Baking Frozen Chicken

• Preheat your oven to 350 F. Place the bird in a lightly greased, oven-safe dish or on a rack inside of a roasting pan and cover with foil. A frozen chicken will take about 50 percent more time to cook than if it were thawed. Cooking a small, 3- to 4-pound frozen fryer will likely take 2 to 2 1/4 hours. A slightly larger roasting hen could take up to 3 hours to cook completely. As the chicken begins to thaw, at around the 1-hour mark, season the bird with salt, pepper and herbs before continuing cooking.

Another Cooking Option

• A slightly faster method would be to cook your bird on the stovetop by placing it in a stewing pot with water or chicken broth and bringing it to a slow simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. It’s likely the chicken will be cooked enough to cut into smaller pieces at the 45-minute mark, and doing so may facilitate a faster cooking time. Use the chicken meat for any number of dishes including tacos, soups, sandwiches or stir-fries.

No Microwaves or Slow Cookers

• The USDA does not recommend cooking frozen chicken in the microwave or slow cooker, as these methods will take too long to bring frozen chicken out of the danger zone (40 to 140 F), possibly exposing the meat to harmful bacteria growth. Microwaves can be used to thaw frozen chicken, but be sure to cook it to 165 F as quickly as possible following thawing.

Safe Handling Practices

• Frozen chicken can still carry illness-causing Salmonella, a bacterium destroyed only by cooking. Follow good food safety by not rinsing chicken prior to cooking, and wash any surfaces that the chicken may have come in contact with using hot, soapy water, including your hands.