This is a clever way to prepare a ready-to-go meal for busy days when time is really tight.

By marinating the chicken and then freezing it, you lock in the savory and slightly sweet marinade flavors, making for a delicious meal and, most importantly, guaranteeing that the chicken won’t dry out under the fast-cooking high heat of the oven broiler.

Serve with home fries and a vegetable for an easy, well-rounded meal. From “The Modern Pioneer Pantry” by Mary Bryant Shrader (DK, 2025).

Freezer-Marinated Chicken Legs

Makes 8.

¼ c. olive oil

2 tbsp. soy sauce

2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

2 tbsp. honey

1 tsp. smoked paprika

½ tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. fine ground sea salt

¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

⅛ tsp. red pepper flakes, optional

8 skin-on chicken legs

Directions

To marinate and freeze the chicken legs: Label and date a gallon-size freezer-proof sealable bag, then add all the marinade ingredients to the bag.

Add the chicken legs to the bag, seal it (removing as much air as possible), and massage the bag so all the chicken legs are coated thoroughly with the marinade.

Flatten the bag as much as possible and then lay the bag flat in the freezer. (The marinated chicken legs can be frozen for up to 3 months.)

To broil the chicken legs: When you’re ready to broil the chicken legs, remove the bag from the freezer and thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

Place the thawed chicken legs on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil (for easy cleanup).

Place the baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven and set the oven to broil. Broil the chicken legs for 10 to 12 minutes on one side. Open the oven door and, using tongs, carefully flip the legs over. Close the oven door and continue to broil for an additional 10 to 12 minutes, until the chicken legs are golden brown with skin that has a crispy appearance.

Make sure that the juices run clear when the chicken legs are sliced, or use a food thermometer to make sure the internal temperature of the chicken legs has reached at least 165 degrees.

Cooking tip: This recipe is perfect for meal prepping. Making and freezing a few batches with different marinades is simple to do. Omit the smoked paprika and switch out the soy sauce for lemon juice and herb seasoning, or a tangy barbecue sauce, or even make them with an Italian twist with tomato sauce and oregano. You’ll always have variety on hand for busy nights.