Gluten Free Freezer Meals

Converting Freezer Meal Recipes to Gluten Free Recipes

One of the ways that I have been able to manage my time with such a large family and still manage to have dinner on the table is to do most of my cooking in batches of freezer meals. When our son had to begin a gluten-free diet, I had to make changes to my usual freezer meal recipes to accommodate his new food sensitivities.

There are certain considerations to be aware of when converting a regular freezer meal recipe to a gluten-free one. I’m sure there are some that I have not considered here, but these are what works for me when making freezer meals for my family.

The most critical thing to know to be able to convert regular recipes into gluten-free recipes is how to read labels to find hidden gluten. Gluten can be called many things and it’s important to be able to identify it. Here is a list of ingredients to be on the lookout for if you are trying to avoid gluten.

Another thing to be aware of is that the consistency of gluten-free items can be very different than non-gluten-free, so for certain recipes, you will have to experiment.

For pasta, I prefer Tinkyada brand because it maintains its shape well and doesn’t seem to get as mushy like some other brands. The other trick I’ve found with pasta when it comes to gluten-free freezer meals is to either cook it to just under what you normally would before including it in the freezer meal or to leave it uncooked and attach it to the bag and then cook it normally and add it on the day you serve the meal.

When it comes to things such as tortillas, the gluten-free varieties don’t always hold up well to being in a freezer meal. I have yet to find a recipe that works for gluten-free burritos in the freezer. I have personally used Udi’s gluten-free tortillas in some of my freezer meals and had them turn out and have also used corn tortillas. I suggest you experiment to find what works best with each recipe.

When I make freezer meals, I generally plan ahead and make one or two month’s worth of meals. This is done over one or two days. I often do it in a small group or with a friend. Just a week ago, my friend Christie and I made 110 freezer meals (55 each) in just over two days. I have it down to a system! You first need to plan it out, then need to get everything prepared, and finally, execute it on what I call The Big Day. It’s a lot of work, but so worth it! I love not having to think about what I’m going to make for supper for the next few months!

There are some ingredients that seem to be very popular in freezer meal recipes. However, you need to be careful when avoiding gluten.

Ingredients to be cautious of for gluten-free diets:

Dry Onion Soup Mix

Most of the store-bought versions of this contain gluten. There are some versions that are gluten-free but you need to read the labels very carefully. At a bulk bin store near me, they carry a gluten-free dry onion soup mix. Alternatively, you can also make your own using a recipe such as this one.

Condensed Soups

There are condensed soups available to purchase such as Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup from Pacific Natural or Amy’s Organic Cream of Tomato. There are also recipes readily available online for making your own cream soups such as this one for cream of mushroom soup because gluten is usually found in most condensed soups.

Sauces

Some of the common sauces often called for in freezer meal recipes usually contain gluten. These include soy sauce and hoisin sauce. Be careful to choose a brand of soy sauce or hoisin sauce that does not contain gluten.

Seasonings

Many seasonings, especially seasoning blends contain gluten. A lot of my freezer meal recipes call for taco seasoning. Most taco seasonings contain gluten, but there is a tex mex seasoning blend that does not contain gluten. This can be substituted for taco seasoning without compromising flavor. Again, you can also make your own taco seasoning mix. This is my recipe for homemade gluten-free taco seasoning.

I buy many of my seasoning blends through Epicure Selections, as they have really wonderful spice blends and mixes and they are gluten-free. Many are also sodium-free which is a preference of mine because then I have control over how much salt I add to the dishes.

Gluten-Free Freezer Meal Plan

Our gluten-free freezer meal plan includes 5 of our tried and true recipes, shopping lists, prep lists, and printable labels.

Of course, for the fastest freezer meal recipes (enabling you to assemble 10 meals in just one hour), check out my Chicken Dump and Beef Dump Recipes. All of the recipes include gluten-free instructions.

A list of our gluten-free freezer meals:

Beef Dump Recipes

By Sharla Kostelyk

Dump recipes are the easiest and fastest way to stock your freezer full of meals. I’ve been making them for about a decade and though the name may not sound that appealing, it speaks to how fast these really are to make. Most of my dump recipes can be cooked in the crockpot, saving even more time.

When I wrote about my Chicken Dump Recipes, the response from busy women (and men) everywhere was overwhelming! They loved the ease of the system, but the resounding feedback was: more recipes! I have been working since then to create a book of Beef Dump Recipes for you. It contains 6 meal plans of 5 recipes each which include shopping lists for each plan and printable labels for each recipe. These beef dump recipes are easy to throw together and perfect for freezing. Freezer meals make a lovely gift for friends who are going through an illness or loss or adding to their family through birth or adoption. By doubling these recipes, you are able to assemble ten meals in just one hour! (note that this does not include the time to brown the beef)

The key to successful beef dump meals is to have all your ingredients out before you start assembling. This will save you time and as a result, you won’t have to run out to the store to pick up a missing ingredient!

Steps to making Beef Dump Meals:

Brown the beef. This can be done the day before and kept in the fridge until you are ready to use it. If you like, season the beef with a bit of salt and pepper while browning.
Get out all ingredients.
Label resealable freezer bags (you can use a permanent marker or print labels to stick on) with the name and cooking instructions.
Prop the bottom of the bags flat and fold the top over, allowing them to stay open.
Add browned ground beef into each bag.
Once the meat is in all of the bags, dump the ingredients for the recipe into the bag.
When all the ingredients are in each bag, remove the excess air, seal the bags, lay flat, and freeze.

Below is a sample meal plan which uses ground beef for all of the recipes. Don’t forget to brown the beef before you start assembling. You can find the shopping list, labels, and other meal plans including those using other cuts of beef in the Beef Dump Recipes book.

Beef Hash

1 1/2 lbs. browned ground beef
500 grams frozen hash browns*
1 onion, finely chopped
3 Tbsp. dry onion soup mix**
1 cup beef broth
dash pepper

*This amount is the equivalent of half a 1 kg bag, so if you are making two of these recipes at once, buy one large bag and split it between the two meals. **I use an MSG-free, gluten-free dry onion soup mix.

Cooking instructions: Thaw. Bake at 350° for one hour, topping with grated cheese the last 10 minutes if desired or in the crockpot on low for 2-4 hours, topping with cheese the last 20 minutes if desired.

Taco Soup

1 1/2 lb. browned ground beef
1 onion, diced
2x 14 oz. cans chili style beans
1x 12 oz. can kernel corn, drained
1x 14 oz. can tomato sauce
14 oz. salsa
3/4 cup water
2 tsp. taco seasoning*

* store-bought taco seasoning can contain gluten, so I make my own.

Cooking instructions: Thaw. Heat in a large pot on stovetop on medium heat until the desired temperature or cook in the crockpot on low for 3-4 hours.

Sloppy Joes

1 1/2 lb. browned ground beef
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup chili sauce
14 oz. can tomato sauce
1/4 cup water
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce*
2 tsp. lemon juice
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. dry mustard
dash pepper

*Be sure to use gluten-free Worcestershire sauce if wanting this to be gluten-free.

Cooking instructions: Thaw. Heat in a pot on the stovetop over medium until desired heat is achieved or cook in slow cooker on low for 2-3 hours. Serve on bun halves.

Spaghetti Sauce

1 1/2 lbs. browned ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2x 14 oz. can tomato sauce
1x 5 1/2 oz. can tomato paste
14 oz. can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup water
1 bay leaf
2 Tbsp. parsley
1 tsp. melted honey or sugar
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/4 tsp. salt
dash pepper

Cooking instructions: Thaw. Heat in a pot on the stovetop over medium until desired heat is achieved or cook in crockpot on low for 2-4 hours. Serve over pasta or gluten-free noodles.

Chili

1 1/2 lbs. browned ground beef
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
19 oz. can kidney beans with liquid
14 oz. can chili style beans with liquid
28 oz. can diced tomatoes
5 1/2 oz. can tomato paste
1 Tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. paprika
dash pepper
1 Tbsp. maple syrup (this is my secret ingredient!)

Cooking instructions: Thaw. Heat in a large pot over medium until the desired temperature is reached or cook in crockpot on low for 3-5 hours.

Additional Notes:

Provided that you plan the meals by common ingredients, it will save you even more money.
All recipes can be made gluten-free by following the notes indicated.
I heard from a reader who suggested using slow cooker liners. I had never heard of them, but it saves even more time because it eliminates the cleanup of the crockpot.
Don’t forget to check out the Chicken Dump Recipes for even more options!

To get the recipes listed here along with free printable labels and a shopping list, sign up for our emails.

Be sure to check out my Beef Dump Recipes book which includes 30 recipes divided into 5 plans plus one bonus recipe. Each plan comes with printable grocery lists and printable labels. Read the list of included recipes. You can also purchase both the Beef Dump Recipes and Chicken Dump Recipes together for more meal options and savings!

hamburger meat topped with melted cheese on a large spoon

Beef Hash

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

2 hrs

Course: Main Course

Keyword: beef, hash

Servings: 6

: 326 kcal

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs. browned ground beef
500 grams frozen hash browns*
1 onion finely chopped
3 Tbsp. dry onion soup mix**
1 cup beef broth
dash pepper
1 cup cheddar cheese shredded

Instructions

Assembly instructions:

Add browned ground beef, frozen hash browns, onion, dry onion soup mix, beef broth, and pepper to a large resealable freezer bag. Remove excess air and seal.
Place the shredded cheese in a medium resealable freezer bag and seal. Staple the bags together above the seal and freeze.

Cooking instructions:

Thaw. Bake at 350° for one hour, topping with grated cheese the last 10 minutes if desired or in the crockpot on low for 2-4 hours, topping with cheese the last 20 minutes if desired.

Recipe Notes

bowl of soup with beef, corn, beans, and tomato

Taco Soup

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Course: Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: soup, taco

Servings: 6

: 387 kcal

Ingredients

1 1/2 lb. browned ground beef
1 onion diced
2 cans 14 oz. chili style beans
1 can 12 oz. kernel corn drained
1 can 14 oz. tomato sauce
14 oz. salsa
3/4 cup water
2 tsp. taco seasoning*

Instructions

Assembly instructions:

Place all ingredients in a large resealable freezer bag. Remove excess air, seal, and freeze.

Cooking instructions:

Thaw.
Heat in a large pot on stovetop on medium heat until the desired temperature or cook in the crockpot on low for 3-4 hours.

Recipe Notes

*store-bought taco seasoning can contain gluten, so I make my own.

Sloppy Joes

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

15 mins

Course: Main Course

Keyword: beef, sloppy joes

Servings: 6

: 304 kcal

Ingredients

1 1/2 lb. browned ground beef
1 onion finely chopped
2 garlic cloves minced
1/2 cup chili sauce
14 oz. tomato sauce
1/4 cup water
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce*
2 tsp. lemon juice
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. dry mustard
dash pepper

Instructions

Assembly instructions:

Add all ingredients to a large resealable freezer bag. Remove excess air, seal, and freeze.

Cooking instructions:

Thaw. Heat in a pot on the stovetop over medium until desired heat is achieved or cook in slow-cooker on low for 2-3 hours. Serve on bun halves.

Recipe Notes

*Be sure to use gluten-free Worcestershire sauce if wanting this to be gluten-free.

Spaghetti Sauce

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: sauce, spaghetti

Servings: 6

: 264 kcal

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs. browned ground beef
1 onion chopped
1/2 green pepper chopped
3 garlic cloves minced
2 cans 14 oz. tomato sauce
1 can 5 1/2 oz. tomato paste
14 oz. diced tomatoes
1/4 cup water
1 bay leaf
2 Tbsp. parsley
1 tsp. melted honey or sugar
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/4 tsp. salt
dash pepper

Instructions

Assembly instructions:

Add all ingredients to a large resealable freezer bag. Remove excess air, seal, and freeze.

Cooking instructions:

Thaw.
Heat in a pot on the stovetop over medium until desired heat is achieved or cook in crockpot on low for 2-4 hours.
Serve over pasta or gluten-free noodles.

Chili

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Course: Main Course

Keyword: beef, chili

Servings: 6

: 235 kcal

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs. browned ground beef
1 onion chopped
3 garlic cloves minced
1 can 19 oz kidney beans with liquid
1 can 14 oz chili style beans with liquid
1 can 28 oz diced tomatoes
1 can 5 1/2 oz tomato paste
1 Tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. paprika
dash pepper
1 Tbsp. maple syrup (this is my secret ingredient!)

Instructions

Assembly instructions:

Add all ingredients to a large resealable freezer bag. Remove excess air, seal, and freeze.

Cooking instructions:

Thaw.
Heat in a large pot over medium until the desired temperature is reached or cook in crockpot on low for 3-5 hours.

5 More Chicken Dump Recipes

By Sharla Kostelyk

Making freezer meals is always a productive use of my time, but it’s when I make chicken dump recipes that I feel the most accomplished because I am able to make so many meals in such a short period of time. I call them “dump recipes” because I dump all the ingredients into the bags, seal them up, freeze them, and then on the day I want to cook them, I take them out, thaw them, and then dump them into a baking dish or crockpot. They couldn’t be simpler.

These time-saving recipes are just a sample of the ones found in my ebook, Chicken Dump Recipes.

The last time I found myself with some spare time on my hands (with 7 kids, believe me, I rarely have extra time!), I decided to assemble twenty chicken dump meals. I put together 10 in the morning and 10 in the afternoon by doubling five recipes each time. In my morning session, I made Chicken Hurry, Caribbean Chicken, Lemon and Garlic Chicken, Sticky Chicken, and Cantonese Chicken.

Later that afternoon, I got ready to make the next ten meals by getting everything that I needed out. The key to successful chicken dump meals is having all your ingredients out before you start assembling. This saves time and frustration!

You can also purchase Chicken Dump Recipes which includes 25 recipes, printable grocery lists, and printable labels.

Before I get into the recipes and instructions, I thought I would address a concern that came up when I published the first set of chicken dump recipes. Because of the popularity of the recipes (more than 2 million people read that article in its first month!), there was a lot of discussion about them on social media and the biggest issue seemed to be with some of the recipes having sugar in them. When you read the recipes below, you will find that this second set also has some recipes that have ingredients that have sugar. I can’t help but laugh when I think of how people will react to one of these recipes calls for maple syrup! Here is my response to all the concern about the sugar included in some of the recipes:

It’s true that if you are on a sugar-free diet, these may not be the recipes for you. I want to make a difference for busy families, busy moms, busy women. I want to see people eating as a family around the kitchen table instead of eating on the run or eating fast food in a vehicle. When paired with a salad or vegetables as a side dish, these recipes (even the ones that contain sugar) are going to be healthier than eating fast food.

The moms who are cooking frozen pizzas or chicken nuggets and fries because it’s all that they have time for are the ones I am reaching out to with these recipes. By taking an hour on a Sunday afternoon or in an evening after the kids have gone to bed to prepare these meals, you can have healthier (note that I did not say the healthiest!) meals that your whole family can enjoy. The bulk of the work will be done already so that you can relax at the end of the day and actually have time to talk while you eat dinner together.

And since I’m still a recovering people-pleaser, I am working on trying out healthier dump-style recipes. I will be publishing ground beef dump recipes and healthier dump recipes in the coming months so watch for those!

Steps to making Chicken Dump Meals:

Get out all ingredients.
Label resealable freezer bags (you can use a permanent marker or print labels to stick on) with the name and cooking instructions.
Prop the bottom of the bags and fold over the top so that they will stay open.
Add chicken into each bag. You can use boneless, skinless thighs or breasts.
Once the chicken is in all of the bags, dump the ingredients for the recipe into the bag.
When all the ingredients are in each bag, remove the excess air, seal the bags, lay flat, and freeze.

Teriyaki Chicken

3-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or 8-10 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1/3 cup honey, melted
3 tbsp. soya sauce**
1 tsp. fresh ginger, grated
1-2 garlic cloves, minced

Cooking instructions:

Thaw. Bake at 350° for an hour or in the crockpot on low for 4-6 hours. **if you are making these gluten-free, be sure to use gluten-free soya sauce.

Lemon Mustard Chicken

3-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or 8-10 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. dijon mustard
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 tsp. lemon pepper
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

Cooking instructions:

Thaw. Bake at 350° for an hour, covered, uncover last ten minutes, or in the crockpot on low for 4-6 hours.

French Canadian Chicken

3-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or 8-10 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1/2 cup maple syrup
3 Tbsp. cider vinegar
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 Tbsp. soya sauce**
3 tsp. freshly grated ginger
1 tsp. pepper

Cooking instructions:

Thaw. Bake in the crockpot on low for 4-6 hours or bake at 350° for an hour, covered, uncovering for the last 15 minutes. **if you are making these gluten-free, be sure to use gluten-free soya sauce.

Pepper Lime Chicken

3-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or 8-10 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup lime juice
1 tsp. lime zest
1 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. olive oil

Cooking instructions:

Thaw. Bake at 350° for an hour, covered or in the crockpot on low for 4-6 hours.

Cindy’s Chicken

3-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or 8-10 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
one bottle of Russian salad dressing (don’t use Creamy Russian dressing. If you can’t find this, you can substitute with Catalina dressing)
1 1/4 cups apricot jam
3 Tbsp. dry onion soup mix* *I use an MSG-free, gluten-free dry onion soup mix.

Cooking instructions:

Thaw. Bake at 350° for an hour, covered or in the crockpot on low for 4-6 hours.

Notes:

Each recipe listed is to make one bag. To make 2 bags, you will need to double both the chicken and the other ingredients.
The recipes work best with 3-5 chicken breasts or 8-10 thighs per bag. If you are adding a lot more or a lot less chicken, you may need to adjust the recipes accordingly.
If you plan the meals so that they have some common ingredients, it saves even more money.
All these recipes can be made gluten-free by following the notes indicated.
I heard from a reader who suggested using slow cooker liners. I had never heard of such a thing, but it sounds like a way to save even more time because it eliminates the cleanup of the crockpot.
Don’t forget to check out the first 5 Chicken Dump Recipes!

To get the Chicken Dump recipes listed here along with a free printable shopping list and labels, sign up for our emails.

Buy my Chicken Dump Recipes book which includes 25 recipes divided into 5 plans. Each plan comes with printable grocery lists and printable labels. Read the list of included recipes.

You can also purchase both the Beef Dump Recipes and Chicken Dump Recipes together for more meal options and savings!

Teriyaki Chicken

Course: Main Course

Keyword: chicken, Teriyaki

Servings: 6

: 253 kcal

Ingredients

3-5 boneless skinless chicken breasts or 8-10 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1/3 cup honey melted
3 tbsp. soya sauce**
1 tsp. fresh ginger grated
1-2 garlic cloves minced

Instructions

Thaw.
Bake at 350° for an hour or in the crockpot on low for 4-6 hours.
**if you are making these gluten-free, be sure to use gluten-free soya sauce.

Lemon Mustard Chicken

Course: Main Course

Keyword: chicken, lemon, mustard

Servings: 6

: 218 kcal

Ingredients

3-5 boneless skinless chicken breasts or 8-10 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. dijon mustard
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 tsp. lemon pepper
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

Instructions

Thaw.
Bake at 350° for an hour, covered, uncover last ten minutes, or in the crockpot on low for 4-6 hours.

French Canadian Chicken

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: French

Keyword: chicken

Servings: 6

: 268 kcal

Ingredients

3-5 boneless skinless chicken breasts or 8-10 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1/2 cup maple syrup
3 Tbsp. cider vinegar
3 garlic cloves minced
3 Tbsp. soya sauce**
3 tsp. freshly grated ginger
1 tsp. pepper

Instructions

Thaw.
Bake in the crockpot on low for 4-6 hours or bake at 350° for an hour, covered, uncovering for the last 15 minutes.
**if you are making these gluten-free, be sure to use gluten-free soya sauce.

Pepper Lime Chicken

Course: Main Course

Keyword: chicken, lime, pepper

Servings: 6

: 206 kcal

Ingredients

3-5 boneless skinless chicken breasts or 8-10 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
3 garlic cloves minced
1/4 cup lime juice
1 tsp. lime zest
1 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. olive oil

Instructions

Thaw.
Bake at 350° for an hour, covered or in the crockpot on low for 4-6 hours.

Cindy's Chicken

Course: Main Course

Keyword: chicken

Servings: 6

: 367 kcal

Ingredients

3-5 chicken breasts or 8-10 thighs boneless, skinless
1 bottle Russian salad dressing (don't use Creamy Russian dressing. If you can't find this, you can substitute it with Catalina dressing)
1 1/4 cups apricot jam
3 Tbsp. dry onion soup mix*

Instructions

Thaw.
Bake at 350° for an hour, covered or in the crockpot on low for 4-6 hours.

Recipe Notes

*I use an MSG-free, gluten-free dry onion soup mix. Each recipe listed is to make one bag. To make 2 bags, you will need to double both the chicken and the other ingredients. The recipes work best with 3-5 chicken breasts or 8-10 thighs per bag. If you are adding a lot more or a lot less chicken, you may need to adjust the recipes accordingly. If you plan the meals so that they have some common ingredients, it saves even more money. All these recipes can be made gluten-free by following the notes indicated. I heard from a reader who suggested using slow cooker liners. I had never heard of such a thing, but it sounds like a way to save even more time because it eliminates the cleanup of the crockpot.

5 Chicken Dump Recipes

By Sharla Kostelyk

Usually, when I make freezer meals, I make a variety of different things including casseroles and various meat and seafood dishes. This method works well when I have a lot of time and have prepared ahead of time. But when I just want to throw some meals together quickly and don’t want to spend hours planning and shopping for ingredients, I make chicken dump recipes. Most of them can be cooked in the crockpot which saves even more time!

These time-saving recipes are just a sample of the ones I have in my ebook, Chicken Dump Recipes.

Chicken dump recipes are fast to make and they often include ingredients that I already have in the house. They are perfect to make if I happen to find some spare time. These dump dinner recipes are perfect for freezing and make a wonderful gift for someone who has just had a baby, is experiencing an illness, or going through a hard time.

To get the recipes in this article along with free printable labels and full shopping lists, sign up here.

Last week, I had some appointments booked for Wednesday but then found out that my sitter for that day couldn’t make it. I had to cancel my appointments and found myself with sort of an extra day. I went on Tuesday and bought a lot of chicken and Wednesday made two sets of ten chicken meals. Since each session took me about an hour so, subsequently I had 20 meals made in two hours!

In my morning chicken dump session, I made Chicken Hurry, Caribbean Chicken, Lemon and Garlic Chicken, Sticky Chicken, and Cantonese Chicken. I made two of each of the five recipes, therefore, I had ten meals in one hour. In the afternoon, I made Teriyaki Chicken, French Canadian Chicken, Cindy’s Chicken, Pepper Lime Chicken, and Lemon Mustard Chicken.

It is such a feeling of accomplishment to look in your freezer and see so many meals ready for busy weeknight dinners!

For all of my chicken dump recipes, printable grocery lists, and printable labels, you can purchase my Chicken Dump Recipes. You can read more about it here.

You asked and it is now available! Beef Dump Recipes!

You also have the option to purchase all the chicken dump recipes and beef dump recipes together at a saving!

The key to successful chicken dump meals is having all your ingredients out before you start assembling. This saves time and aggravation!

Steps to making Chicken Dump Meals:

Get out all ingredients.
Label resealable freezer bags (you can use a permanent marker or print labels to stick on) with the name and cooking instructions.
Press the bottom of the bags to lay flat and then fold over the top in order to keep them open.
Add chicken into each bag. You can use boneless, skinless thighs or breasts.
After the chicken is in all of the bags then you dump the remaining ingredients into the bag.
After all the ingredients are in each bag, you then remove the excess air, seal the bags, lay flat, and freeze.

Chicken Hurry

chicken
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
3 Tbsp. dry onion soup mix*

*I use an MSG-free, gluten-free dry onion soup mix

Cooking instructions:

Thaw. Bake at 350° for an hour or in the crockpot on low for 4-6 hours.

Caribbean Chicken

chicken
8 oz. can pineapple chunks with juice
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/3 cup orange juice
1/2 cup raisins

Cooking instructions:

Thaw. Bake at 350° for an hour or in the crockpot on low for 4-6 hours.

Lemon and Garlic Chicken

chicken
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
4 Tbsp. of olive oil
2 Tbsp. fresh chopped parsley
3 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. pepper

Cooking instructions:

Thaw. Bake at 350° for 45-55 minutes or in the crockpot on low for 4-6 hours.

Sticky Chicken

chicken
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 Tbsp. soy sauce**
3 Tbsp. peanut butter
3 Tbsp. ketchup

Cooking instructions:

Thaw. Bake at 350° for 45-55 minutes. **if you are making these gluten-free, be sure to use gluten-free soy sauce

Cantonese Chicken

chicken
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup melted honey
1/4 cup soy sauce**
2 Tbsp. lemon juice

Cooking instructions:

Thaw. Bake at 350° for one hour or in the crockpot on low for 4-6 hours.

Notes:

The recipes work best with 3-5 chicken breasts or 8-10 thighs per bag. If you use a lot more or a lot less chicken, you will then need to adjust the recipes accordingly.
Plan the meals so that they have some common ingredients, which saves even more money, given that there is less waste.
All dump dinner recipes can be made gluten-free as long as you follow the notes indicated.
I heard from a reader who suggested using slow cooker liners. I had never heard of such a thing, however, given that it eliminates the cleanup of the crockpot, these are another time-saving strategy.
Don’t forget to check out the other chicken dump recipes for even more options!

To get the recipes in this article along with free printable labels and the shopping lists, simply sign up here.

Buy my Chicken Dump Recipes book which includes 25 recipes divided into 5 plans. Each plan comes with printable grocery lists and printable labels. Read the list of included recipes.

You can also purchase both the Beef Dump Recipes and Chicken Dump Recipes together for more meal options and savings!

spinach and baby tomatoes next to a bed of rice topped with chicken

Chicken Hurry

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

2 hrs

Course: Main Course

Keyword: chicken

Servings: 6

: 255 kcal

Ingredients

chicken
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
3 Tbsp. dry onion soup mix*

Instructions

Assembly instructions:

Place all ingredients into a large resealable freezer bag. Remove the excess air, seal, and freeze.

Cooking instructions:

Thaw.
Bake at 350° for an hour or in the crockpot on low for 4-6 hours.

Recipe Notes

*I use an MSG-free, gluten-free dry onion soup mix

Caribbean Chicken

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

4 hrs

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Caribbean

Keyword: Caribbean, chicken

Servings: 6

: 295 kcal

Ingredients

chicken
1 can 8 oz pineapple chunks with juice
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/3 cup orange juice
1/2 cup raisins

Instructions

Assembly instructions:

Place chicken and all other ingredients in a large resealable freezer bag. Remove excess air, seal, and freeze.

Cooking instructions:

Thaw.
Bake at 350° for an hour or in the crockpot on low for 4-6 hours.

Lemon and Garlic Chicken

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

4 hrs

Course: Main Course

Keyword: chicken, garlic, lemon

Servings: 6

: 280 kcal

Ingredients

chicken
2-3 cloves garlic minced
4 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. fresh parsley chopped
3 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. pepper

Instructions

Assembly instructions:

Add the ingredients into a large resealable freezer bag. Remove the excess air, seal, and freeze.

Cooking instructions:

Thaw.
Bake at 350° for 45-55 minutes or in the crockpot on low for 4-6 hours.

two chicken breasts on top of a bed of rice

Sticky Chicken

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

45 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Cantonese

Keyword: Cantonese, chicken

Servings: 6

: 264 kcal

Ingredients

chicken
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 Tbsp. soy sauce**
3 Tbsp. peanut butter
3 Tbsp. ketchup

Instructions

Assembly instructions:

Add all ingredients to a large resealable (gallon sized) freezer bag. Remove excess air, seal, and freeze.

Cooking instructions:

Thaw.
Bake at 350° for 45-55 minutes.

Recipe Notes

**if you are making these gluten-free, be sure to use gluten-free soy sauce

Cantonese Chicken

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

1 hr

Ingredients

chicken
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup melted honey
1/4 cup soy sauce**
2 Tbsp. lemon juice

Instructions

Assembly instructions:

Place the chicken and other ingredients to a large resealable freezer bag. Remove excess air, seal, and freeze.

Cooking instructions:

Thaw.
Bake at 350° for one hour or in the crock pot on low for 4-6 hours.

Slow Cooker Mixed Bean Casserole

By Sharla Kostelyk

Making freezer meals has been the biggest time-saving strategy for me in the kitchen. Although the two days that my neighbor Christie and I take to assemble them every few months are exhausting, they are well worth it. Not only for the time saved but also in the brain space saved in not having to think of supper ideas for more than a month.

For our freezer meals, we have a standard list of recipes that we usually stick to, like Sloppy Joes, Chicken Taco Soup, Pesto Minestrone, Garden Taco Rice, and Pizza Casserole. We always throw in a few chicken recipes and some salmon ones but we also like to try at least two new recipes every time. We enjoy finding new favorites to add to our regulars.

Last week, we had one of our most successful freezer meal sessions yet thanks to being more organized than usual, and this Mixed Bean Casserole is one of the new recipes we created.

This is another recipe that can go from the freezer to the crockpot and is gluten and dairy-free. Freezer to crockpot recipes are a huge time saver for me, especially on days with appointments. I also like that this casserole is a healthy one and my kids will eat it.

The day I took this meal out of the freezer to make it for the first time, something unintentionally happened. I had it in the crockpot ready to serve and when my husband arrived home, I went upstairs to take an important phone call. I came downstairs a short while later to join my husband and kids, who he had brought out flour tortillas, sour cream, and cheese. They were using my casserole as a wrap filling, genius!

Though this idea had not occurred to me, the kids really enjoyed them the next day as leftovers in wraps again. Whether you choose to serve this as a wrap filling or as a casserole, it’s healthy and hearty.

Slow-Cooker Mixed Bean Casserole Recipe:

1 – 14 oz. can pinto beans (I used a can of chili style pinto beans)
1 – 19 oz. can black beans
4 Tbsp. taco seasoning*
2 1/2 cups of salsa
1 1/4 cups of frozen corn
1 sweet potato, cubed

*I prefer to make my own taco seasoning so that I can ensure that it is gluten-free and low in sodium but feel free to use a store-bought gluten-free blend.

Mix everything together and place it in a large resealable freezer bag. Remove the air and seal before laying flat and putting it in the freezer. On the day of cooking, thaw, and cook in the slow cooker on low for 6 hours.

Other Family-Friendly Recipes:

Beef and Corn Casserole

Crock Pot Sloppy Joes

Spanish Rice Casserole

If you are looking for other recipes that can go from the freezer to the crockpot, you can find 12 gluten-free freezers to crockpot recipes here.

For other ideas and recipes, you may be interested in following my Crock Pot Recipes or Freezer Meals boards on Pinterest. Or you may want to follow my Gluten-Free Recipes board.

Follow Sharla Kostelyk’s board Crock Pot Recipes on Pinterest.

Slow-Cooker Mixed Bean Casserole Recipe

Course: Main Course

Keyword: bean, casserole

Servings: 6

: 538 kcal

Ingredients

1 - 14 oz. can pinto beans I used a can of chili style pinto beans
1 - 19 oz. can black beans
4 Tbsp. taco seasoning*
2 1/2 cups of salsa
1 1/4 cups of frozen corn
1 sweet potato cubed

Instructions

Mix everything together and place it in a large resealable freezer bag. Remove the air and seal before laying flat and putting it in the freezer. On the day of cooking, thaw, and cook in the slow cooker on low for 6 hours.

Recipe Notes

*I prefer to make my own taco seasoning so that I can ensure that it is gluten-free and low in sodium but feel free to use a store-bought gluten-free blend.

From Freezer to Crock Pot Chicken Taco Soup

By Sharla Kostelyk

This crockpot soup is one of my favorite freezer meal recipes. It has healthy ingredients and the flavor is one that will have you craving more. In a busy family like ours, having delicious meals that can go from the freezer to the crockpot saves a lot of time and money. When I make this recipe, I made it two or four at a time and then freeze. I love having these on hand!

My neighbor Christie and I held another marathon freezer meal session last week and when we were planning it. This recipe was one of our “must-makes”. I am planning to take this soup camping with us. Bringing freezer meals will cut down on the amount of work that I have to do while on vacation. I’m planning on bringing our crockpot along so this will be an easy day of cooking for me!

I have to admit that not all of these made it to the freezer in the last batch. It’s just such a good recipe that I put one batch in the slow cooker the day after making freezer meals. We all thoroughly enjoyed it!

So as not to confuse you, I am giving the recipe to make one meal. However, you can double or triple or quadruple it as you need.

Chicken Taco Soup Recipe:

1 cup chopped onion
14 oz. can chili style beans
19 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
15 oz. can kernel corn, drained
8 oz. can tomato sauce *
1 can of beer (be sure to use gluten-free beer if you are wanting this to be gluten-free)
14 oz. can diced tomatoes
4.5 oz. can diced chilies
2 tsp. taco seasoning (note: some store-bought taco seasoning contains gluten so I make my own)
3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

optional: tortilla chips or strips, sour cream, shredded cheese, green onions for serving

*for our freezer meals, I actually buy a ginormous can of tomato sauce (over 100 oz.) and measure it out for each recipe. This saves a lot of money and it cuts down on time because I’m not having to open each individual can.

Place all ingredients in a large resealable freezer bag. Remove excess air and seal. Freeze.

For a soupier Chicken Taco Soup, you can add a tetrapak of chicken broth on the day of cooking. Without the chicken broth, it is thick enough for my kids to spoon this into tortillas and top with cheese. They love eating it that way.

On cooking day, thaw and cook the taco soup on low in crockpot for 4-7 hours (depending on your slow cooker). You can add the chicken broth to this step if desired. Shred the chicken breasts before serving.

Serve the individual bowls of soup with these topping ideas: sour cream, tortilla chips, sliced green onion, and grated cheese, or eat it as is.

To make this recipe gluten-free:

Most of the ingredients in this recipe are gluten-free. The only ones to be careful of are the chili-style beans (read the labels and select one that does not have any fillers that may contain gluten), the can of beer, and the taco seasoning. For the taco seasoning, you can either make your own (which probably tastes best anyway) or buy one that is a gluten-free blend.

(thanks to a very astute reader who caught that I had originally forgotten to note that beer can contain gluten!)

If you are looking for other recipes that can go from the freezer to the crockpot, you can find 24 other time-saving recipes in my ebook Chicken Dump Recipes.

This Chicken Taco Soup recipe is included in my Slow Cooker Freezer Meal Plan which includes printable shopping lists, prep lists, recipes, and printable labels. You will love having the guesswork taken out of dinner!

Chicken Taco Soup Recipe

*for our freezer meals, I actually buy a ginormous can of tomato sauce (over 100 oz.) and measure it out for each recipe. This saves a lot of money and it cuts down on time because I'm not having to open each individual can.

Course: Main Course, Soup

Keyword: chicken, soup, taco

Servings: 6

: 429 kcal

Ingredients

1 cup chopped onion
1 x 14 oz. can chili style beans
1 x 19 oz. can black beans drained and rinsed
1 x 15 oz. can kernel corn drained
1 x 8 oz. can tomato sauce *
1 can of beer be sure to use gluten-free beer if you are wanting this to be gluten-free
1 x 14 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 x 4.5 oz. can diced chilies
2 tsp. taco seasoning note: some store-bought taco seasoning contains gluten so I make my own
3 chicken breasts skinless, boneless
optional: tortilla chips or strips sour cream, shredded cheese, green onions for serving

Instructions

Place all ingredients in a large resealable freezer bag. Remove excess air and seal. Freeze.
Thaw. Heat in a stovetop pot or in the crockpot. Shred the chicken before serving.