You had chicken on the menu but realized that you had forgotten to thaw it overnight. And the microwave gives the chicken that weird white look….
Can you cook frozen chicken without defrosting it first? is the query on your mind today, and I’m going to address it in this post.
Dinners with chicken are always a hit in my house, and I’m sure they are in yours too because it’s a protein that’s simple to find and that most people seem to like.
I’ve discovered a few tips and tricks for making chicken into a delicious meal, and one of my favorites is cooking frozen chicken.
I’ve been doing this for years, and I recently discovered from comments on my post about 3 Safe Ways to Thaw Chicken that many people were curious about whether chicken could simply be cooked from frozen.
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According to the USDA, yes, you can safely cook your frozen chicken, as long as you follow a couple general guidelines.
In order to skip the thawing step and turn your frozen chicken into a fully-cooked, safe-to-eat dinner, use your oven or stove top and simply increase your cooking time by at least 50% Make sure your chicken is sufficiently frozen for the individual pieces to spread out on a baking sheet or skillet in order to accomplish this. To put it another way, they’re not all clumped together in a solid mass.
Theres one big caveat: Dont try this in a slow cooker. They dont exactly explain why, but presumably its for the same reason we would recommend against it: because the slow cooker cooks things slowly, theres a chance that the cold meat will spend too much time in the danger zone—the temperature range where bacteria are most likely to grow. In an oven or on a stove top, the cook times are much quicker, and the meat wont spend much time in that range. Instead, we suggest frying, baking, or boiling frozen chicken.
Of course, we wouldn’t advise relying on this method all the time because a properly thawed bird will probably cook more evenly and taste better.
Like cooking from frozen, defrosting frozen chicken requires a few rules. You may think you can just leave the frozen chicken on the counter or toss it in a bowl of hot water, but according to the USDA, those are both huge no-nos.
Meats are always in the safe zone while they are frozen. The bacteria that may have been present, however, can begin to multiply as soon as they thaw and get warmer than 40°F, which can result in a food-borne illness. The package’s edges can get too warm even if the center appears to be frozen. Instead, use the refrigerator, microwave, or cold water to safely defrost chicken. Here’s how:
The refrigerator: Planning ahead is key here. You should plan on giving the meat at least a full day (24 hours) to fully defrost when thawing frozen chicken in the refrigerator. The chicken should be safe in the refrigerator for a day or two after defrosting before cooking. You can freeze it again without cooking it first, but the meat’s quality might suffer.
Chicken can be quickly defrosted in cold water, but it requires more care. Start by putting the chicken in a sealed plastic bag and soaking it for the first 30 minutes in cold tap water. Two to three pounds of meat may take two to three hours to thaw, but one pound may do so in an hour or less. Once defrosted, the chicken should be cooked before refreezing.
In the microwave, thaw the chicken completely by using the “defrost” setting for one minute at a time. Chicken that was thawed in the microwave must be cooked right away once it has defrosted. As the chicken thaws, some areas may get warm and start to cook, which encourages the growth of bacteria. Chicken that has been microwave-defrosted shouldn’t be refrozen without first being cooked.
Is It Safe to Cook Chicken from Frozen?
The USDA claims that you can safely cook frozen chicken breast as long as you abide by a few guidelines. First, make sure to allow your chicken to cook for at least twice as long as it would if it were thawed. For instance, a recipe that calls for cooking chicken for 20 minutes when it is thawed will take about 40 minutes to prepare when the chicken is still frozen. Second, never use this method with a large lump of chicken that has been frozen together; rather, use individual chicken pieces that can be spread out into an even layer to cook safely. Finally, check that the breasts have reached 165°F using an instant-read thermometer as you would with any chicken dish.
Additionally, chicken cooked from frozen is still delicious and will have the tender chicken texture we expect from breasts thanks to a few pantry staples. Although it won’t be as juicy as chicken that has properly thawed, it also won’t be inedible rubber.
What to know before cooking chicken from frozen
Here is crucial information to note that applies to all cooking methods before we dive into all the different ways you can prepare frozen chicken: