The answer depends on how youve thawed it.
No problemthere’s always a pack ofchicken breastsstashed in the freezer precisely for times like these.
You take the chicken out to thaw in the morning, but the day gets the best of you.
Credit:Jamie Vespa MS, RD
By the time dinner rolls around, you’re too exhausted to cook.
Takeout to the rescue!
But what about those chicken breasts you thawed earlier this morning?
Can you refreeze chicken for your next greatchicken dinner?
It’d be a shame to waste them, but this is a matter of food safety.
Jamie Vespa MS, RD
Can You Refreeze Chicken?
So how does one properly thaw chicken so it’s safe for refreezing?
But only chicken that was thawed in the refrigerator can be refrozen safely.
The other methods require cooking immediately after thawing.
Replace the water every 30 minutes to keep it cold.
A 1-pound package of boneless chicken should take about an hour using this method.
Use your microwave’s low-power defrost option to defrost the chicken.
It takes eight to 10 minutes per pound.Chicken thawed this way should also be cooked immediately after thawing.
How Soon Should You Cook Chicken Once It’s Thawed?
Any leftover cooked chicken should be eaten within three or four days.
What If You Defrosted With Another Method?
Now onto more pressing questions:Should you wash your chicken?
Frequently Asked Questions
Chicken should not be thawed in hot water.
It needs to remain at a safe temperature, 40 F or below, even during thawing.
Foods that have been at room temperature for more than two hours should not be refrozen.
U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service.Chicken from Farm to Table.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Four simple steps to food safety.
U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Safety Inspection Service.The Big ThawSafe Defrosting Methods.
Whirlpool.How to quickly defrost chicken in the microwave.
U.S. Department of Agriculture: AskUSDA.How long can meat and poultry remain in the refrigerator, once thawed?
U.S. Department of Agriculture: AskUSDA.How long can you keep cooked chicken?
