How to Freeze Cooked Chicken Dishes Without Drying Them Out

Nothing is sadder than thawing a meal prep container of chicken only to find the meat tastes like dry cotton. If you want to freeze cooked chicken successfully, moisture is your best friend.

The Secret: Add Liquid

Freezers act like dehydrators. They pull moisture out of food.

• Shredded Chicken: Store it in a little bit of its own cooking broth or sauce. The liquid acts as a buffer against the cold air.
• Sliced Chicken: If freezing dry slices, coat them lightly in olive oil or sauce before freezing.

Cool Completely

We cannot stress this enough: putting hot chicken in a sealed container creates steam. That steam turns into ice crystals. Those crystals destroy the texture of the meat.

• Let the chicken cool to room temperature before sealing the lid.

Reheating without Drying

When you reheat frozen chicken:

• Microwave: Sprinkle a teaspoon of water over the chicken and cover loosely with a damp paper towel to steam it back to life.
• Stove: Reheat gently in a pan with a splash of broth.

With a little extra moisture, your meal prep chicken freezer stash will taste freshly cooked every time.