Cooking whole chicken from frozen

lincsyellowbelly

I don't think this is a stupid question, but would I be ok to cook a whole chicken from frozen today. I could let it defrost from now until after lunch, don't want to eat til about 5pm. Have looked on various cooking websites this morning but opinion seems divided. I know it will need cooking for quite a bit longer than normal. Would I do that on a lower heat so the outside doesn't burn (usually use roasting bags).
I think it will be ok and will be very careful to make sure its properly cooked but would feel better for knowing for sure. Thanks all.

VJsmum

The advice from a friend who works for environmental health is that you shouldn't cook anything from frozen if it has a bone in it. I wouldn't do it myself - not worth the risk.

withabix

Defrost it in the microwave first?

rising_from_the_ashes

Personally, for a whole chicken, I'd want to make sure it was thoroughly defrosted before cooking.

pawlala

I'd be tempted to go and buy a new unfrozen chicken from the supermarket and leave the other one in the freezer.

sonastin

Personally I wouldn't risk it.

But if you really want to try and make it happen, putting the chicken in a bowl of water will help to speed up the defrosting between now and when you're trying to cook it. Are you able to delay your meal time to buy you more time to get it defrosted? Have a "starter" at 5pm and save your main meal until 7:30 - 8pm? The extra couple of hours will give you a better chance of defrosting it.

I'd do what pawlala says and buy a fresh one though, if it were me...

rosalie-lavender

Personally I would never cook a whole chicken from frozen. I have had food poisoning from chicken and it wasn't pleasant!

If you cook it on a lower heat then you run the risk of any bacteria not being killed and multiplying while it is being cooked.

I think I have read somewhere that you can defrost things in a bowl of cold water with frequent changes of water. Then it has to be cooked straight away. That is a possibility but I wouldn't risk it.

~Chameleon~

I have previously cooked chicken portions from frozen but I wouldn't risk it with a whole chicken. Any reason you need to roast it whole? Could you cut it into half/quarters to help speed up defrosting/cooking times?

Otherwise, I find the fastest way to defrost food is to place it on the cast grill iron plate of my cooker. Don't ask me why/how it works but it just does. I could defrost a whole chicken within 4 hours. You've got around 5-6hrs to defrost it so should be possible.

lincsyellowbelly

Ok thank you, won't risk it, it just goes against everything we are told as we grow up doesnt it?

camNolliesMUMMY

I'd put in a sink with cold water to defrost for a couple of hours then when happy cook as usual.