There is an art to freezing and defrosting chicken, and it’s important to do it properly to avoid contamination. In this post, I’m teaching you how to freeze and thaw chicken breasts with food safety in mind.
If you’re watching your grocery store budget (let’s be honest, who isn’t these days?), it's essential to know how to freeze chicken breasts so you can seize the moment when chicken goes on sale.
Learning how to prepare and how to defrost chicken can feel intimidating, but it’s easier than it seems and can really help you stretch your budget. And don’t worry, I’m going to walk you through the process, step by step. We’ll cover the equipment you’ll need, different ways to cut up the chicken, best practices for freezing, and safe defrosting.
So if you’ve been wanting to know the best way to freeze chicken breast, you’re in the right spot.
Let’s Get Started! Here’s What You’ll Need:
Ingredients
Chicken Breasts - You’ll need any boneless and skinless chicken breasts, most of which are sold at least somewhat pre-trimmed. Bonus points if they’re on sale!
Equipment:
Sharp Knife - The first step in learning to freeze raw chicken is using a very sharp knife for precise, safe cutting and trimming. Emphasis on sharp – it allows you to make cleaner, easier, and safer cuts because you’re less likely to use pressure and risk having your knife slip.
Cutting Board - To protect your counters from knife nicks and raw chicken. The bigger, the better, but I suggest a size that fits easily into your dishwasher so you don’t have to handwash the chicken off it.
Plate or Bowl - I like to keep this on the side of my workspace to collect chicken scraps as I cut. This prevents the chicken from touching the counter.
Freezer Bags - We’re storing the cut-up chicken breasts in airtight freezer bags. I like Ziploc or Kirkland freezer bags, and I use both gallon and quart sizes for freezing chicken.
Sharpie for Labeling - It’s best to label the bags with the freeze start date so you can use up the chicken first-in, first-out.
Disinfecting Spray - When working with raw meat, you always want to disinfect your surfaces afterward. I use Clorox, but use whatever you’re comfortable with in your kitchen.
How to Freeze Chicken Breasts
Prepare Your Station
Set out all the equipment you’ll need (listed above), and wash your hands well with soap before touching the chicken. Keep the chicken breasts in the fridge until you’re ready to start cutting.
Trim the Chicken
Using a sharp knife, remove big chunks of skin, excess fat, gristle, and cartilage from the chicken breast. Place any scraps on your scrap plate or bowl.
Decide Your Cut
You’ll want to decide how to cut the breast based on the dish you’re preparing.
- Whole Breasts: Best for grilling, baking, slow-cooking, or shredding.
- Butterflied/Cutlets: Slice horizontally to cut the chicken breast into thinner pieces for faster cooking.
- Long Strips: Slice diagonally if you’re making fajitas or stir-fries.
- Bite-Sized Cubes: Dice into cubes for casseroles, teriyaki chicken, or soups.
Portion by Meal & Label Bag
Curious how to store raw chicken in the freezer? Portion out the cuts into meal-sized amounts depending on how much your family eats in one go. Label your Ziploc bag with the date and the type of cut. When frozen, the cuts can look really similar, so it’s good to know what you’re reaching for and how long it’s been in the freezer.
Press the Air Out
Zip the freezer bag most of the way, then press out excess air with your hands before finishing zipping. Air causes freezer burn, which can ruin the meat's texture and flavor.
Place in Freezer
Once the bags are airless and sealed, place them in the freezer on a flat surface so they freeze thin and stack neatly. This is the best way to freeze chicken. Once frozen, you can stack them upright to save space.
How to Defrost Chicken
Method 1: Refrigerator
We all want to know how to thaw chicken fast, but it’s more important to thaw it safely. Refrigerator thawing is the best way to defrost chicken, because it keeps it at a constant temperature. Without unzipping the Ziploc bag it’s in, place the frozen chicken on a tray or plate and put it in the fridge.
It can take between 6 to 24 hours to thoroughly defrost, depending on the thickness of the cuts and the amount of chicken. I’ve found that thawing one or two breasts overnight works best. Once thawed, use within 1-2 days for best quality. You can refreeze if needed.
Method 2: Water Bath
Get a bowl large enough to hold the bags of chicken, then submerge them in cold water. Change out the water every 30 minutes to keep it cold. Depending on the size of the cuts, it’ll take between 30 minutes and 2 hours to completely thaw. Cook immediately and don’t refreeze unless it’s cooked first.
Method 3: Fridge Water Bowl
When it comes to learning how to thaw frozen chicken quickly, this is the safest and fastest method. Use a big bowl that can hold the chicken, and fill it with cold water. Place the sealed chicken bags in the bowl, and put the bowl in the fridge. The cold water speeds the thawing, and the fridge stabilizes the temperature for safety.
How Long Can You Freeze Chicken?
Technically, you can freeze raw poultry for up to a year, and poultry parts for up to 9 months. But I typically use the chicken within 6 months for the best quality.
What is Freezer Burn and How Do You Prevent It?
Freezer burn occurs when meat is exposed to air for too long, causing moisture to evaporate and dehydrating the meat. According to the Library of Congress, the exact definition is “The outcome of frozen food losing its moisture as a result of poor wrapping.” You’ll notice freezer burn by patches of discoloration and small ice crystals.
Preventing freezer burn is more about quality than safety. It’s still safe to eat food with freezer burn, but the meat’s taste and texture could be off. To avoid freezer burn, use airtight bags and remove as much as possible before placing them in the freezer.
How to Defrost Frozen Chicken Fast?
According to the USDA, this is how to defrost frozen chicken fast and safely: in the refrigerator, in cold water, or in the microwave. If you’re in a real-time crunch, you can cook the chicken from frozen to save time.
The fridge keeps the temperature stable and safe, but thawing chicken this way can take up to 2 days. Cold-water thawing is faster but requires a 100% leakproof bag and water changes every 30 minutes. Thawing in the microwave is convenient, but it might start to cook the meat, so you need to immediately cook the chicken from there.
The #1 rule for thawing chicken is never thawing it at room temperature or in hot water – this can cause bacteria to grow, spoil the meat, and make it unsafe to eat.
Recipe Success Tips
- Pay dry. Before cutting, pat down the chicken breasts with paper towels to remove excess moisture that could cause freezer burn.
- Parchment in between layers. If you end up with layers of chicken in the same bag, place sheets of parchment paper in between each layer. You’ll want to separate them easily so they can defrost evenly.
- Stack horizontally flat. When first placing the chicken in the freezer, lay the sealed Ziploc bags flat for even freezing. Once they’re frozen, you can stack them vertically to save freezer space.
- Season the chicken before freezing. Save future you some time by seasoning the chicken breasts before freezing. All you’ll have to do is defrost and cook.
- Never thaw at room temperature. This causes bacterial overgrowth, making the chicken unsafe to eat. Always use proper thawing methods.
Chicken Breast Recipes
Once your chicken is thawed, you’ll want to immediately cook it and whip up a delicious dish. Here are a few of my favorite chicken recipes that are on repeat in my household.
FAQs
No, you shouldn’t wash raw chicken. Rinsing it spreads bacteria around your sink.
If the chicken is sold vaccum sealed, then that works. Otherwise, this causes freezer burn and lowers the meat's quality. It’s best to follow best practices and take the extra time to properly package the chicken before freezing.
It depends on how you plan to use the frozen chicken. Freezing raw chicken is easy and gives you flexibility for later recipes, as long as you use safe defrosting techniques. Cooked chicken is more convenient, but freezing it can make it a little dry.
Store the chicken breasts in freezer-safe, airtight bags with the air removed. Store in the coldest part of the freezer away from the door. If you’re layering bits of chicken in one freezer bag, place parchment paper in between to prevent freezer burn and sticking.
No, do not thaw chicken on your counter. Bacteria will grow quickly, contaminating your kitchen surface and making the meat unsafe to eat.
Yes, you can cook chicken from frozen. Baking, using an Instant Pot, or sautéing are easy ways to cook chicken from frozen. Just add extra cooking time and check that it reaches 165°F.
Once thawed, chicken breasts are good in the fridge for 1-2 days. Cook or refreeze them within that window.
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