Letting Chicken thaw in fridge? [duplicate]

So here's the scenario: Bought chicken and put immediately in the freezer like 3-4 weeks ago.

I pulled the chicken out yesterday afternoon and put it in the fridge to let it thaw to let it cook for dinner. Ended up not using it so I put it back in the freezer this morning.

Is this safe to do? The chicken was still somewhat frozen-ish when I put it back in the freezer, although the Chickens expired date was 10 days ago, but it has been in the freezer since.

food-safety chicken

Best Answer

Yes, you can defrost and refreeze as long as the total time in the "danger zone" of 40-140 F / 4 - 60 C does not exceed 2 hours. This may not be great from a quality point of view, but it is safe.

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Can you thaw chicken in the refrigerator and then refreeze it?

The U. S. Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) advises: Once food is thawed in the refrigerator, it is safe to refreeze it without cooking, although there may be a loss of quality due to the moisture lost through thawing. After cooking raw foods which were previously frozen, it is safe to freeze the cooked foods.

Can you Partially thaw chicken and then refreeze?

Bottom Line. You can refreeze chicken that's been thawed, but it must be cooked first if it has been thawed in the microwave or in cold water. But if the chicken has thawed in the refrigerator, then it can be refrozen raw within two days of thawing. For more on chicken, learn how to butterfly a chicken breast.

How long is chicken OK in fridge after defrosting?

Because it can take a full day for chicken to thaw in the fridge, this method is best if you're planning ahead for a meal the next day. If frozen chicken is thawed in the refrigerator, the defrosted chicken can last in the fridge for an additional 1-2 days before cooking.

Big Mistakes Everyone Makes When Thawing Chicken

Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Images: Sohani Kamat, Mouktik Joshi, laurent planson crequer, chicken mackay