how & why I cook chicken for the week all at once

Meal prepping can save you time, money, and frustration. Meal time can roll around fast. Prepping some items at the start of the week can help reduce stress and get meals on the table in about 15 minutes. How great would that be?

You’ll also get 20+ tasty ways to use the chicken…

you can turn that chicken into something new all week long

Quickly pan cook (or grill pan, or use an outdoor grill or Blackstone, or bake chicken to make mealtime easy all week long!

My instructions on How to Cook Chicken for A Week at Once is a must if you’re ever short on time or struggle to eat healthy!

With my easy and flavorful method, you’ll have cooked chicken for lunches and quick dinners all week long!

I’ve never been a big planner, especially when it comes to meals. I didn’t plan out each meal at the beginning of the week to know what we’d have each day. I am the type to typically WING IT…

I always have a stocked fridge, freezer, and pantry. 

So I can make plenty of meals with what I have on hand.

Then one day, I started cooking a week’s worth of chicken at once, and it was a game-changer!

With my simple instructions on How to Cook Enough Chicken for a Week, you’ll have flavorful cooked chicken ready at a moment’s notice.

Not only do I love this for quick and easy dinner recipes throughout the week, but it also gives me healthy lunch options when I’m pressed for time. It’s totally worth a little bit of effort!

This easy method for grilled chicken allows me to have great options for delicious meals all week long, which can be prepared in minutes!

If you wish to have easy meals ready in minutes after an hour or so of prep a week, this post is for YOU!

I really like this method, it help me eat healthy meals, that I can customize how I’d like.

If the weather is hot, I may opt for more salads, and pasta salads, so the meals are cold and have them ready to grab and eat easily.

Before then, I tried to plan meals and have a grasp on what I was making for dinners for the week, but I’ve never been a big planner on that each day as mentioned.

I like to eat what I’m in the mood for more than what I scheduled to make.

With the chicken cooked, I can now whip up many meals quickly.

Other ways to cook a lot of chicken at oncei s to use an INSTANT POT-get all those details here.

Slow cooker chicken

Another option: place the chicken breasts on a sheet pan with rolled edge, cover with foil, or oil the top of the chicken and bake at 350° for about 25-30 minutes until the internal temp reaches 165° (timing will depend on thickness and how crowded the pan is.

Chicken breasts can also be browned first in a cast iron skillet on the stove and then placed in the oven to finish them off. They slice nicely for many recipes.

With a few tools and some chicken, you can have delicious chicken for the whole week, prepared and ready to eat and making meals simpler, saving time and money.

This method of cooking chicken and having it at the ready is the best, trust me, dinner time will become less stressful!

This is what you’ll do:

I heat my cast-iron grill pan and cast-iron press until they’re hot.

I have oil in a squeeze bottle, as it’s easy to add just the right amount I need without overdoing it with a large opening on most oil containers.

I use a silicone brush to spread the oil on the grill pan and in between the grooves, as well as the press, so the chicken won’t stick.

*updated to add that I now often use a 12 inch cast iron skillet and don’t seem to care if the chicken doesn’t have grill marks, the cooking process goes a little quicker as the chicken is sitting on more of the hot pan and the pan is bigger than the grill pan I have, plus the flat pan is way easier to clean up.

I typically purchase a 6lb package of boneless, skinless chicken breasts to prep for the week, sometimes I do 4 lbs, but I rarely prep less, as once I get started, it just easy to make more, and it really does make meal time less stressful!

 We are a family of 4, and that amount of chicken is the amount we eat each week. (we do eat other items too 😊).

  If your family differs from the amount of chicken you will eat, adjust accordingly.

To cook all 6 lbs of chicken on the size grill pan shown it takes me just under 45 minutes.

While I have that going…

I usually cook a pound of pasta, rice, or quinoa so that all week there is food to eat any time of the day, which is really helpful when everyone’s schedules don’t line up.

I fillet each piece of chicken in half.

Use a sharp, thin knife, and carefully slice the chicken in half so it’s thinner.

It makes it easier to cook the chicken evenly, as there is usually one thick end that would usually take a lot longer to cook if it’s left whole.

I place my left hand on top of the chicken breast, and with the knife in my right hand, I slice the chicken breast through the middle, making two even pieces of chicken.

Alternatively, pound the chicken in between two pieces of waxed paper or plastic wrap, using a kitchen mallet pound to make the chicken breasts even.

If the chicken seems tough: 

pound it with a food mallet. It will ensure tender chicken. It seems like the chicken I buy now is tougher than it used to be. So I often pound it as well. Place plastic wrap or waxed paper under and over the chicken and gently pound it evenly, so the fibers loosen.

I place two to three pieces of chicken onto the heated grill pan or frying pan, and turn them after a few minutes, then put the press on top and use a meat thermometer to check the temperature.

I remove the chicken precisely when the temperature is 165 degrees.

This ensures the chicken isn’t overcooked and won’t become dry.

You can easily grill the chicken as well.

Here you’ll see my latest thermometer, it’s a digital instant-read that works GREAT, far better than the one in the photo above, as that one melted easily from the heat, and was made of plastic.

My new one withstands hot temperatures!

Thermapen (my favorite thermometer) click to see it.

It makes a great gift for any foodie or to elevate your cooking to ensure the correct temperature for cooking meat, candy, and more.

 

I place all the cooked chicken on a tray to cool before placing it into containers to go in the fridge.

What do I do with all this chicken?

• 1) I add it to salads for lunch, and I slice and heat it for 30 seconds in the microwave to take the chill off of it from the fridge.
• 2) I make easy after-school snacks for the kids, like chicken and cheese quesadillas or chicken, bean, and cheese burritos.
• 3) Since my kids love mac and cheese, I find it’s great to add chicken to the top as they are heating it, and hopefully add some veggies on top as well.
• 4) With the chicken portion of the meal all prepared, it only takes about 15 minutes to get some great meals on the table. Chicken isn’t the only thing that is great to make ahead, so is rice and pasta.

Then turn the items you prepped into meals,

Here are some favorites:

• Fried rice
• Orange Chicken
• Brown sugar soy chicken… make the sauce and pour it on!
• along with delicious pasta dishes…
• Chicken Alfredo 
• THESE can be on the table in minutes.

Soup is so easy with cooked chicken:

• Chicken Noodle Soup
• Pasta Fagioli Soup
• Blended Chicken Soup

And adding chicken to salads:

• Chicken Caprese Salad
• Thai Peanut Chicken Salad
• Greek Chicken Salad with Tomato Dressing
• Chinese Chicken Salad

With some fresh rolls and your favorite sauce, you can enjoy a delicious sandwich any time of day.

The possibilities are endless for you to have a great meal in minutes.

Here are a few more ideas:

• Chicken Pot Pie,
•  Lemon Risotto with Chicken,
• BBQ Chicken Pasta,
• Chicken and Asparagus Pizza,
• Green Chicken Chili,
• Buffalo Chicken Pasta,
• Newlywed Chicken and Pasta
• Southwest chicken
• Chicken Alfredo Soup
• Chicken Lo Mein

Or how about some curry chicken salad 

What Is The Best Pan to Use to Cook Chicken on the Stove?

I like to use a large cast-iron skillet to cook a large batch of chicken. It cooks the chicken perfectly and is large enough to cook a few pieces at a time. Cast iron skillets are really the best for cooking evenly and getting a nice seared crust on the outside of any meat. I keep some cooking oil in a squeeze bottle and squirt as much as I need into the pan to keep the chicken from sticking.

Can I cook the chicken outside on the grill?

Absolutly, I’m usually cooking so many items as one time, I often cook on a grill pan. But I love cooking on the grill, use whatever method you prefer.

 

How Much Chicken Do I Need to Feed My Family for a Week?

I cook about 6 lbs of chicken breasts for my family of four for the week. If you have a smaller household or maybe some hungry teenagers, you might need to adjust the amount accordingly.

How Long Does it Take to Prep Cooked Chicken for a Week?

From start to finish, it takes me about 45 minutes to prepare a week’s worth of chicken for my family. I filet each chicken breast in half so they’re not as thick as usual. This helps them cook a lot more quickly and evenly. To filet the chicken, I start by placing my left hand on top of the chicken breast.  With the knife in my right hand, I slice the chicken breast through the middle, leaving me with two even pieces of chicken.

At What Temperature is Chicken Fully Cooked?

When your chicken reaches 165 when a meat thermometer is inserted in the center, it’s ready to eat! This also ensures that your chicken isn’t over-cooked and dry.

How Do I Cook Enough Chicken to Last a Week?

Heat your cast-iron skillet over medium heat.  Once your chicken is fileted, pat each piece dry with paper towels and season as desired. We love Greek seasoning, lemon pepper seasoning, or even just simple salt and pepper. Drizzle a bit of oil into your hot pan, and add as much chicken as will fit, leaving a bit of space between each piece (I usually cook 3 fileted breasts at a time). When one side is a nice dark golden brown, turn and cook until the internal temperature is 165. Set aside to cool before storing.

How Do I Safely Store Cooked Chicken for a Week?

Using a pair of tongs, I package the chicken in plastic containers with no liquid. Using tongs when I remove chicken from the container also helps the chicken to stay fresh. I wait until the chicken is completely cooled before covering and refrigerating — putting it in warm causes condensation to form in the container. My chicken always stays fresh for a week this way.

How Should I Use Pre-Cooked Chicken?

Salads. I love a salad for lunch, and this is super easy to throw on top for some protein.

After school snacks. Burritos, quesadillas, even cut up and dipped in ranch or buffalo sauce.

Mac and Cheese. My kids love mac and cheese! We throw on some diced chicken and even some veggies if we have them.

Easy meals. Fried rice, orange chicken, tacos…even added to baked potatoes!

• Creamy Buffalo Chicken Pasta
• BBQ Chicken Macaroni Salad
• Vermicelli Bowls
• Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
• Cordon Bleu Baked Ziti

How do you store the chicken?

I package the chicken in plastic containers with no liquid. I find adding any juice that runs off the chicken as it cools makes the chicken less appealing when I go to reheat it, and the chicken goes bad faster.

I place the chicken (6 lbs) in two containers normally, and put them in the fridge. 

The chicken can be put into the containers in large pieces, sliced into strips, diced, or shredded with two forks.

Another post all about CHICKEN is my post on Cooking Chicken for the week in 22 Minutes