Is it better to fry frozen chicken?

Wondering if you can cook frozen chicken without thawing? We have all the info you need to know. 

Cooking chicken is not typically a difficult process. You take your thawed cut, stick it in the oven or on the stove, and you cook it until the center is no longer pink and glossy, or an inserted thermometer has reached 165 °F.  Easy, right?

However, some days are busy and the dinner hour rolls around before you even get a chance to think about what to make. On a day like this, you probably didn’t think to set out your frozen chicken breasts so that they could fully thaw for an effortless chicken-cooking experience. So the question is, can you cook frozen chicken?

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Credit: Photo: Brian Woodcock; Styling: Claire Spollen

How to cook frozen chicken

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%. In order to do this, make sure that your chicken is frozen in such a way that the individual pieces can be spread out on a baking sheet or skillet. In other words, they’re not all frozen together in a rock-hard cluster.

There's one big caveat: Don't try this in a slow cooker. They don't exactly explain why, but presumably it's for the same reason we would recommend against it: because the slow cooker cooks things slowly, there's 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 won't spend much time in that range. Instead, we suggest frying, baking, or boiling frozen chicken. 

Of course, we would not recommend consistently relying on this strategy, as a bird that’s been thawed properly will likely cook more evenly and taste better. 

Credit: mikroman6/Getty Images

How to thaw frozen chicken

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. 

While meats are frozen, they are in the safety zone indefinitely. However, as soon as they start to thaw and become warmer than 40°F, the bacteria that may have been present can start to multiply, leading to food-borne illness. Even if the center of the package still seems frozen, the outer edges can become too warm. Instead, there are three ways to safely defrost chicken: in the refrigerator, microwave, or cold water. Here’s how:

The refrigerator: Planning ahead is key here. To thaw frozen chicken in the fridge, you’ll need to account for at least a full day (24 hours) for the meat to be fully defrosted. Once defrosted, the chicken should be safe for a day or two in the fridge before cooking. You can refreeze it without cooking first, but it may affect the quality of the meat. 

In cold water: Defrosting chicken in cold water is quicker, but takes more attention. To start, place the chicken in a sealed plastic bag and submerge the chicken in cold tap water, changing the water every 30 minutes. One pound of meat may thaw in an hour or less, but two to three pounds may take two to three hours. Once defrosted, the chicken should be cooked before refreezing. 

In the microwave: Use the “defrost” setting on your microwave for a minute at a time until the chicken is fully thawed. Once defrosted, chicken that was thawed in the microwave must be cooked immediately. Some areas of the chicken may become warm and begin to cook while thawing, allowing bacteria to grow. Do not refreeze chicken that was defrosted in the microwave without cooking it first.

So you planned on making chicken for dinner only to find out you forgot to thaw the chicken overnight. And the microwave gives the chicken that weird white look…

In today’s post, I’m answering the question that went through your mind, can you cook frozen chicken without defrosting it first?   

Chicken dinners are always a winner at my house, and I’m sure they are at yours too since it’s one protein that’s easy to find and everyone tends to enjoy.

When it comes to turning chicken into a delicious meal, I’ve learned a few tips and tricks, one of my favorites being cooking frozen chicken. 

I’ve been doing this for years and recently learned from feedback in my post, 3 Ways to Thaw Chicken Safely, that many wondered if chicken could just be cooked frozen.

If learning that you can cook frozen chicken brings you relief- let’s get cooking!

Is it Safe to Cook Frozen Chicken?

According to the USDA and quote, “chicken can be cooked from the frozen state in the oven or on the stove,” so yes, when you’re stuck with a frozen pound of chicken 1 to 2 hours before dinner, you can still make that dish you planned. 

Unfortunately, the slow cooker and microwave are not safe options for cooking frozen chicken, so stick to the oven or stove, to keep your food safe to eat.

Watch this video to see how to cook frozen chicken on the stovetop or in the oven!

How to Thaw Chicken Safely

When it comes to thawing chicken, the microwave is one of the top options. Compared to the other two methods, it’s also the quickest. 

To defrost a pound of chicken:

• Refrigerator = 1-2 days
• Water soak = 2-3 hours
• Microwave = 10-15 minutes

So if you have time between discovering your chicken is still frozen and dinner time, check out this post on how to safely and successively defrost the chicken or watch this video below.

How Long Does it Take to Cook From Frozen

If making a recipe with frozen chicken, you can expect the cooking time to increase by 50%, e.g., if the original cooking time was 30 minutes, plan for 45 minutes. However, depending on the size of the chicken breasts, the cooking time could be longer or shorter.

This is another reason I like to “prep” my chicken before freezing it. When it’s already sliced, cut, and ready to go, it will cook faster and is easier to add to a hot skillet, oven, or defrost. 

To prep raw chicken: 

1. Remove the chicken from the store packaging.
2. If using boneless, skinless pieces such as chicken breasts and thighs, slice or cut the meat to the preferred size. Place in a freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 2 months. 
3. If you’d like to leave pieces wholes, such as chicken breasts, thighs, and leg quarters, freeze them in separate bags by wrapping each piece with plastic wrap and sealing in a zip bag. Freeze for up to 2 months. When the times comes, you can cook each piece of chicken evenly instead of a ball of frozen chicken.

Can You Season It?

Absolutely! Chicken is nearly always essential to season for best flavor and cooking frozen chicken is no different.

To season before you freeze chicken:
1.Place chicken in a bag and add seasonings or sauce.
2.Label the bag and the contents for later
3.Freeze

Do you add more seasoning to the frozen chicken when cooking? The short answer is that many prefer to do this because some recipes thicken can lose its flavor.

If you’re cooking plain frozen chicken following a recipe, just add a little extra seasoning to adjust for any that will be lost while cooking.

As mentioned above, frozen chicken is best cooked on the stove-top or in the oven. I recommend using frozen chicken for recipes like stir-fry’s, fajitas, or baked sheet pan dinners. 

In the Oven

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease a large baking dish or sheet pan with olive oil or cooking spray.
2. Place the chicken breasts, thighs, leg quarters, or drumsticks onto the baking sheet in a single layer. 
3. Season as desired with your choice of spices and/or sauce. 
4. Bake for 50% longer than the original recipe calls for, depending on the cut you are using, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165F for white meat and 175F for dark meat cuts. 
5. Remove from the oven and allow to rest 5 minutes for serving. 

Stove-Top

To ensure even cooking and tender chicken, I recommend this method for boneless, skinless cuts only. 

1. In a large skillet, heat 1-2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. 
2. Add the chicken, and cook for 10-15 minutes on one side. 
3. Flip, season with spices and sauce of choice, and cooking for another 10-15 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165F for white meat and 175F for dark meat cuts.
4. Remove from the heat and allow to rest 5 minutes before slicing and serving. 

Last Minute Frozen Chicken Recipe Ideas

Looking for meal ideas with the cooked chicken, here are a few examples of recipes that you can add the cooked chicken to directly or in the final stages.

• Greek Chicken Farro Bowls– top with sliced, cooked chicken
• Santa Fe Chicken Salad– top with sliced, cooked chicken
• Easy Chicken Stew– add cooked and shredded chicken during the final 10 minutes of cooking
• Chicken Fajitas– cook with frozen chicken breasts or thighs 
• Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya– cook with frozen chicken breasts or thighs 
• Chicken & Vegetable Teriyaki Bowls– cook with frozen, diced chicken breasts

Print

How to Cook Frozen Chicken on the Stove

Dinner rescued! See how to cook a delicious meal in a pan, using frozen chicken breasts. 

• Cook Time: 20-30 minutes
• Total Time: 20-30 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings
• Category: How to
• Cuisine: Dinner

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 4 4-6 ounce frozen chicken breasts fillets

1. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat, add the frozen chicken breasts, and cook for 10-15 minutes on one side.
2. Flip, season with Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper, and cook for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165F
3. Remove from heat and allow to rest 5 minutes before serving.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 chicken breast
• Calories: 199
• Sugar: 0
• Sodium: 632.6mg
• Fat: 10g
• Saturated Fat: 1.7g
• Carbohydrates: 0.7g
• Fiber: 0.2g
• Protein: 25.6g
• Cholesterol: 82.7mg