Defrosting chicken breasts in marinade
I want to defrost chicken breasts and would like to marinate them. Since time may be an issue, can I place frozen chicken breasts in zip lock bag with marinade?
Best Answer
As long as your normal marinating time isn't significantly less than the defrosting time, then I believe that'll work fine. If the normal marinating time is much smaller, then you'll end up over-marinating your meat; if the marinade is acidic that would produce undesirable results. If it's the same or longer, then you'll be marinating for the right amount of time, and it'll be defrosted when you're done. Note that you should expect it to marinate a bit more slowly, since the outer part of the meat will have to thaw before the marinade can start doing its thing.
Jay suggests in the comments that extra water from the chicken thawing could be a problem. If it really is a large amount compared to the volume of the marinade, I guess it could be. Your options at that point would be: make a more concentrated marinade, increase the volume of marinade, or compromise and thaw partially, drain, then marinate while it thaws the rest of the way.
(I've not actually done this, and don't cook much meat, but since time is an issue, hopefully this answer is better than nothing.)
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Quick Answer about "Defrosting chicken breasts in marinade"
In fact, marinating your frozen chicken overnight is the best way to get flavorful chicken if you decide to prepare from frozen. By leaving the chicken overnight, this will allow the chicken itself to defrost thoroughly before cooking, and it will also give the marinade more time to soak into the chicken.Can you defrost chicken in a marinade?
Can I Marinate Chicken While Defrosting? Yes, the chicken can marinate while it's thawing in the fridge. As it thaws, the meat will absorb the flavors of the marinade. Never thaw chicken at room temperature as it can be exposed to harmful bacteria.Can you defrost while marinating?
Yes, it's completely safe to marinate frozen meat. Allow the frozen meat to thaw in the refrigerator. Once the outer layer is entirely thawed, you can place the meat in the marinade. As the meat continues to thaw, the marinade is absorbed better as the flavors penetrate the meat more when it is soft.Can you let meat thaw in marinade?
Yes, it is safe to marinate frozen meat. The process is easy to carry out as long as you ensure you don't expose your meat to high temperature and harmful bacteria. However, once the frozen meat is marinated, you'll need to allow it some time to thaw completely.How do you defrost marinated chicken breast?
Use cold waterHow to Thaw Chicken Safely | 3 Easy Methods
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