Method

• Whether you intend to marinate it or not, the best way to thaw frozen chicken is in the refrigerator overnight. Place the frozen chicken in a plastic bag or bowl and cover it with the marinade. Seal or cover and refrigerate overnight or up to 24 hours. By using this method, you guarantee flavorful chicken with no worries of foodborne illness. Bacteria multiplies quickly when you store frozen chicken on a countertop or in the sink. Never marinate chicken overnight using these methods.

Benefits

• Marinading chicken overnight adds flavor and tenderizes the meat. As the meat sits in the marinade, it will thaw, which reduces total cooking time and can also increase the quality of the final product, in some cases. Small pieces of meat, such as boneless chicken breasts, easily thaw overnight in the fridge. A whole chicken might need a few more hours, depending on the temperature in your refrigerator and the size of the bird. Remove the neck and gizzards of a whole chicken before you cook it.

Ingredients

• Traditional marinades rely on three main ingredients: an acid, a fat and seasonings. The acid tenderizes the meat, while the fat helps it brown when it cooks; the seasonings add flavor. By altering just a few ingredients, you can easily create numerous marinades, and by making your own, you can skip the excess sodium and sugar usually found in commercial marinades. For example, marinade chicken for fajitas in lime juice, oil and Mexican seasonings. For Asian flair, try a marinade with soy sauce, oil, garlic and ginger. Buttermilk is sometimes used as a marinade for fried chicken. It tenderizes the meat and creates a slightly tangy flavor.

Options

• The meat won't absorb much of the marinade's flavor until it's thawed. To thaw meat ahead of time, you can use the "defrost" or the "low" setting on your microwave or keep it in a cold bowl of water in the sink. Replace the water every 30 minutes, so it stays cold enough to inhibit bacterial growth. Alternatively, thaw the chicken in the refrigerator for 12 hours before marinading it for an additional 4 to 12 hours.