Before cooking meats, sometimes it is a great idea to marinate them to add flavors and tenderize the meat. Chicken is a great meat to marinate and can become a delightful recipe full of flavor. There is no limit to what type of marinade you can use, but is it a good idea to marinate frozen chicken?
Frozen chicken can be marinated as it thaws. It will be no different than using thawed chicken, but the marinade won’t be able to affect the chicken until the skin is somewhat thawed. Make sure to marinate frozen chicken in a safe and sealed container to keep it from contaminating other foods.
Marinating frozen chicken is ultimately not a bad way to go about thawing and marination. Frozen chicken is usually thawed before added to a marinade. Still, frozen chicken can also be marinated successfully if covered well during the time it is in the fridge.
Is Frozen Chicken Something You Can Marinate?
If you forgot to thaw your chicken before marinating and cooking it, then there is good news, frozen chicken is something you can marinate. The best way to marinate frozen chicken is safely marinating it in a sealed air-tight container. This way, the fridge won’t become contaminated with raw chicken juices while it thaws and marinates.
Should You Marinate Frozen Chicken?
While most recipes call for the chicken to be thawed before it is marinated, it is possible to marinate frozen chicken. While you can marinate frozen chicken, it is often advised to thaw the chicken before marinating because the marinade needs to be able to penetrate the outer skin to get to the meat. The frozen chicken will take longer for the marinade to do its job, so it is best to avoid attempting this unless you have the time.
Is Marinating Frozen Chicken Safe?
Raw chicken, whether frozen or thawed, requires some care and safety measures taken so as not to contaminate surfaces or other foods. It is safe to marinate frozen chicken as long as it is in a sealed container and doesn’t have the chance to contaminate other things. Frozen chicken should be kept from anything else in the fridge and put on the lowest shelf if it spills over as it thaws.
What is the Best Way to Marinate Frozen Chicken?
There are a few ways to marinate chicken. If you have to marinate frozen chicken, then there is a safe way to do so. The best way to marinate frozen chicken is to add the chicken pieces to the marinade mixture and seal the container before putting it into the fridge. Marinades can take an hour to three hours to entirely do its job.
Conclusion
It is possible to marinate frozen chicken if you realize you didn’t pull your chicken out to thaw the day or so before you needed it. If you need to marinate some frozen chicken, it is essential to remember a few things to do it successfully and safely. Raw chicken can be dangerous, thawed, or frozen. Frozen chicken must be placed in a marinade in a sealed container and away from other foods to prevent contamination.
