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I frequently purchase skinless, boneless chicken breast three to a package and use one for each of three meals. Chicken pot pie, chicken salad, and a pasta dish to be spread out over about 10 days. I like to cook them all at once and then make pot pie with one and chicken salad for another meal. Then I freeze the 3rd cooked breast for the pasta dish. I do this for less mess in the kitchen, time spent in the kitchen and general convenience.
A neighbor saw me the other day and said I would have a healthier chicken meal if I cooked one breast for this immediate meal and froze the other breasts and prepared each one as I needed it. The meat would be fresher and tastier. Besides the fact that my neighbor is nosy -it really didn't bother me as we trade cooking tips all the time- it got me wondering. Would the chicken be fresher if I froze it and then cooked it or does it matter if I cook first and freeze and then warm it for that night's meal?
To me either way is fine. I think that the texture of the frozen meat you make for your pasta dish might be a little different, but no less healthy. Do what works for you.
Frozen meat seems dry to me so I would rather buy fresh and use it as you do. One exception is the organic flash frozen chicken breasts Costco carries which is fairly good. Since we can't flash freeze at home, and if you have to store it, why not buy it frozen and use as needed? The Costco organic chicken breasts are not cheap but since I don't use it much I don't mind the splurge for something that good. Also, for a quick thaw, just place it on a cookie sheet as it will draw the cold away from the product.
Depends on why you cook that way. If you are trying to save money, energy, and time, you can't beat the way you do it right now.
Personally, I take it a step further. I would never make one pot pie, I would do 3 or 6 and freeze them. But I prefer cooking in bulk. I'm always looking for dishes that freeze well. Same thing with the pasta sauce. I would make enough for a few meals and freeze individual portions so all I had to do was cook a few noodles.
For all of the above reasons plus one big one. Temptation. If I know I have to go home and cook for an hour or more I might just stop for fast food. Now if I know dinner is pretty much done and all I have to do it stick it in the oven or microwave, I'm happy!
I think will continue the way I do it. I actually just cooked the veggies for my pot pie, then the sauce and then the 3 chicken breasts using only 1 pan and wiping it out with paper towels between each cooking. I now have a little mess to clean up where if I cooked each meal separately I would have 3 (at least) messes and would end up washing the pan three different times. It is not so much the money I'm concerned with but the time, energy and kitchen cleaning.
And yellow snow you are so right about temptation. I know I have the chicken and veggies already cooked and waiting for me in the fridge or freezer and my meal will be ready in no time. I won't be tempted to either bring home junk, go out to eat or fix something not as tasty or healthy.
Healthier? NAHH!!! The only problem would be the drying effects of freezing after cooking.
When I place cooked meat in freezer I wrap when still warm in foil then wrap in plastic wrap then put into freezer bags.
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