How to Cook a Frozen Chicken

Tired of having to remember to thaw the chicken for dinner? Whether it's chicken breasts, chicken thighs, or a whole chicken - you can cook frozen chicken with ease! Learn 4 easy ways to cook chicken from frozen and dinner will never be ruined again.

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Hopefully I'm not alone here, but I very often go to put some chicken in the oven for dinner, only to realize that I never thawed it! So, after about the 47th time this happened (a slight exaggeration) I knew I needed to figure something out! I did some experimenting to figure out how to cook a frozen chicken and finally cracked the code.

Turns out, it's pretty darn simple (just like my secret for making a tender pot roast)

In fact, this method for cooking frozen chicken is so easy that I don't even bother trying to remember to thaw chicken before baking! It's so tender and flavorful that we make it at least once a week.

Normally I cook a whole frozen chicken, then we strip the meat off and turn the bones into chicken bone broth soup! Then we use the meat to either fill out the chicken noodle soup, or to make chicken salad, lemon honey chicken, or any number of other chicken recipes!

Can You Cook Chicken From Frozen?

While having frozen chicken in the freezer is very convenient, it doesn't do you much good if you forget to thaw it (like me, all the time). So, the ideal solution would be to take out the thawing step.

Any time you're dealing with uncooked meats, it's important to keep food safety in mind. Thankfully, cooking frozen chicken is actually quite safe! Even the USDA states that cooking chicken from a frozen state is totally fine.

Because we are going from frozen into a heated situation, the temperature range where problematic bacteria can grow is moved through very quickly.

Cooking Frozen Chicken

So, how exactly DO you cook frozen chicken? Ultimately, you just have to cook it for about 50% longer than if it had been thawed first - but you need to also keep it from drying out during the extended cook times.

I have 4 different methods for you, depending on how you want to use the finished product.

Cooking Frozen Chicken in the Oven

This is my favorite method, it's the easiest way to cook frozen chicken without any special equipment. Just be sure to bake the chicken at a low temperature like 350°F to keep the chicken from drying out.

Instructions:

1. Just place your chicken in an oven safe dish (I like to use my vintage corningware dishes for this), then pour a jar of pasta sauce, or Italian dressing over the top. You can use any type of marinade sauce you'd like, this is just to quickly add flavor and help trap in the moisture.
2. OR you can simply season as normal and add a cup of water to the pan.
3. Top the pan with a lid or piece of aluminum and bake at 350°F for the times indicated below, depending on the type of chicken you are cooking - or until the internal temperature of the thickest part reaches 165°F.

How Long to Cook Frozen Chicken in the Oven

• Frozen chicken breasts (boneless): 30 - 45 minutes
• Frozen chicken breasts (bone-in) 45 - 60 minutes
• Frozen chicken thighs: 60 - 75 minutes
• Frozen chicken tenders: 25 - 35 minutes
• Frozen chicken wings: 45 - 60 minutes
• Frozen chicken drumsticks: 60 - 75 minutes
• Frozen whole chicken: 2 1/2 - 3 hours

Cooking Frozen Chicken on the Stovetop

If you like your chicken a little crispy, then cooking on the stovetop might be the perfect way to cook frozen chicken without any special equipment.

HOT TIP: To speed up the cooking time even more, filet the chicken if you can. This will allow the heat to reach the center much faster!

Instructions:

1. Grab your favorite pan and add a little of your favorite cooking oil.
2. Heat the pan to a medium heat and then add your frozen chicken.
3. Season the chicken on one side, then flip your chicken over and season on the other side.
4. Sear all side of the chicken as desired, and then add broth or water.
5. Cover and cook your frozen chicken on medium heat for about 30 - 45 minutes or until the center reaches 165°F.
6. You can also just add marinade to the pan and simmer if you want to skip the searing step.

How Long to Cook Frozen Chicken on the Stovetop

Regardless of what type of chicken you are cooking, the cook time for frozen chicken on the stovetop is about 30-45 minutes.

Just double check that the internal temp on the thickest part is at least 165°F

Cooking Frozen Chicken in an Instant Pot

Predictably, cooking frozen chicken is a snap if you have an Instant Pot! In fact, you can have dinner on the table from the freezer in less than 25 minutes if you have one of these magical devices!

Instructions:

1. Place frozen chicken in the inner pot in a single layer. Don't overlap the chicken.
2. Season chicken as desired, and add a cup of broth or water to the pot.
3. Press the "manual" button and cook on high pressure for the cooking time as listed below.
4. Allow the pressure to naturally release for at least 5 minutes, before releasing the remainder of the pressure with a quick release.
5. Double check that the chicken is at least 165°F in the thickest part. If not, cook for another 2-5 minutes. Repeat steps 4-6, if needed.
6. Let the chicken rest for about 10 minutes before slicing.

How Long to Cook Frozen Chicken in the Instant Pot

• Frozen chicken breasts (boneless): 10 to 15 minutes
• Frozen chicken thighs: 13 to 15 minutes
• Frozen chicken tenders: 6 minutes
• Frozen chicken wings: 12 minutes
• Chicken drumsticks: 12 minutes

Cooking Frozen Chicken in an Air Fryer

An Air Fryer is essentially a convection oven that has the capacity to heat to very high temps, while circulating the air and achieving a crispy finish. This works perfectly to our advantage with cooking frozen chicken. Not only does it reduce the cook time required, but it also keeps the chicken more moist as a result!

Instructions:

1. Preheat the air fryer to 360°F.
2. Rub the chicken with the cooking oil of your choice, and add any seasonings.
3. Add chicken to the air fryer basket and cook.
4. Remove the basket halfway through and shake or flip the chicken, check the internal temp of the meat and continue until it reaches 165°F.
5. Cooking times below are approximate.

How Long to Cook Frozen Chicken in an Air Fryer

• Frozen chicken breasts: 20 minutes
• Frozen chicken thighs: 20 minutes
• Frozen chicken tenders: 15 minutes
• Frozen chicken wings: 30 minutes
• Frozen chicken drumsticks: 30 minutes

Common Questions about Cooking Frozen Chicken