Rita's Kitchen · Small Format

Small Format Meals (25–50)

Name: Chicken & Rice Comfort Bake
Yield: 25 meals
Ingredients: 12 lb boneless chicken thigh, raw, diced 1 in; 4.5 lb long-grain rice, dry; 6.5 lb frozen peas, carrots and corn blend; 1.5 gal low-sodium chicken stock; 1 lb yellow onion, diced; 0.5 cup vegetable oil; 3 tbsp garlic powder, paprika and black pepper blend

Small format sheets for church kitchens, small pantries and volunteer groups cooking 25 to 50 meals at a time. Pick a batch size and every ingredient line rescales, using the same plating standard as our large runs: 6 oz protein, 4–5 oz starch, 4 oz vegetable.

Plan your run

Choose a batch size and a category

Every ingredient line rescales instantly between 25 and 50 meals. Print the sheet for the production line.

Meals to produce

Small-kitchen guidelines

Designed for one home-style or single-oven kitchen with 2–6 volunteers and a 2–3 hour window.
Every quantity is written for 25 meals and doubles cleanly to 50 — no rebalancing needed.
Weigh proteins raw and again cooked; small batches lose yield faster than large ones.
Print the sheet, tape it to the wall, and record final accepted meal count before pickup.

Non-negotiable

Food safety & quality

Chicken and ground poultry to 165°F, ground beef and pork to 160°F, reheated components to 165°F.
Cool cooked food from 135°F to 70°F within 2 hours and to 41°F within 4 more hours — shallow pans only.
Label every container with recipe name, date, allergens and the preparing group's name.
One volunteer owns the thermometer and the portion scale for the whole run.

Chicken

Small-batch poultry entrees that fit two to four hotel pans. Cook all chicken to 165°F and portion by weight, not by eye.

Chicken & Rice Comfort Bake

Diced chicken thigh, seasoned rice and mixed vegetables baked in one pan.

25 meals

Bake 350°F · chicken to 165°FAbout 90 minutesEquipment: 2 full hotel pans, Large skillet or tilt pan, Portion scale, Thermometer

Component	What it is	Per meal	Target for 25
Protein / entree	Diced boneless chicken thigh	6 oz	9.4 lb cooked
Starch / carb	Seasoned long-grain rice	5 oz	7.8 lb cooked
Vegetable	Peas, carrots and corn blend	4 oz	6.3 lb cooked

Ingredients for 25 meals

12 lb boneless chicken thigh, raw, diced 1 in
4.5 lb long-grain rice, dry
6.5 lb frozen peas, carrots and corn blend
1.5 gal low-sodium chicken stock
1 lb yellow onion, diced
0.5 cup vegetable oil
3 tbsp garlic powder, paprika and black pepper blend (adjust to taste)

Directions

Sweat onion in oil until translucent, then add diced chicken and brown in batches.
Stir in the spice blend and dry rice; toast 2 minutes so grains coat with oil.
Add hot stock, bring to a simmer, then transfer to hotel pans and cover tightly with foil.
Bake 35–40 minutes until rice is tender and chicken reads 165°F.
Fold in the vegetable blend, re-cover and hold 10 minutes so vegetables heat through.
Portion 6 oz chicken/rice mixture plus 4 oz vegetables per container.

Quality / safety check

Approve the first five finished meals for portion weight, tray fit and label accuracy.
Cool, label and store under the approved food-safety plan.
Rice absorbs liquid as it cools — keep the mix slightly loose.

Small-Batch Chicken Parmesan

Breaded chicken cutlets, marinara and mozzarella over pasta.

25 meals

Bake 375°F · chicken to 165°FAbout 2 hoursEquipment: 2 sheet pans, Stock pot, 2 hotel pans, Thermometer

Component	What it is	Per meal	Target for 25
Protein / entree	Breaded chicken cutlet	6 oz	9.4 lb cooked
Starch / carb	Penne or ziti	5 oz	7.8 lb cooked
Vegetable	Roasted zucchini and peppers	4 oz	6.3 lb cooked

Ingredients for 25 meals

25 each breaded chicken cutlets, 6 oz each
5 lb penne or ziti, dry
1.5 gal marinara sauce
3 lb shredded mozzarella
6.5 lb zucchini and bell peppers, sliced
0.5 cup olive oil
2 tbsp italian seasoning (adjust to taste)

Directions

Bake cutlets on sheet pans at 375°F for 20–25 minutes until 165°F and crisp.
Boil pasta 2 minutes shy of package time, drain and toss with a little sauce and oil.
Toss vegetables with oil and seasoning; roast 18–20 minutes until just tender.
Top each cutlet with 2 oz sauce and 2 oz mozzarella; return to oven until cheese melts.
Build containers: pasta base, one cutlet, roasted vegetables alongside.

Quality / safety check

Approve the first five finished meals for portion weight, tray fit and label accuracy.
Cool, label and store under the approved food-safety plan.
Keep sauce under the cheese so breading does not go soggy in transit.

Lemon Herb Roast Chicken & Potatoes

Bone-in or boneless chicken roasted with potatoes and green beans.

25 meals

Roast 400°F · chicken to 165°FAbout 90 minutesEquipment: 3 sheet pans, Portion scale, Thermometer

Component	What it is	Per meal	Target for 25
Protein / entree	Roasted chicken	6 oz	9.4 lb cooked
Starch / carb	Herb-roasted potatoes	5 oz	7.8 lb cooked
Vegetable	Green beans	4 oz	6.3 lb cooked

Ingredients for 25 meals

13 lb chicken thighs or breast, raw
9 lb red potatoes, quartered
6.5 lb green beans, trimmed
1 cup olive oil
6 each lemons, juiced
3 tbsp dried oregano, thyme, salt and pepper (adjust to taste)

Directions

Toss chicken with half the oil, lemon juice and herbs; rest 20 minutes.
Toss potatoes with remaining oil and seasoning; roast 400°F for 25 minutes.
Add chicken to its own pan and roast 25–30 minutes to 165°F.
Roast green beans the last 12 minutes until bright and tender-crisp.
Rest chicken 10 minutes, then portion 6 oz per meal with potatoes and beans.

Quality / safety check

Approve the first five finished meals for portion weight, tray fit and label accuracy.
Cool, label and store under the approved food-safety plan.
Reserve pan juices and spoon a little over each portion for moisture.

Meat

Beef, pork and sausage builds for a single-oven kitchen. Brown and drain ground meat to 160°F before saucing.

Volunteer Beef Chili

Ground beef chili with beans over rice — the easiest 25-meal run in the book.

25 meals

Simmer · ground beef to 160°FAbout 75 minutesEquipment: Large stock pot, Rice cooker or pot, Ladle, Thermometer

Component	What it is	Per meal	Target for 25
Protein / entree	Ground beef and bean chili	6 oz	9.4 lb cooked
Starch / carb	Steamed rice	5 oz	7.8 lb cooked
Vegetable	Peppers and onions in the chili plus a side corn blend	4 oz	6.3 lb cooked

Ingredients for 25 meals

10 lb 80/20 ground beef, raw
4.5 lb long-grain rice, dry
5 lb canned kidney or pinto beans, drained
1.5 gal crushed tomatoes
3 lb onion and bell pepper, diced
5 lb frozen corn blend, for the side
4 tbsp chili powder, cumin, garlic powder (adjust to taste)

Directions

Brown ground beef to 160°F, drain the fat, and set aside.
Sweat onions and peppers in the same pot until soft; bloom the spices 1 minute.
Return beef, add tomatoes and beans, and simmer 30–40 minutes uncovered.
Cook rice and hold hot; steam the corn side separately.
Portion 5 oz rice, 6 oz chili and 4 oz corn per container.

Quality / safety check

Approve the first five finished meals for portion weight, tray fit and label accuracy.
Cool, label and store under the approved food-safety plan.
Chili thickens overnight — keep it one notch looser than you want it.

Pulled Pork with Gravy & Mashed Potatoes

Slow-cooked pork shoulder, pan gravy, mashed potatoes and mixed vegetables.

25 meals

Braise 300°F · pork to 195°F for pullingAbout 4 hours (mostly unattended)Equipment: Deep roasting pan, Potato masher or mixer, Hotel pans, Thermometer

Component	What it is	Per meal	Target for 25
Protein / entree	Pulled pork shoulder	6 oz	9.4 lb cooked
Starch / carb	Mashed potatoes	5 oz	7.8 lb cooked
Vegetable	Mixed vegetable blend	4 oz	6.3 lb cooked

Ingredients for 25 meals

15 lb pork shoulder, raw (yields ~9.5 lb cooked)
10 lb russet potatoes, peeled
6.5 lb mixed vegetable blend
0.75 gal pork or chicken stock
1 lb butter or margarine
3 tbsp salt, pepper, onion and garlic powder (adjust to taste)

Directions

Season pork heavily, add stock to the pan, cover tightly and braise at 300°F for 3–3.5 hours.
Pull pork while warm, discard excess fat, and moisten with skimmed pan juices.
Boil and mash potatoes with butter and a splash of hot stock; keep them firm, not soupy.
Steam the vegetable blend just until tender.
Portion 6 oz pork, 5 oz potatoes and 4 oz vegetables; ladle a little gravy over the pork only.

Quality / safety check

Approve the first five finished meals for portion weight, tray fit and label accuracy.
Cool, label and store under the approved food-safety plan.
Raw pork loses roughly 35% weight — do not shortcut the raw pull.

Sausage, Peppers & Penne

Sliced Italian sausage with peppers and onions over pasta in light tomato sauce.

25 meals

Roast 400°F · sausage to 160°FAbout 75 minutesEquipment: 2 sheet pans, Stock pot, Hotel pans

Component	What it is	Per meal	Target for 25
Protein / entree	Italian sausage, sliced	6 oz	9.4 lb cooked
Starch / carb	Penne	5 oz	7.8 lb cooked
Vegetable	Peppers and onions	4 oz	6.3 lb cooked

Ingredients for 25 meals

11 lb Italian sausage links, raw
5 lb penne, dry
6.5 lb bell peppers and onions, sliced
0.75 gal marinara or crushed tomato
0.5 cup olive oil
2 tbsp fennel seed, oregano, crushed red pepper (adjust to taste)

Directions

Roast sausage links at 400°F for 22–25 minutes to 160°F, then slice on the bias.
Toss peppers and onions with oil and seasoning; roast 18 minutes until edges char.
Cook penne 2 minutes under package time and toss with a light coat of sauce.
Combine sausage, vegetables and remaining sauce; hold hot.
Portion 5 oz pasta, 6 oz sausage mix and 4 oz peppers per meal.

Quality / safety check

Approve the first five finished meals for portion weight, tray fit and label accuracy.
Cool, label and store under the approved food-safety plan.
Slice sausage after roasting so it keeps its juices.

Vegetarian & Vegetables

Bean- and vegetable-forward entrees plus sides. Keep the protein honest — beans, cheese or eggs carry the plate.

Vegetarian Baked Ziti

Ziti baked with ricotta, mozzarella and a vegetable-loaded marinara.

25 meals

Bake 375°F · center to 165°FAbout 90 minutesEquipment: 2 full hotel pans, Stock pot, Thermometer

Component	What it is	Per meal	Target for 25
Protein / entree	Ricotta and mozzarella	6 oz	9.4 lb cooked
Starch / carb	Ziti	5 oz	7.8 lb cooked
Vegetable	Zucchini, spinach and mushrooms in sauce	4 oz	6.3 lb cooked

Ingredients for 25 meals

6 lb ziti, dry
5 lb ricotta cheese
4 lb shredded mozzarella
1.5 gal marinara sauce
6.5 lb zucchini, mushrooms and spinach
0.5 cup olive oil
2 tbsp italian seasoning and black pepper (adjust to taste)

Directions

Boil ziti 3 minutes under package time; it finishes in the oven.
Sauté zucchini and mushrooms in oil, wilt in the spinach, then add marinara.
Fold pasta, sauce and ricotta together and spread into hotel pans.
Top with mozzarella, cover with foil and bake 30 minutes at 375°F; uncover 10 minutes to brown.
Rest 15 minutes before cutting into 25 even portions.

Quality / safety check

Approve the first five finished meals for portion weight, tray fit and label accuracy.
Cool, label and store under the approved food-safety plan.
Cut with a bench scraper on a marked grid so portions stay even.

Chickpea & Vegetable Curry

Mild coconut-tomato curry with chickpeas over rice — vegan as written.

25 meals

Simmer · hold above 135°FAbout 75 minutesEquipment: Large stock pot, Rice pot, Ladle

Component	What it is	Per meal	Target for 25
Protein / entree	Chickpeas	6 oz	9.4 lb cooked
Starch / carb	Basmati or long-grain rice	5 oz	7.8 lb cooked
Vegetable	Cauliflower, carrots and spinach	4 oz	6.3 lb cooked

Ingredients for 25 meals

9 lb canned chickpeas, drained
4.5 lb rice, dry
6.5 lb cauliflower, carrots and spinach
1 gal crushed tomato
0.5 gal coconut milk
4 tbsp mild curry powder, cumin, ginger, garlic (adjust to taste)

Directions

Bloom spices in oil, add carrots and cauliflower, and cook 5 minutes.
Add tomato and coconut milk; simmer 20 minutes until vegetables are tender.
Fold in chickpeas and spinach; simmer 10 more minutes and adjust salt.
Cook rice and hold hot.
Portion 5 oz rice with 10 oz curry (protein plus vegetable) per container.

Quality / safety check

Approve the first five finished meals for portion weight, tray fit and label accuracy.
Cool, label and store under the approved food-safety plan.
Keep the curry mild — label it clearly if you add heat.

Roasted Vegetable Medley & Rice Pilaf

Sheet-pan vegetables with white beans over pilaf — the fastest vegetarian run.

25 meals

Roast 425°FAbout 60 minutesEquipment: 3 sheet pans, Rice pot, Hotel pans

Component	What it is	Per meal	Target for 25
Protein / entree	White beans	6 oz	9.4 lb cooked
Starch / carb	Rice pilaf	5 oz	7.8 lb cooked
Vegetable	Broccoli, carrots, squash and peppers	4 oz	6.3 lb cooked

Ingredients for 25 meals

9 lb canned white beans, drained and rinsed
4.5 lb rice, dry, for pilaf
7 lb broccoli, carrots, squash and peppers
1 gal vegetable stock
1 cup olive oil
3 tbsp garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, pepper (adjust to taste)

Directions

Toss vegetables with oil and seasoning; spread thin on sheet pans.
Roast at 425°F for 18–22 minutes, rotating once, until edges caramelize.
Cook rice in vegetable stock for pilaf; fluff and hold.
Warm the beans with a spoon of the roasting oil and a pinch of seasoning.
Portion 5 oz pilaf, 6 oz beans and 4 oz roasted vegetables.

Quality / safety check

Approve the first five finished meals for portion weight, tray fit and label accuracy.
Cool, label and store under the approved food-safety plan.
Do not crowd the pans — steamed vegetables lose the run.

Every run

Shared production checklist

Pack into approved CFF containers, keep sauce off the rims, and stack no more than four high while still warm so meals cool evenly.

Before cooking

Confirm the meal count and the batch size on the sheet.
Weigh and stage all proteins, starches and vegetables.
Set out scale, scoops, thermometer, labels and containers.
Confirm allergens for the batch before anything hits a pan.

During cooking

Temp every protein pan, not just the first one.
Portion with a scale or fixed scoop for the first five meals, then spot-check.
Keep starch slightly under-cooked — it finishes when reheated.
Stop and re-weigh if trays start looking uneven.

After production

Cool in shallow pans before lidding and stacking.
Label with name, date, storage status and allergens.
Record accepted meals, rework and waste on the sheet.
Wipe, break down and sanitize before the team leaves.

Rita and Minnie sharing a warm moment in Rita's Kitchen — Rita & Minnie — food nourishes, friendship heals

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Rita’s Kitchen began with a simple belief: no one should be hungry or alone. Each collection on this site turns donated ingredients into comforting meals — prepared with love by volunteers and shared with dignity across Greater Philadelphia.

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