Refreezing a defrost chicken

[mrs.mom]

I got a chicken out of the freezer to cook it for dinner but then I had an urgent thing to do. So can I refreeze the chicken again for later use? Is it safe?

 

[Littlechef]

I'm sorry, but I don't think you can re-freeze chicken once it's defrosted (at least that's what I was told) ... maybe you can cut it into pieces and either poach it or bake it, so at least you won't waste the ckicken. If cooking it yourself is not an option, maybe you can give it to a neighbor or a friend so that they can use it.

Good luck!

 

[joesfolk]

If nothing else you could drop it in a slow cooker. Don't try to re-freeze it.

 

[Rocklobster]

Refreezing is an option, but it would depend on how long it was out, if it was refrigerated during the whole thawing process. It is an iffy proposition, but I have done it before without negative results. I worked at one restaurant where we thawed frozen skinless boneless breasts, cut them into cubes, marinated them into chicken souvlaki and then skewered them and froze them again. It is common practice under controled conditions. But, Like the others said, you should figure out a way to use it up first. Sometimes when that sort of thing happens to me, I just cook the meat off fairly plain and figure out something to do with the cooked meat. You could fire it in the oven in the evening for an hour and a half before bed and refrigerate. You can then, clean it and freeze packaged portions of the cooked meat and the bones the next day until you find a use for them.

 

[Zhizara]

Start soup.

 

[DaveSoMD]

If you put directly in the refrigerator from the freezer and left it there you should be able to refreeze it. If you didn't then you will need to cook it.