Weve all been there. Youre ready to cook your chicken dinner, you gather all the ingredients, and then you realize that the chicken you had planned to use is still frozen.
In these situations, it may be tempting to abandon your plan and just open up your trusty delivery app. But dont give up on your recipe just yet. You can safely cook frozen chicken — you just have to adjust your technique.
According to Real Simple, beef, chicken, and pork can all be safely cooked from a frozen state, but the methods differ, depending on the meat. One thing you cant do — with any frozen meat — is cook it in a slow cooker or crockpot. Thats because too much time spent at low temperatures could cause bacteria, like salmonella, to grow.
So now that you know your frozen chicken can be salvaged, how do you do it?
Information. Raw or cooked meat, poultry or casseroles can be cooked or reheated from the frozen state. However, it will take approximately one and a half times as long to cook. For example, if fresh meat takes one hour to cook, the same meat cooked frozen would take 1 1/2 hours.
Because of food safety issues, its a bit trickier to cook frozen chicken. According to the USDA, chicken in a frozen state needs to cook one and a half times longer than fresh or thawed chicken. Thats why grilling or pan frying frozen chicken is not ideal. As Southern Living notes, not only do you run the risk of having chicken that is cooked on the outside and raw on the inside, but cooking at high heat — for nearly twice as long as unfrozen chicken — could result in a dry, unappetizing mess.
Another method to cook chicken from frozen is to bake it. However, because it will take longer to bake, Food Network recommends brushing the frozen chicken with a sauce — in this case a mayonnaise and Dijon mustard mix — to ensure that the chicken stays moist. They also recommend poaching frozen chicken breasts in chicken broth, water, or in a sauce, such as marinara.
According to Real Simple, beef, chicken, and pork can all be safely cooked from a frozen state, but the methods differ, depending on the meat. One thing you cant do — with any frozen meat — is cook it in a slow cooker or crockpot. Thats because too much time spent at low temperatures could cause bacteria, like salmonella, to grow.
According to Southern Living, the best way to cook frozen chicken is to use an Instant Pot or other pressure cooker. Their method involves putting a cup of water or stock, your preferred seasonings, and, in this example, four frozen chicken breasts into an Instant Pot. After placing the lid on the pot and sealing it, the Instant Pot should be set for 10 to 12 minutes of high-pressure cooking. After the cook time is done, the pressure should be allowed to release naturally for at least 5 minutes before being manually released.
So now that you know your frozen chicken can be salvaged, how do you do it?
Oh I have a metal defrosting plate i bought it in Woolies in the dark ages i defrost most things on it
Do it all the time, OP. Never had a problem. Just makes sure its piping hot in the middle and youll be fine!
There is nothing inherently bad about cooking any meat from frozen. As long as the meat is cooked through, it makes no difference to the risks of food poisoning. The microbes in the chicken dont know if its been cooked from frozen, FFS.
Ok thanks for all the replies. Seems like the majority say go for it, so I will ha! Sorry MrsJayy its just gone in the oven!!
If it was mince I wouldnt think twice. Its just chicken, I dont know, it scares me!
Can I cook chicken that hasn’t fully defrosted?
FAQ
Is it OK to cook chicken not fully defrosted?
What to do if chicken is still slightly frozen?
Do you have to cook chicken as soon as its defrosted?
Is it OK if chicken cooks a little while defrosting?