Ready-To-Go Grilled Chicken

Makes 12 grilled chicken breasts or 24 cutlets

Recipe from The Pioneer Woman Cooks Dinnertime by Ree Drumond

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

When boneless skinless chicken breasts go on sale, buy several packages.  Then, prepare this simple marinade or one of your own marinades.  Let the chicken breasts spend some time in the fridge soaking up all those flavors and then grill.  Serve it up for a crowd or freeze the grilled chicken for salads, sandwiches, tacos, nachos, etc. Or freeze the uncooked chicken right in the marinade for later. Thaw in the fridge and then grill.

12 boneless, skinless chicken breasts**

2 cups olive oil

2 cups lemon juice (about 12 large lemons)

3 heaping Tablespoons Dijon mustard

½ cup honey

1 Tablespoon dried thyme

1 Tablespoon dried oregano

1 Tablespoon Kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 Tablespoon chili powder (optional)

**So that the chicken cooks evenly, I pound chicken breasts with a meat mallet until they are of even thickness.  (You can then cut the breasts in half crossways to make 24 smaller servings, if you wish.)

In a bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey and spices.  Whisk well until combined.  Place the chicken breasts or cutlets in plastic freezer bags.  Cover them with the marinade.  Seal the bags and let them marinate in the fridge for 8 to 12 hours.  Grill the chicken on an outdoor grill on both sides 7 to 10 minutes or until golden brown and completely cooked through.  To prepare them for freezing, let them cool completely, then place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and place them directly in the freezer for 30-45 minutes to “set” the surface.  From there, transfer the grilled chicken breasts into small or large freezer bags. Force as much air out of the bags as possible before freezing.  To reheat, thaw the frozen chicken packets in the fridge for 24-48 hours.  Serve cold in salads, or warm in a skillet, microwave, or oven for various recipes. 

You can also freeze the raw chicken in the marinade to have ready-to-go chicken to thaw (in the fridge) and put on the grill.