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Love, Jaime

LoveJaime.com - Asheville NC blogger, DIY, crafts, parenting, fitness, food, LIFEstyle blog by Jaime McKee

Pre-cooking chicken for the week = winning at meal planning

This post may include affiliate links and I may earn commission if you make a purchase through these links.

A few years ago, my husband found a recipe for pre-cooking chicken for various recipes. The pre-cooked chicken recipe (and it’s additional recipes) was glued onto an index card that inconveniently slid in a crack behind our cabinet more than two years ago. We’ve never been able to retrieve it. It was such a great tool, though, and we luckily mostly remembered which recipes we loved the most and jotted those down to the best of our recollection.

Pre-cooking chicken makes meals so much easier. Same with pre-cutting vegetables you may need. I have no time or patience at the end of a long day to prepare an extravagant meal – sometimes frozen pizza is a chore.

Also, I am not a huge fan of buying pre-cooked chicken. I don’t know why it bothers me. I guess I want the option to pre-cook it, if I choose. I’m also selective of the meat that our family buys. Sometimes this may cost a little more, but I realized this month that Harvestland isn’t going to make my family broke by eating organic chicken. Harvestland chickens are USDA-certified organic chickens. They are fed all-vegetarian diets with no animal by-products, raised cage-free, and are never given any antibiotics. That makes me feel even better about what I’m feeding my family.

Now let’s get on with a few of our meals….

Three recipes for pre-cooked chicken - and a recipe for how to pre-cook your chicken! #MomsMeet #chicken #recipes

First, pre-cook your chicken:

  • Coat your boneless, skinless chicken breasts in olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in a baking pan.
  • Cook for 10 minutes on 500 degrees. Turn the chicken over. Cook for another 10 minutes.
  • Store your chicken for that week’s meals.

We did this last week and managed to make barbecue chicken pizza, chicken fajitas, and penne pasta with chicken and spinach. Another recipe that I make with pre-cooked chicken is burrito bowls. They’re SO simple and delicious! 

The barbecue chicken pizza was one of the best we’ve ever had. We normally do individual pizzas on pita bread, but my husband found whole wheat crust (Archer Farms brand) at Target to try. They were perfect.

The best barbecue chicken pizza you'll ever make. Made with pre-cooked chicken. Recipe included on pre-cooking your chicken, saving valuable time! #MomsMeet #chicken #recipes

Barbecue Chicken Pizza

1 pizza crust
Barbecue sauce of your choice
Oregano
Mozzarella cheese (we used cheddar this time)
pre-cooked chicken, chopped
Chopped onions (optional)

Coat your pizza crust with the barbecue sauce. Sprinkle cheese over the sauce, along with oregano and the chopped chicken. Bake at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes.

Now, another night we decided on chicken fajitas. They aren’t the prettiest foods around, but they’re so good. My son even likes the chicken.

Chicken fajitas made with pre-cooked chicken. (Recipe included for pre-cooking chicken.) #MomsMeet #recipes #chicken

Chicken Fajitas

Pre-cooked chicken
1 red bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
1 small onion
Cajun seasoning
Sour cream and/or cheese (both of which are optional)
Tortillas (we went with whole wheat)

Chop your peppers and onion, and cook on a medium heat until they’re tender. Add the chicken. Sprinkle with cajun seasoning to taste. (I usually go with about a teaspoon. Not everyone in my family is a fan of spicy foods.)

Penne pasta with “pesto” spinach

1 box whole wheat penne pasta
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (I chopped mine so you couldn’t even see they were walnuts!)
Spinach – I used an entire container of spinach.
1-2 cloves of garlic
Pre-cooked chicken, chopped

Saute the spinach, garlic and chopped walnuts. Add the chicken when the spinach is sauteed. Cook for 5-10 minutes, or until the chicken is heated thoroughly. Add to the pasta. Top with mozzarella or parmesan cheese, if you desire.

And for any of my vegetarian friends, this pasta dish is really good without meat. Trust me on this.

The HARVESTLAND® product line includes fresh chicken, turkey, and pork products, as well as a variety of fully-cooked refrigerated, frozen, and deli meats. We obviously stuck with chicken for this review. I also have a super easy slow cooker recipe for a whole chicken, that I hope to share within the next week. It takes just minutes to prepare and the results are amazing.

Learn more about Harvestland through their various channels:  facebook | twitter | pinterest | instagram

I received this product for free from the sponsor of the Moms Meet program, May Media Group LLC, who received it directly from the manufacturer. As a Moms Meet blogger, I agree to use this product and post my opinion on my blog. My opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of May Media Group LLC or the manufacturer of this product.

January 26, 2015 6:00 am Jaime 35 Comments Filed Under: food, menu planning

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Robin (Masshole Mommy) says

    January 26, 2015 at 9:45 am

    I want some of that BBQ chicken pizza. That’s my favorite and yours sounds AWESOME.

    Reply
  2. Kristen from The Road to Domestication says

    January 26, 2015 at 10:54 am

    It all looks delicious! That’s sad about the recipe card, though. That would agitate me LOL

    Reply
  3. Julie @ Running in a Skirt says

    January 26, 2015 at 11:09 am

    I don’t eat chicken, but if I did, I would be doing the same thing. These are such great ideas!

    Reply
    • Jaime says

      January 26, 2015 at 11:11 am

      I totally thought about you when I was editing this last night. 😉 Check out the penne pasta recipe with the spinach and crushed walnuts. It’s so good! And you don’t have to add chicken.

      Reply
  4. Rena McDaniel says

    January 26, 2015 at 12:40 pm

    I found this so funny because it is actually what I am doing today. I am making homemade chicken pot pie which is so easy as it’s chicken, mixed vegetables a jar of chicken gravy and stove top stuffing but I am also cooking some for a recipe that I have been wanting to try later this week. Great minds think alike.

    Reply
  5. Donna Ward says

    January 26, 2015 at 2:10 pm

    Great recipes and ideas – I’l be saving – I usually cook extra check during the meal to use for a few of these recipes! 🙂

    Reply
  6. TiaMaria says

    January 26, 2015 at 2:30 pm

    I love cooking large batches of chicken in my crockpot, and then using it for quick meals like pasta dishes or casseroles. Since it’s just my fiance and I, one batch can go a LONG way!

    Reply
  7. Maureen @ A Debt Free Stress Free Life says

    January 26, 2015 at 3:56 pm

    I use that brand chicken too and really love that it’s organic. Precooking and having it all ready seems like a smart thing to do.

    Reply
  8. Lesley says

    January 26, 2015 at 4:16 pm

    I do my best to stretch our chicken as far as I can. I buy the better chicken, like you, so we have to make it go a lot further. When it is on sale I like to stock the freezer.

    Reply
  9. Liz Mays says

    January 26, 2015 at 4:37 pm

    Mmm chicken fajitas sound so good right now. Barbeque chicken pizza is a new favorite of mine too.

    Reply
  10. aimee fauci says

    January 26, 2015 at 4:51 pm

    This looks and sound fantastic and I agree with you about the pre cooked chicken.

    Reply
  11. Nikol Murphy says

    January 26, 2015 at 5:03 pm

    I love this idea and I really can’t believe I have never heard or thought about it. I have heard about getting a full chicken and just cooking it for the week. I hate raw chicken, by think I’ll try this out. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Jaime says

      January 26, 2015 at 9:24 pm

      I have a whole chicken already prepped in the slow cooker (and in my fridge overnight) for tomorrow’s dinner. I’m not a fan of raw chicken, usually. But I hate buying pre-cooked chicken. I’m strange. (True story: When I was pregnant, I had an aversion to chicken that was prepared in our house.)

      Reply
  12. Ourfamilyworld (@OurFamilyWorld) says

    January 26, 2015 at 7:42 pm

    Pre cooking saves a lot of time and you eat healthier. Those chicken fajiats look delicious. I want some

    Reply
  13. Pam says

    January 26, 2015 at 7:48 pm

    I love having pre-cooked chicken around the house. It makes it so easy to toss together a meal when I don’t feel like cooking! My go to is chicken salad, but chicken wraps or tacos are great too.

    Reply
  14. Jeanine says

    January 26, 2015 at 8:09 pm

    That pizza looks delish! What a great idea. I need to do this what a really great and efficient idea!

    Reply
  15. Lois Alter Mark says

    January 26, 2015 at 8:55 pm

    I always buy pre-cooked because I am not a cook! That barbecue chicken pizza looks amazing!

    Reply
  16. Tracie says

    January 26, 2015 at 9:46 pm

    I’ve never tried pre-cooking chicken like this. But it makes good sense that it would help to save a lot of time.

    Reply
  17. Kay Adeola says

    January 27, 2015 at 5:49 am

    Chicken pizza would be a big hit in this house my kids love anything like that,Its perfect when it is home made too.

    Reply
  18. Heather D. (@GirlGoneMom) says

    January 27, 2015 at 8:37 am

    There are a few dishes I will actually pre-cook chicken for for different meals. I love when I actually leftovers on hand so I don’t have to do that!

    Reply
  19. The Mid-Atlantic Foodie says

    January 27, 2015 at 11:21 am

    You can never go wrong with BBQ chicken pizza. It’s almost always perfect, as are chicken fajitas. I like you can’t stand pre-cooked chicken. There’s something about it that just isn’t right… Of course with 4 children I’ll use it in a pinch, but I have to be in a serious bind. Hahaha.

    Reply
  20. coolchillmom says

    January 27, 2015 at 12:59 pm

    I will definitely give your chicken BBQ pizza recipe good use! You have great chicken recipes here! thanks for sharing

    Reply
  21. Chrystal @ YUM eating says

    January 27, 2015 at 2:12 pm

    Chicken is a hit around here. We buy whole chickens from the farmers and then I roast it. We’ll eat roasted chicken , then the rest of the chicken goes for other meals. Then, I’ll boil the bones and fat/skin for homemade chicken stock. I always get as much as I can out of the food I buy.

    Reply
  22. Angela says

    January 27, 2015 at 2:19 pm

    Great idea! I like cooking meals ahead. In fact, I spent the whole morning making freezer meals.

    Reply
  23. Tough Cookie Mommy says

    January 27, 2015 at 5:34 pm

    This looks so good. Pizza and chicken are my favorite foods so this is truly a food match made in heaven.

    Reply
  24. Rosey says

    January 27, 2015 at 9:10 pm

    I buy pre-cooked chicken once in a blue moon. Like you though, I’d much rather get it fresh, my pick.

    Reply
  25. Mama to 5 BLessings says

    January 27, 2015 at 10:53 pm

    What great options. I so need to do this, my weeks tend to get so busy – make in bulk and re-use in different recipes. Great idea!

    Reply
  26. Marielle Altenor says

    January 28, 2015 at 12:00 am

    I so need to start meal planning. Those recipe ideas are very simple and easy to make. It would save on time and on money for sure! Love it!

    Reply
  27. Jason says

    January 28, 2015 at 6:36 am

    There’s a paleo book, Well Fed, as well as a blog, that has a lot of precooked meat ideas. She uses chicken and ground beef and mixes other vegetables and spices to make different types of meals. I bet you can find it down at Mom’s. 🙂

    Reply
  28. Chrissy Mazzocchi says

    January 28, 2015 at 11:23 am

    This is a great idea, I’ve thrown away meat this week too because I didn’t use it in time.

    Reply
  29. Babita says

    January 28, 2015 at 1:54 pm

    I pre-cook chicken in the oven and freeze it. I like using them in salads and wrap. Of course the favorite in our house is the Fajita.

    Reply
  30. Krystal says

    January 28, 2015 at 3:43 pm

    That is such a smart idea. I am trying to get better about meal planning!

    Reply
  31. LaVerne Reese says

    October 12, 2018 at 11:11 am

    Do you cover the chicken when you put it in the oven?

    Reply
    • Jaime says

      October 12, 2018 at 11:14 am

      I don’t. And depending on how thick the chicken breasts are, the chicken may not be 100% cooked, but I’m cooking it in other recipes later in the week.

      Reply
  32. Polly says

    March 24, 2019 at 3:21 pm

    Jaime, thank you for sharing this! I have made this so many times. Everyone that tries it, loves it!

    Reply

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About Jaime

I’m Jaime – an Asheville, NC mom, blogger and owner of LoveJaime.com. I have many roles as a wife, mom, runner, crafter and friend. I manage a website and social media for my alma mater by day, and this site by night and weekends. LoveJaime.com is a mixture of tips and stories relating to family, fitness, recipes, crafts and life in general. I love to create, write and share content that others can relate to.

Disclosure

Jaime McKee/LoveJaime.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.


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