Tips & Tricks: How to Prepare, Freeze and Organize Your Own Chicken Breasts

I don't know if you're like me, but I went through the whole prefrozen/storebought chicken fiasco just like any other newlywed thinking it was cheaper and better than buying a package of fresh chicken.

Well let me tell you, I've learned a thing or to in the past few years and freezing your own fresh chicken is SO much better. 

I'll take you through this in some easy steps, highlighting the most important parts. 

Yes, this process does take a little time, but you'll be so glad you did it the next time you're in a hurry and need some chicken for dinner.

1. Purchase a package of fresh chicken from your local grocery store. Chicken breasts are "on sale" at $1.99/lb. or less. This is the best time to buy or stock up. A few weeks ago they were only $1.69/lb. at Smith's. Total steal!
2. Use chicken breasts in the first week or so after purchasing or you'll need to freeze or toss them out.
3. Tools you need: sharp knife, large cutting board, quart-sized plastic zip-lock freezer bags for each chicken breast and a Sharpie.
4. Write the date on each freezer bag and set aside.

5. Take each individual chicken breast and cut all of the excess fat(white nasty) and any other undesirable parts of it off with a sharp knife on your cutting board. (This will save you time when you actually use the chicken.)
6. Place each chicken breast in ziplock bag and squeeze all of the excess air out. Zip shut.

7. Once you're done, organize the chicken by date in a container in your freezer for easy access. (I may or may not store mine in a shoebox...) A plastic container would work great, too.

8. To Thaw: I usually do the cold water method by filling up a bowl of water and placing the bag of chicken in it to thaw. It's fast and convenient since these safe in a plastic bag, but here are a whole slew of other options on how to thaw chicken.

Hope this will work for you as well as it does for me!