How to Cook Frozen Chicken Breast

Yes, you can cook chicken breasts straight from frozen in the oven, on the stove or in a pressure cooker. Plan on about 50 percent more time than thawed chicken, and cook until a thermometer reads 165°F in the thickest part. Don't use a slow cooker or a microwave: USDA says to thaw chicken first for both.

Before you start

• Separate the breasts. In a frozen block, the outside dries out while the middle stays raw. If they're stuck together, run the sealed pack under cold water for a minute and pry them apart.
• Don't rinse raw chicken. USDA says washing it spreads bacteria around your sink and counters.
• Season after the first 10 minutes. Salt slides off a frozen surface; it sticks once the outside thaws.

In the oven

1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.
2. Set the frozen breasts on the sheet with space between them. Brush with oil.
3. Roast 10 minutes, then season.
4. Keep roasting until the thickest part reads 165°F: about 30 to 40 minutes total for an 8-ounce breast.

On the stove

Poaching gives you juicy chicken for salads, tacos and soups.

1. Set the frozen breasts in a pot in a single layer and cover them with broth or salted water by an inch.
2. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then lower the heat to a low simmer.
3. Cover and cook until the thickest part reads 165°F: about 20 to 30 minutes.
4. Rest 5 minutes, then slice or shred.

In a pressure cooker or Instant Pot

USDA says cooking frozen food in a pressure cooker is safe. That covers electric pressure cookers like the Instant Pot, but not a model that only slow-cooks.

1. Add 1 cup of broth or water and set the trivet in the pot.
2. Lay the separated frozen breasts on the trivet in a single layer.
3. Cook at high pressure for 10 to 12 minutes, then let the pressure release on its own for 10 minutes.
4. Check the thickest breast. Under 165°F? Lock the lid and cook 2 to 3 minutes more.

Frozen or thawed?

USDA says chicken can go from frozen into the oven or onto the stove, and it takes about 50 percent longer. Cooking from frozen saves you the overnight thaw.

Thaw first when you want to brine, marinate, grill, pound the breasts thin or use a slow cooker. A 1-pound pack of boneless breasts thaws in cold water in an hour or less: see our guide to thawing chicken in cold water.

Doneness and food safety

• Cook all chicken to 165°F, measured in the thickest part. USDA sets one number for breasts, thighs, wings and ground chicken.
• Measure before you take the chicken off the heat.
• No slow cooker and no microwave for frozen chicken. USDA says to thaw it first.
• Roast at 325°F or higher. USDA says not to roast meat or poultry in a cooler oven.

Pick your chicken

Our organic chicken breasts come 2 to 3 to a pack. The family pack holds 6 to 9 breasts for meal prep. Prefer dark meat? Chicken thighs work in every method here and stay juicier if they overshoot 165°F. More in the chicken hub.

Part of our Cook From Frozen guide.