Freezer-prepped chicken and a weekday chicken Caesar salad

Four guidelines for freezing meat: make the protein as thin as possible; separate it into portions; remove as much air as possible; use it within two months.

Meat held below 0F or minus 18C keeps indefinitely, but quality degrades through cell damage and fluid loss, fat oxidation and rancidity, and freezer burn from sublimation of ice crystals at the surface.

Vacuum sealing removes all the air and is the standard for long storage; used within two months the meat is indistinguishable from fresh.

Take the chicken out of its packaging.

Cut into the thickest part of the breast and pull it flat so it cooks like a steak with an even surface.

For strips, thin the thigh out a little and make cross cuts into slivers as thin as possible.

Spread the pieces evenly on a baking sheet with space between so they do not freeze into a clump.

Freeze the whole sheet pan for two hours until frozen through.

Bag the whole pieces and the strips separately.

Take a frozen breast and coat it with mayo, salt, black pepper, oregano and red pepper flake, spread uniformly.

Cook on a griddle over medium heat straight from frozen.

Cook about 10 minutes to 155F internal, browned outside.

Slice the chicken. Dress romaine lettuce, sliced red onion, tomatoes and croutons with caesar dressing, lay the chicken over and add a little more dressing.