The easiest freezer meal in my repertoire? Teriyaki Chicken Thighs! No dinner could be easier on the cook. Just throw some boneless thighs and some teriyaki ingredients into a zip-lock bag, and POOF — you’re done! Here’s the printable recipe:
The following recipe is from my “Three Easy Freezer Meals” video that was published on YouTube. As shown in the video, I serve this gorgeous main course on a bed of hot, cooked rice, along with a garnish of sesame seeds and rounds of thinly-sliced scallion or green onion. DELICIOUS!
Freezer Meal: Teriyaki Chicken Thighs
As this savory-sweet dinner thaws in the refrigerator, the chicken marinates to perfection.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 4 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
- 1/4 cup (60ml) extra-virgin olive oil (or the oil of your choice)
- 2 generous tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/4 cup (60ml) Tamari sauce
- Grinds of black pepper
- 1 teaspoon (or more, to taste) minced garlic or garlic paste
For serving:
- Hot, cooked rice
- Sesame seeds and rounds of thinly-sliced scallion or green onion
Instructions
- Put the chicken and all of the marinade ingredients into a zip-lock bag. Seal the bag, and then massage it to mix the ingredients and to coat the chicken. Freeze for up to 3 months.
- Prior to baking, transfer the bag to the refrigerator to thaw overnight. As thawing occurs, the chicken will become perfectly marinated.
- To bake, preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Pour the contents of the bag into a baking dish that is just large enough to hold the chicken and its marinade. Bake until the chicken achieves 165°F (74°C) when tested with a thermometer.
- To serve, put the chicken on a bed of hot, cooked rice, and garnish with the sauce, a sprinkling of sesame seeds, and rounds of thinly-sliced green onion or scallion.
Raine D. says
These look wonderful, Kevin. Thanks for the recipe! I love having a pile of quick meals in my freezer, ready to go. I make big pots of mushroom & beef stew & various soups (Tuscan bean & Turkish red lentil are our favorites at the moment) as well as huge batches of General Tso chicken and chicken souvlaki & rice in the Instant Pot, then freeze them in Ziplock bags. If you freeze them flat on a cookie sheet, they stack easily & save space. They make busy days a little easier.
I also make chicken cutlets by pounding half breasts flat, dipping them in Greek yogurt & breading them with seasoned panko crumbs, then freezing them (raw) on a cookie sheet. They thaw in no time flat but even if you forget to take them out of the freezer ahead of time they cook frozen in 15-18 minutes (keep an eye on them so you don’t over-cook them). Whip up a mushroom gravy while they’re in the oven & serve with steamed broccoli or other greens & you’ve got a fabulous meal in well under 30 minutes.
Bonnie Ward-Knight says
Loved this. I used bone in thighs, as that was on hand. Baked a little longer, a little lower heat. Delicious!
thank you
Erin says
Can we put the thighs in the freezer bag frozen with all the ingredients?