What should you do if the chicken that needs to be cooked immediately turns out to be forgotten and you forgot to take it out of the freezer and, therefore, is still frozen? From now on, there's no need to be confused anymore because in fact, even frozen chicken you can cook safely! In particular, chicken can be grilled right away, whole or sliced. No matter how much chicken you cook, stick to the guidelines outlined in this article to make sure the chicken is completely safe to eat and cooked thoroughly so that the risk of food poisoning doesn't happen to you afterwards.
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Method 1 of 3: Roast Whole Frozen Chicken
Step 1. Be careful when cooking frozen chicken
Remember, if there are still parts of the chicken that are not cooked, the risk of food poisoning will haunt you. Therefore, to kill all pathogens in the chicken, don't forget to cook the chicken until its internal temperature reaches at least 74°C. Also, make sure frozen chicken is only cooked in the oven or on the stove for 50% longer than the standard time you normally cook fresh chicken.
- For example, it takes about two hours to roast a 2 kg whole chicken that has been softened at 177°C. If roasted frozen, chicken of a similar weight will need to be roasted for a longer time, which is about three hours, at the same temperature.
- Check the internal temperature of the chicken by inserting a kitchen thermometer into the thickest part of the breast and the inside of the thigh and wing. If the internal temperature hasn't reached 74°C, roast the chicken again!
- Never cook frozen chicken in a slow cooker! Remember, the appliance is not hot enough to kill the pathogens inside the chicken. In addition, the chicken should not be left too long in an unsafe temperature or not hot enough.
Step 2. Preheat the oven
Turn on the oven and preheat it to 177ºC. While waiting for the oven to heat up, place the frozen chicken breast-side down on the baking sheet. Do not change the position to ensure that the densest part of the meat is thoroughly cooked.
Although it really depends on the size of the chicken, you may also want to use a dutch oven or a large, thick-walled saucepan instead of a baking sheet
Step 3. Put the stuffing into the chicken
If the chicken doesn't completely cover when frozen, try removing the innards and incorporating a variety of your favorite ingredients into the chicken, such as lemon, onion, rosemary, and thyme. Then, coat the surface of the chicken with olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
If you have trouble picking up the chicken innards, wait for the chicken to broil for about 45 minutes before trying again. Don't forget to wear heat-resistant gloves and food tongs to hold the chicken and remove the innards, OK
Step 4. Grill the chicken
Place the seasoned chicken in the oven without covering the surface, then bake the chicken for 90 minutes. After 90 minutes, raise the oven temperature to 232ºC, then continue baking for another 15-30 minutes to give the surface a crisp, golden brown. After that, remove the pan from the oven and insert a kitchen thermometer into several sections of the meat to make sure the internal temperature has reached 74°C.
- The roasting time applies to chicken weighing 2 kg. Don't forget to adjust the roasting time you use with the weight of the chicken, OK!
- Let the chicken rest for 10-15 minutes so that it is more comfortable on the skin when cutting.
- If there are still parts of the meat that are reddish in color, roast the chicken again until the color of the meat is evenly white and the color of the juice is clear.
Method 2 of 3: Coating Frozen Chicken Breast with Bread Flour
Step 1. Freeze each piece of chicken breast separately
After buying chicken breasts at the supermarket, immediately place them in a single layer in a plastic bag and make sure there is enough space between each piece of chicken breast. If you freeze all at once or on top of each other, you'll have a hard time picking up the required amount of chicken breast and ending up softening them all at once.
- If you prefer, you can freeze the chicken breasts on a plate or baking sheet first, then transfer them to a plastic bag when they are completely frozen.
- This strategy is especially effective when used to freeze chicken pieces.
Step 2. Preheat the oven to 218ºC
While waiting for the oven to heat up, lightly grease the pan with fat, olive oil, vegetable oil, or any other cooking oil. After that, place four skinless chicken breasts in the pan.
If you want to bake chicken breasts without dusting them with breadcrumbs, preheat the oven to 177ºC
Step 3. Coat the chicken with the breadcrumb mixture
While waiting for the oven to heat up, mix in 100 grams of dry breadcrumbs, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. black pepper, 1/4 tsp. garlic powder, and 1 tbsp. vegetable oil. Stir all ingredients until well combined, then apply 1 tsp. mustard onto the surface of the chicken. Then, sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the surface of the chicken until it is fully coated with the mustard layer.
Step 4. Bake the chicken breast
Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake the chicken breasts for 30-40 minutes. When the time is up, insert a kitchen thermometer into the thickest part of the meat to check the internal temperature. If the temperature has not reached 74°C or if there are still parts of the meat that are reddish in color, roast the chicken again until the color of the meat is evenly white and the color of the meat juice looks clear.
If you're making four unbreaded frozen chicken breasts that weigh about 28 grams each, try baking them at 177ºC for 30-45 minutes. However, always keep in mind that the accurate roasting time is highly dependent on the size of the chicken breast
Method 3 of 3: Baking Frozen Chicken Thighs
Step 1. Season the chicken thighs before freezing
Because the seasoning will be difficult to stick to let alone seep into the frozen chicken skin, don't forget to season the chicken before freezing it with various types of spices or your favorite powdered seasoning. In addition to making sure the chicken is well seasoned when cooked, a layer of powdered seasoning will also make it easier for you to remove the chicken from the freezer when it's cooking.
This is the perfect way to season chicken pieces before freezing
Step 2. Preheat the oven to 177ºC
While waiting for the oven to heat up, remove the chicken thighs from the freezer and place them on the baking sheet. Also prepare pieces of various types of vegetables such as carrots and onions or sliced potatoes as a side dish for chicken later.
Step 3. Grill the chicken thighs
Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake the chicken thighs for 50-60 minutes. When the time is up, insert a kitchen thermometer into the thickest part of the meat to measure its internal temperature. If the temperature has not reached 74°C or if there are still parts of the meat that are reddish in color, roast the chicken again until the color of the meat is evenly white and the color of the juice is clear.
