You can buy frozen grilled chicken strips at the grocery store, or you can take a few minutes to cook and freeze your own. Save money and enjoy the convenience!
When you keep a stash of frozen cooked chicken on hand, dinner is just a few minutes away. It’s easy to add the cooked protein to your chicken salad, sandwiches, wraps, pizzas, and other recipes calling for cooked chicken.
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You’ve probably seen them before at the supermarket. Produced by Tyson, Perdue, and even Great Value/Walmart, frozen grilled chicken strips are just that: grilled chicken that has been sliced into strips, individually flash frozen, and stored in a ziptop bag.
Since the chicken strips are loose in the bag you can grab as many or as few as you like, making for a very convenient protein to add to your meals.
Note: These are different from Fried Chicken Strips as they are grilled and sliced, but just as tasty.
Why Do This
It’s easy. Cooking and freeing your own grilled chicken strips is super simple, especially when you use the open freeze or “flash freeze” method.
It’s cheaper. Most often cooking at home will save you money. Even more, if you have cooked food already waiting for you, you’re less likely to go out to eat, saving even more money.
Ingredients
You don’t need much to make your own frozen grilled chicken strips. You’ll need:
boneless, skinless chicken – To maximize your savings and beat the commercial product price, buy your chicken on sale. My ALDI regularly sells it for $1.79/lb, sometimes going on sale for as low as $1.29. Watch for sales and snag it at the best price you can.
whatever seasoning you’d like to use – This can be something as simple as a Custom Seasoning Mix or get a little fancier with a marinade, such as this 5-Minute Asian Chicken Marinade Recipe or this easy Mustard Marinade for Chicken.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Preparing the same kind of chicken is easier and cheaper to do yourself.
But, you knew that already, didn’t you?
The method is pretty straightforward. Here’s how:
- Prepare your chicken and cook it on the hot grill. Remove to cool. Chill it in the refrigerator.
- Once the chicken is chilled, slice it thinly.
- Place the chicken strips on a lined baking sheet that fits your freezer. You can use plastic wrap, parchment paper, or a silicone baking mat to line the pan. Freeze until firm, about 1 hour.
- Once frozen solid, package the strips in a plastic, ziptop bag and store in the freezer.
You can make these chicken strips “on purpose” or simply use up leftover chicken in this way.
To serve: simply thaw and serve or reheat if you want cold chicken.
Serving Suggestions
You can use frozen grilled chicken strips in any recipe that calls for cooked chicken, but they are particularly nice to have on hand for quick meals such as sandwiches, salads, and wraps. Consider putting this Chicken Strip Salad on your meal plan soon!
They can be thawed and added to pizza, quesadillas, and even tacos! Think how easy it will be to make a Jalapeno Burn Pizza or Santa Fe Chicken Tacos.
Chicken strips are a great addition to a Snacky Lunch and can even play a part in your Game Day Appetizers with the right sauces alongside.
Other Ways to Freeze Chicken
Freeze a sliced breast in a single package. If you don’t need or want to freeze individual strips, you can simply slice and wrap the cooled chicken breast and store in a labeled ziptop freezer bag.
Maybe you want to enjoy your chicken hot off the grill. That works. Prep the marinade in advance and freeze the uncooked chicken pieces in the marinade. The chicken will marinate as it thaws, and you’ll be more hands-off at cooking time.
More Great Chicken Recipes
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How to Make Frozen Grilled Chicken Strips
Equipment
- chef's knife
- cutting board
- heavy duty sheet pan
- parchment paper
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 2 tablespoon Basic Spice Blend or other favorite seasoning
Instructions
- Heat the outdoor grill. Season the chicken pieces to taste with the spice blend.1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, 2 tablespoon Basic Spice Blend
- Cook the chicken on the hot grill until an internal temperature of 155 degrees is reached. Tent with foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes. The internal temperature should rise to 165 while resting.
- Chill the chicken in the refrigerator until cold, about 1 hour. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Slice the chicken into thin strips and place them in a single layer on the prepared tray. Place the tray in the freezer and freeze until firm, about 1 hour.
- Once frozen solid, package the strips in a plastic ziptop freezer bag and store in the freezer. To use, remove however many strips you want from the bag and use in your recipes.
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published on October 30, 2013 as part of the DIY Convenience Foods series. It has been updated for content and clarity.
Kathy
I love to do this as well. I cook my chicken in the instant pot with 1 cup broth or water, layer 4-5 breasts or tenderloins, sprinkle with salt, pepper and poultry seasoning. I usually add a rack and try to do two layers. Cook for 10 min and natural release for 10 minutes. Cool, slice and freeze.
Jessica Fisher
Sounds delicious!
Ayla
How long can I keep this in the freezer?
Jessica Fisher
I’d recommend using it up in 4 to 6 weeks for best texture.
Amber
Just curious, what is the importance of this step: “Place the chicken strips on a plastic-lined sheet that fits your freezer. Freeze until firm” is there a reason not to just throw them in a bag to freeze? Thanks for the help!
Jessica Fisher
In this way, you don’t have to use all the chicken strips at once, but can pull out what you need as you need it. If you know you’re going to use the whole batch, feel free to just throw them in the bag and freeze.
Tina
Hi,
What are those gorgeous little purple crescent moons on that salad? Are they figs? Thanks!
Tina
Jessica Fisher
Those are slices of watermelon radish.
Traci Westerhout
Seriously, so simple, and brilliant. No preservatives, no fillers, genius. I do this with my bananas, why not my chicken strips. Insert hand to forehead. Why didn’t I think of it. I’m always looking for ways to make simple healthy meals for my family of 4.
Jessica Fisher
Careful now. It takes a little effort, so that’s why. 🙂
Kathy
I like the looks of the boneless breasts you prepared for the oven. Could you provide a general recipe? thanks!
judith
Yes, what’s your general recipe? It looks delicious!
Jessica Fisher
I posted the recipe just now in a comment. 🙂
Jessica Fisher
It’s kinda boring, mainly because I want the chicken seasoned but not necessarily “flavored”. That way I can use it in recipes without worrying about competing flavors.
Season generously with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Layer on sliced lemons. I peeled onion layers and added those on top. Bake at 375 for 20 to 30 minutes until done. 🙂
Cecee
This is one of those things that is so simple and easy you cant believe you didn’t think to do it yourself. We eat a lot, a bunch, no a ton of chicken in our house and I’m always trying to think of creative ways to use the leftovers. This is PERFECT for when my creative juices aren’t flowing. Its also perfect for when I’m working nights and the hubby needs a quick meal for one. A true genius thought.
Jessica Fisher
I love those aha moments. Thanks for the great feedback!