Freezer-Marinated Chicken Legs
Makes 8.
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).
- 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).
