Can you cook frozen chicken breast without defrosting?

Last minute dinner plans are a reality in today's world. We work late, skip grocery runs, or just plain forget to plan supper until the last minute. If this happens to you, there's no need to pick up the phone and call in for takeout. If you've got chicken in the freezer, you can still make a quick and easy meal. According to nutritionist and Fresh Starts Registry expert Allie Echeverria of Atlanta, Georgia, it's possible to cook chicken from frozen. However, there are a few things you need to know in order to make sure it cooks thoroughly without drying out. The next time you need a last-minute dinner, use these guidelines for cooking frozen chicken without thawing it.

Can You Cook Chicken Without Thawing It?

Echevarria's says you can safely cook chicken without thawing it, but she admits it can be tricky to cook it evenly. Often, the outside of the chicken will finish cooking while the interior meat will still be frozen and raw. This is not only unappetizing, but it's also unhealthy since it isn't safe to eat chicken if it isn't fully cooked. And, of course, if you cook the chicken longer, the outer layers will be overdone and dry. Luckily, there are a few surefire ways to cook delicious, tender chicken without thawing it.

Related: Can You Refreeze Chicken?

What's the Best Way to Cook Chicken Without Thawing It?

Echevarria favorite method makes the most of her multi-cooker. Here's how to use your Instant Pot to cook frozen chicken.

1. Place four frozen chicken breasts into the Instant Pot, add one cup of water or broth, and your favorite seasonings.

2. Place the lid and seal the valve. Use the manual pressure setting and cook for 10-12 minutes on high pressure.

3. Allow the pressure to release naturally for five to 10 minutes before manually releasing the remaining pressure. Remember that Instant Pots take about 10 minutes to come to pressure before your food starts cooking. Your chicken will go from frozen to cooked in about 30 minutes.

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Note: Instant Pots are not interchangeable with slow cookers in this instance because, according to the FDA, it may take too long for raw chicken to reach a safe internal temperature of 165 degrees if it cooks too slowly. This will potentially allow bacteria to grow.

We've all been there. You're 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 don't 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 can't do — with any frozen meat — is cook it in a slow cooker or crockpot. That's 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?

The challenge of cooking frozen chicken

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Because of food safety issues, it's 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. That's 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.

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.

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.

Remember: When cooking frozen chicken, the cooking temperature should be at least 350 degrees F and the internal temperature should reach 165 degrees F.

Can you cook chicken breast if not fully defrosted?

Do you have to thaw a chicken breast before cooking it?