized pieces)
• 1 Onion (Small, chopped)
• 0.5 cup Greek yogurt
• 2 tbsp Mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp Lemon juice (Persian saffron marinade)
• 0.25 tsp Ground saffron (The source also says ground saffron without a measurement)
• 1.5 tsp Salt (Persian saffron marinade)
• 0.5 tsp Black pepper (Persian saffron marinade)
• 2 lb Chicken breast or thighs (Honey chipotle marinade; cut into bite-sized pieces)
• 3 cloves Garlic
• 1 tsp Dried oregano (Honey chipotle marinade)
• 1 tsp Ground cumin (Honey chipotle marinade)
• 2 peppers Chipotle peppers in adobo (Plus 1 tbsp adobo sauce)
• 1 tbsp Adobo sauce (From the chipotle peppers)
• 2 tbsp Honey (Honey chipotle marinade)
• 2 tbsp Olive oil (Honey chipotle marinade)
• 1 lime Lime juice (Juice of 1 lime)
• 1.5 tsp Salt (Honey chipotle marinade)
• 0.5 tsp Black pepper (Honey chipotle marinade)
• 2 lb Chicken breast or thighs (Honey balsamic marinade; cut into bite-sized pieces)
• 0.25 cup Balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp Olive oil (Honey balsamic marinade)
• 2 tbsp Honey (Honey balsamic marinade)
• 3 cloves Garlic
• 2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1.5 tsp Salt (Honey balsamic marinade)
• 0.5 tsp Black pepper (Honey balsamic marinade)
• 2 lb Chicken breast or thighs (Pesto marinade; cut into bite-sized pieces)
• 2.5 tbsp Homemade pesto (2–3 heaping spoonfuls; premade pesto may also be used)
• 1.5 tbsp Olive oil (Source gives a range of 1–2 tbsp)
• 2 lb Chicken breast or thighs (Honey harissa marinade; cut into bite-sized pieces)
• 2 tbsp Harissa
• 2 tbsp Honey (Honey harissa marinade)
• 2 tbsp Olive oil (Honey harissa marinade)
• 2 tbsp Avocado oil
• 1 lemon Lemon juice (Juice of 1 lemon)
• 1 tbsp Dried oregano (Honey harissa marinade)
• 1 tsp Chili powder (The source specifies 1 tsp each of chili powder, paprika, onion powder, and cumin)
• 1 tsp Paprika (Honey harissa marinade)
• 1 tsp Onion powder (Honey harissa marinade)
• 1 tsp Ground cumin (Honey harissa marinade)
• 1.5 tsp Salt (Honey harissa marinade)
• 0.5 tsp Black pepper (Honey harissa marinade)

Steps

1. 1

   Buy chicken in bulk, cut it into bite-sized pieces, and divide approximately 2 lb (907 g) into each freezer bag.

2. 2

   For the Persian saffron batch, combine the chopped onion, Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, lemon juice, ground saffron, salt, and pepper with one 2-lb portion of chicken.

3. 3

   For the honey chipotle batch, combine the garlic, oregano, cumin, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, honey, olive oil, lime juice, salt, and pepper with one 2-lb portion of chicken.

4. 4

   For the honey balsamic batch, combine the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, honey, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper with one 2-lb portion of chicken.

5. 5

   For the pesto batch, combine the homemade or premade pesto and olive oil with one 2-lb portion of chicken.

6. 6

   For the honey harissa batch, combine the harissa, honey, olive oil, avocado oil, lemon juice, oregano, chili powder, paprika, onion powder, cumin, salt, and pepper with one 2-lb portion of chicken.

7. 7

   Seal each freezer bag, arrange the chicken and marinade in a flat, even layer, and freeze the bags flat for up to 3 months.

8. 8

   The night before cooking, transfer one frozen bag to the refrigerator and thaw it overnight. The chicken marinates as it thaws; cook it at dinnertime. The source does not specify a cooking method, temperature, or cooking time.

Notes

The source says the entire freezer-prep session takes about one hour. Freeze for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the refrigerator. A cooking method, temperature, and cooking time are not provided, so they are intentionally omitted. Each marinade is written for approximately 2 lb of chicken.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• meal prep
• freezer meal
• make-ahead
• chicken
• gluten-free
• high-protein
• dairy-free options