Kitchen Hack (noun):  Refers to a shortcut found in the kitchen.  A tip or a technique that makes one’s life easier, specifically when it comes to organizing or preparing a meal.

When I consider making a recipe, I usually do a mental “To Do” list.  The larger the number of steps, the less likely I am to make it.  It’s just how I am.  I’m always on the lookout for ways to reduce the number of steps.  Example: if a recipe calls for cooked chicken, I like to use chicken I’ve already coked instead of cooking chicken for just that recipe.

Enter making chicken in bulk and storing it in the freezer.  My preferred way to do this is in the slow cooker.  I’ll do several pounds of chicken and shred it or cut it into diced pieces.  Then I freeze in smaller portions to grab for future meals.  It makes meals come together much quicker!

Use this chicken in all kinds of recipes, such as:

• Chicken Alfredo Veggie Bake
• Chicken Noodle Soup (Slow Cooker!)
• Chicken Tetrazzinni (Freezer Friendly!)
• Chicken Pot Pie (Freezer Friendly!)
• Chicken, Cheese & Green Chile Enchiladas (Freezer Friendly!)

This is an especially great way to prepare chicken if you order from Zaycon!

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Making Shredded Chicken in a Slow Cooker

Ingredients

• 4 pounds chicken
• Seasoning (salt, pepper, garlic powder is what I use)
• Dash of water or chicken broth

Instructions

• Put thawed chicken in the bottom of a slow cooker, in a single layer if possible.
• Sprinkle the chicken with the seasonings. Flip over and sprinkle the other side.
• Put a dash of water or chicken broth in the slow cooker. Maybe just a couple of tablespoons.
• Put the lid on and cook on low for 6-8 hours. I like it on the “barely done” side especially since I’m going to be re-cooking the meat later once I add it to a recipe.
• You’ll know it’s done when it’s no longer pink in the middle.
• If you’re shredding it, shred it with 2 forks while the chicken is still warm. If you’re dicing it, remove from slow cooker, put on a plate and dice. Sometimes, its easier to cut when it’s cooled down.
• Freeze in smaller portions for later use.

Jayme is a wife to 1 and a mother to three little boys (soon to be 4 next summer!). She coupons, but isn’t super extreme about it. She price matches and loves it! While she likes to cook, she’s in the stage of life where simple is usually better! She never knows how many hands she’ll have free at dinner time! You can find her at No Regrets Living.