There is one thing I really, really hate and that’s touching raw chicken. I won’t go into details, but I’ll just say that I try to do it as little as possible.
If you’re a regular reader of the blog you know that I always have really low prices listed for my boneless, skinless chicken breast. That’s because I pretty much only buy it when it is on sale. After I buy the chicken I immediately divide, individually wrap, and freeze the pieces for later use so that I can defrost one at a time as needed. When I first started doing this I absolutely hated the chore of wrapping and freezing the chicken… until I discovered this little trick!
This simple technique allows you to wrap each piece of chicken quickly and cleanly, with barely any chicken-skin contact. Woot! Prepare to have your eyes opened.
How to Divide and Freeze Chicken
Step 1: Get your supplies out. You’ll need fold-top sandwich bags and one gallon sized freezer bag (or two if you’re prepping a lot of chicken). Label the freezer bag with the contents and date so that if the chicken ever gets lost in the freezer you’ll at least know what it is when you find it.
Step 2: Get ready. I like to fold back the opening of the freezer bag so that I can just slide the wrapped chicken breasts in without touching the outside of the bag (I’m trying to spread as little raw chicken juice as possible). I also take out the number of fold-top sandwich bags needed (one per chicken breast), so that I won’t be reaching into the box of sandwich bags with sticky chicken hands.
Step 3: Protect your hand. Take one of the sandwich bags and invert it over your hand so that it is inside out and covering your hand. Open the chicken package and use the covered hand to grab one of the breasts…
Step 4: Now simply flip the sandwich bag right side out and around the chicken breast. Fold the flap in to enclose the chicken breast. Now it’s neatly wrapped in its own little package and you’ve had minimal contact with the chicken. Yay!
Step 5: Slide the wrapped chicken breast into the freezer bag and repeat the process with the rest of the chicken. The thin sandwich bag keeps frost from building up on the surface of the chicken and the thick freezer bag keeps air out and prevents freezer burn. Now you have a freezer full of chicken ready to be defrosted whenever you need it! And that whole process only took about five minutes.
Note: Even though this process is virtually mess-free, you’ll want to wash your hands well and disinfect your countertops afterward. Salmonella is not fun and you don’t want to chance small amounts of it contaminating other foods.
Got any cool tips for freezing your food? Share them in the comments below!
I HAVE BEEN USING WAX PAPER TO FREEZE LOVELY CHICKEN BREASTS. YOUR IDEA WILL LIKELY STOP THE FREEZER BURN THAT I BROUGHT ON MYSELF.. MANY THANKS VANCOUVER BC CANADA. I LOVE SLOW FRYING WITH OLIVE OIL AND A SPLASH OF LEMON JUICE.
Okay, first time posting. I have a vacuum sealer. I took purchase my chicken in large quantities and freeze it. I did make the mistake my very first time by freezing BEFORE trimming. There is always veins and other junk on the chicken that I do not want to eat. I have to trim first. That way I can defrost a piece in the instant pot and it is already to go. And I find that my chicken purchased at my hometown local butcher shop is locally sourced and much better QUALITY then my big box store (I’m in the Midwest – I shop at Aldi and Meijer). I pay a bit more (really not that much more)but I feel it’s worth it. Your site is EXCELLENT – thanks for all your tips and recipes!
Brilliant! Thanks for sharing your quick and low mess method
Please, if you must use plastic bags, wash them with hot soapy water, dry, and reuse. I have read not to do this, but have been doing it for decades with no problem. If we don’t change the way we use plastic, the consequence will be more plastic in the ocean than fish by 2050.
I know this is an older post but I just had to comment. I love, love, LOVE that you are as cautious as I am when dealing with raw chicken. I’m not nearly as weird when it comes to ground beef or steaks but it’s something about chicken. I love your tips and tricks! Love that are they double sealed, individual (we usually do 2 or 3 together but sometimes you just need one and it’s also a pain to get those 2 or 3 broken apart sometimes) and I love the “sandwhich bag grab” trick! Never thought of that!! Thanks for making me feel not alone with this post! Haha
For me, a good way to thaw a single breast quickly is to put it on a rack and turn on a mini fan i have for this purpose. It takes about 25 minutes. I use the same fan to cool foods quickly. I usually put hit soup in jars, put lids on, and blow with the fan. They cool very fast!
And how would you freeze your chicken breast in a paper bag ?
Good thoughts!
Freezer burn is nothing but dehydration of the warmer side of the package while ice crystals form on the cooler side. Even while buried deep within your freezer. Wrapping individual breast halves is a good way to isolate each piece while freezing, and if the baggies have the air squeezed out before sealing, minimize freezer burn.
The great thing about vacuum baggers is the elimination of air through which moisture can travel within the packaging. Their plastic is more robust, as well so air does not pass through the walls of the bag. Yes, plastic film is permeable! Ever have a bottle of pop that goes past its expiration (by a long ways) and the sides cave in? If you open it you find that the gas that makes soda fizz has leaked through the bottle walls, leaving it flat. And zip seals, whether single or multiple, are going to let air molecules pass.
You can also freeze product on trays then dip in cold water to form an ice shell, which excludes air from the product.
I signed up just a little while ago and am enjoying it immensely. So many good ideas.
This is really bad for the environment, its very upsetting seeing all this plastic,
please we need to start thinking of the consequences .
And when you have used the chicken in each baggie, don’t throw the baggie away. Rinse it out well, let it air dry (or you can dry it but that’s a pain) and put it in with any plastic grocery bags that you are going to recycle. Grocery stores that recycle plastic bags also take baggies, cling wrap, any plastic film that is *clean* and *dry*.
Don’t reuse the baggies (chicken juice!) but don’t sent them to the landfill either.
Nice! Thanks for the tip!
Game changer. I hate, hate, hate touching raw meat and poultry. I use disposable gloves, but that can still be messy. I can’t wait to give this a try.
If you freezer this assembly in the freezer for an hour and then go back to dislodge the chicken individual wrapped breast, it will unfreeze the block of wrapped breasts and you now have separated individual breast wrapped , but hold they shape so they keep snug. Literally shaking the last frozen contacts of the individual chicken
I just got a large thing of chicken from Costco that has 6 bags of 2 to 3 breasts each but they freeze into a lump that way. I have been obsessed with my Instant pot pressure cooker, which I can cook these babies from frozen but it doesn’t work well when they are clumped. I found this searching for a good way to freeze the breasts individually for easy weeknight cooking. This is BRILLIANT. easier than managing cling wrap too. Thank you!
Hi Beth,
I’m a first time poster, long time lurker and all I can say is brilliant! Added bonus, less chance of freezer burn with double-bagged chicken. And I don’t know about you, but when I freeze chicken breasts in quart bags (1-2 per bag, depending on size), I always seem to find one lone breast in the bottom of the freezer when I take inventory for my semi-annual “cook the freezer” month. Your smart way of bagging them individually in one large bag means no more lost chicken.
i haven’t done that with chicken, but i put the sandwich bags on my hands to make tuna or salmon patties, or make hamburger patties. i hate smashing raw burger with my bare hands. the problem is trying not to burn the plastic when i’m putting the burgers in a pan or on the grill.
I take it a step further and fillet the breasts. Don’t know about yours, but when I buy the family packs (cheaper!) they are huge franken-chicken breasts at 8-12 oz each. I just give them a quick slice before bagging and freezing. Portions are much more realistic, thawing and cooking are faster, and my dollar goes twice as far. You do have to touch them, though. :)
Great idea! Yes, I do find that they are always HUGE. :P
Simple idea but so helpful! Thank you! I hate raw chicken or as I call it “my raw chicken issues” lol. It’s nice to know I’m not the only one.
In addition to your clever idea, I would put out a paper towel so I wouldn’t need to touch the roll.
Wow Game changer
Thank you so much for this. My family and I are preparing to stock our freezer in anticipation of the arrival of our new family member, due December 15. This is an awesome idea. We will be giving this a try. Many blessings to you.
Wow!! This is amazing!! I don’t think I will dread this chore as much next time! If I remember to grab the sandwich bags :)
Ah genius! I’ve avoided buying chicken in bulk amounts because I just don’t want to deal with touching it! Game changer! 😊
Using the sandwich bags is genius!
I recently purchased some chicken breasts that were on sale, and decided to try your technique. I couldn’t believe how easy it was for me to divide and freeze chicken breasts without having to touch them. Thanks a million, Beth!!! :-)
I was the label and stick it in the bag instead of writing
Wash…I wash the label
I just found this post today after searching for an alternative to plastic wrap. I needed to freeze some breasts and found I had no freezer paper or plastic wrap. I had to use small ZipLock bags because that is what I had on hand, but it worked . I have always dreaded breaking up and freezing the family packs of chicken I purchase on sale. No matter how neat I tried to be I always got chicken goo on my hands, and ended up washing them a number of times through the process. This is such and elegant serviceable solution, and will be my new method for freezing my bulk purchases. I thank you, my husband thanks you (now he doesn’t have to help), and my poor chapped hands thank you!
Why don’t you use disposal gloves if you grossed out by touching the raw meat?
It’s not just the actual contact, I just don’t like looking, smelling, or dealing with the raw meat in general. :P If I use the fold top bags as my gloves, that’s less waste.
Brilliant! Thank you!!!
So I place the chicken breasts on a cookie sheet and put them in the freezer. After freezing I then put them 2 or 3 per food saver bag.
I do something similar, but your way definitely keeps less air out. So I should consider doing it this way. I also prefer to trim my breasts of any fat so that I have one less thing to do when I’m ready to use the chicken. :)
Great tips! I need to make these packs of breasts last a little longer. Way too much money is spent using them all at once.
I don’t mind handling the chicken that much, but the thought that it may have contaminated the counter is always in the back of my mind.
I have always divided and frozen my chicken, ground beef, and certain cuts of pork. I also freeze my steaks but do that in their original cuts. With my chicken I actually cut it portions that I will use at one time. I make 4 and 6 oz portions (4 for lunch 6 for dinners) and then bags of several smaller left over pieces (usually ~1 oz each and about 12 oz in each bag) for when I am making a casserole or similar that requires small pieces or shredded chicken. It thaws much faster and I don’t need to worry about measuring my portions every day just when I prep it all. I also use the baggie-glove technique and find it much better since I hate handling raw chicken. Awesome Blog!
Just curious– a lot of places sell the frozen chicken breasts in bags and it usually ends up being cheaper than “fresh” chicken. (I think it’s usually 8-9 dollars for 3lbs.) Is there a benefit of the “fresh” over the frozen?
Not in my opinion. :)
Can chicken not be cooked straight from frozen? I have done this more than once and was never sick… so why fuss over defrosting?
It’s not a guarantee that you’ll get sick, or even very likely that you will, but it can increase the chances of bacterial proliferation, depending on the way it’s cooked and handled. So, it’s just a safeguard. When it starts out frozen, it can sometimes take too long for it to heat up and reach a safe temperature, which means it spends a prolonged amount of time in that temperature range that bacteria like.
Careful with those, often the frozen ones at my disocunt grocery store are “seasoned” which basically means they injected them with about a gallon of salt. It increases the weight of each breast (trickery!), and makes the sodium content ridiculous. Check the ingredients and the back of the package. Legally, where I live they must include the amount of sodium per seving and the % of recommended daily intake when they add stuff like sodium. Last time I saw this deal it was like 50% of my RDI of sodium in each breast.
I have a serious raw meat aversion and sanitize the counters/sink anytime I cook meat (read: almost daily) it cracks my husband up. But, no salmonella around here. What makes me cringe is being at another person’s home and watching them handle/cook meat. I want to go behind them with a Clorox wipe. ;)
This is exactly how I freeze my raw chicken and beef. When I get ready to cook them, I always wear gloves. The thought of handling raw meat grosses me out too!
I would place two or three chicken breasts wrapped in aluminum foil, write the date, and put them in the freezer. The main reason that I would use aluminum foil is to prevent freezer burn! There are times where I have to touch the raw chicken breasts, and trim some of the solid white fat off-which kind of grosses me out! Honestly, this is a good idea, and I’m willing to give it a try!!
I had to show this whole tutorial to my house mates! It was a fast way to convince them to bulk buy chicken and freezing it hassle free :D
When in college, you gotta save money everywhere!
My sister and I are trying to save money on groceries! Although we’re not college students (I’m returning to school in January next year), we’re trying to find creative ways to cut corners, and cook scrumptious meals. Let’s NOT forget leftovers!!
Just found your awesome blog thanks to Reddit.
Was just wondering if you have any tips for thawing your frozen chicken quickly! Mine always seems to either still be frozen in the middle or be slightly cooked at the edges if I try to microwave defrost it!
Unfortunately I don’t know of any short cuts with this. I usually put it in the fridge the day before. :P If you have it in a zip top bag, you can try running cool water over it until it thaws, but that just uses so much water.
When I defrost my chicken (because I almost always forget to defrost it ahead of time), I put hot water in a bowl and put my chicken in there in a ziploc. I recommend getting all the air out so it doesn’t float as much. Usually defrosts in 30 mins.
Fill your sink with really hot water and put the chicken in it and let it defrost in it all day or until thawed(and remember to keep adding hot water when it starts getting to a lukewarm point). My family has always done it like this. Just make sure to wrap it in foil, put it in a bag, or something like that to prevent water seeping in and adding to the chicken juices(bigger mess = not fun!). ^_^
If you would like to thaw you frozen meat faster than 30 minutes put the meat still wrapped on a pan in the sink with warm water running over it until it is thawed, usually about 15 minutes but this is an astronomical waste of water, best to use it only in a pinch.
Set the wrapped frozen meat on a cast aluminum or cast iron pan. There are also cast aluminum defrosting trays you can buy, Amazon sells them, but a heavyweight pan works just as well. It may take an hour or two, but definitely not all day. Only use this method if you will be cooking or refrigerating the meat as soon as it’s defrosted.
As a fellow germaphobe, I’m wondering how you rinse the chicken and get it to the pan. What’s your technique? I absolutely despise doing the rinse before I cook it!
I don’t rinse my chicken. Anything that is on there will die during cooking, so no need to rinse. Plus, rinsing can actually splatter germs onto your sink and surrounding areas. I do end up touching the chicken a little when I transfer it to the pan or cooking vessel, but at least I skipped touching it the first time around. ;)
I use this method to separate chicken and other meats and then once in the freezer bag I insert a straw and seal on either side to the straw and suck the air out of the bag and finish seal. Creates an almost perfect vacuum seal.
I know that it may be a great seal but I think it would be kind of unsafe to suck the air out of a bag of raw meat.
I hadn’t thought of this for chicken, but I do something similar with ground beef! I divide most of my ground beef into freezer bags, because when I use it in pastas I never notice a big difference between a 1/2 lb and full lb in the sauce. Saves me a ton of $!
I also divide up bacon by separating it into 4-6 slices, putting them horizontally in a gallon freezer bag, then putting the next set in with just a little room to spare. Then I fold up the bag and stick it in the freezer– and when I want bacon I just pull out a frozen section and stick it on the frying pan.
Your freezer methods are perfect for those who live alone. Rouse’s has chicken thighs on sale for 88 cents! I don’t mind boning them myself. Defeats the “no touch” thing but I get free broth out of the deal.
I just did this! Sanderson Farms boneless skinless chicken breasts are currently buy 1 get 2 at Albertsons so I got 6 packs of chicken for $28 :D
I did this tonight……. Genius!
I do pretty much the same thing. I also label each individual baggie with the weight of the chicken breast, since they can vary so much. That way when I need a specified weight of chicken, I get much closer in my estimate.
Ahh Beth, this is EXACTLY how I freeze my chicken. It just makes so much more sense to buy in bulk and always have it on hand. Love it! :) The only difference – I usually cut my chicken into smaller portions, so unfortunately I do have to get my hands a bit messy.
A great post! It’s wonderful to learn that others share my aversion to raw chicken. Decades ago — I was in college — I was given the task of preparing dinner for my roommates. I had a whole chicken and was simply unable to bring myself to break it apart. Since then I have never purchased an entire fowl.
How did I not think of this… perfect!
I don’t have any issues with touching raw chicken. When I buy a large package of breasts, I line a large sheet pan with parchment and arrange them individually and pop them in the freezer. When they are frozen solid, I transfer the chicken to a large zip lock bag. It’s easy to remove as many as I need because they do not stick together and I don’t waste all those plastic bags. I use them within a month or two so no issue with freezer burn.
Great idea for reducing plastic waste! I’m going to try this next time.
I do something very similar, but using plastic cling wrap instead of the fold top baggies. That way I can wrap it very tight to keep the air out. And the tight wrap helps to prevent them from folding together and getting stuck once frozen like another commenter mentioned.
As for freezing other things, I have started making my own vegetable broth. I simply save in a large ziploc bag in the freezer all the peels, ends and cores from all the vegetables I cook with…the parts I used to put down the garbage disposal. Once the bag is full, I empty the contents of the bag into a large stock pot and cover it with water. Bring it to a boil and reduce the heat and cover; continue simmering for another 30-45 minutes, allow to cool and strain it through cheesecloth. Add salt, if desired and find an awesome soup recipe on budget bytes to use it up. This makes a ton. I recently used this in place of the chicken broth in your potato soup recipe and it was amazing!
I buy more onion than I need and cut all of it. I put the extra onion into separate smaller bags and freeze for future meals.
Thank you! These how-to articles are very helpful :) I used to wrap them in wax paper and then foil, which was expensive, messy, and time-consuming. This is a MUCH better idea.
Zip lock makes bags just for this. I bought some unfortunately it was so long ago I don’t remember how much they cost. I think your method is probably less expensive. I will be using your method from now on.
I appreciate your dedication to not spreading bacteria through chicken juice by using gloves and baggies. If only the stores you purchase these from would be so conscience, we would have at least have somewhat healthier food.
When I read this, I busted out laughing because this is soooo me. Everyone around me thinks I’m weird because I really hate touching raw meat. It really bothers me and grosses me out. I usually use the fork method for moving my meats, LOL. Good to know there are numerous others like me out there.
I use a similar approach, but splurge on the zip-top bags. Then, rather than getting chicken juice all over a bowl, I use the same bag to thaw and marinate my chicken. When I pull a bag from the freezer, I just add whatever marinade I’d like (if nothing else, a healthy dose of Sriracha always does the trick), and leave it to thaw. And because I’m extra squeamish about touching raw chicken, I avoid cutting it up as much as possible. So to ensure even cooking, I use a mallet (with the chicken still in the bag…just let most of the air out first) to flatten the breast. Use your tongs to pull it out and put it on your baking sheet/grill. Ta-da! No-touch chicken!!! And if you get the bags on sale, it only adds 3-5 cents to the cost.
If one was truly budgeting then a bit more of cutting and prepping would help. Some 50 yrs. ago we were on very limited budget. When whole chicken was on sale $.19 (yes) I bought 6-10 and proceeded to get chicken breasts (skin and bones removed) and chicken tenders (that small muscle in breast), chicken wings (tips chopped off), chicken legs, chicken thighs. All of the above wrapped in portions for meals as desired. The backs, skin, trimmings would all go immediately in a stock pot with appropriate seasonings for a big batch of chicken stock, which also yielded some more chicken meat for the soup. For those squeamish in handling raw chicken the suggestion of thin plastic gloves should make it okay.
Upon defrosting there was no extras to throw away and the ‘whole’ chicken was used up.
Agreed! I buy a whole chicken at the farmers market and use the entire thing for meat and broth. Packaged broth is expensive!
My first thought was YAY!!! I have the some revulsion/concern about raw chicken. But I usually wash mine first before freezing. BUT, with this, after it thaws, I’m going to wash and trim. Makes sense.
I just wanted to add that there is no need to wash raw chicken. In fact, the splatter from doing so can spread salmonella around your kitchen. A couple scientists recently released a video illustrating this. One less step with touching raw chicken is always a reason to celebrate in my book. :)
What a great idea! I’ve been just using a fork and putting them in bags so I don’t have to touch the chicken but I am definitely going to try this technique!
I find I need a few tablespoons of tomato paste now and then. I don’t need a whole can and I don’t want to waste one by opening it. So I open a can, scoop out 1 tablespoon size scoops onto a plate with an ice cream scooper, and then put the plate in the freezer. Once the scoops freeze solid I pop them off the plate and put them in a plastic tub in the freezer. Viola! Individual tablespoons of tomato paste ready to go. I do the same thing with chocolate chip cookie dough. I can make fresh baked cookies a few at a time for weeks.
Great idea! I will try this.
Nice, Beth. Great site! I use it more than you know.
Speaking of freezing, here’s a link to a convenient guide for freezing different types of foods and how long things last in the fridge/freezer.
Apparently chicken can last 12 months in the freezer according to that guide.
This is life changing.
I Just use disposable rubber gloves. If the chicken pieces are really thick and large, I also cut them in half lengthwise, and I get more meals out of it.
I had to comment because I do the same thing! Minimal touching :)
Ha! I cannot stand touching any raw meat unless it’s frozen. I usually can’t cut it either so I buy chicken strips/cubes. I currently stab it with a fork if I need to move a piece of chicken. I have tongs on the To Buy list.
You’re probably going to get really jealous when I say this (sorry in advance!) but… I go to the BEST grocery store up here in NY- Wegmans. They sell chicken breast for $1.99/lb ALL THE TIME… and even better, they sell it individually packaged! You buy a big sheet of 10 chicken breasts that are all vacuum sealed separately. I throw the whole thing in the freezer and then cut off a section whenever needed! So brilliant.
Anyway, sorry to make ya jealous :) If we move away and don’t have access to the awesomeness of Wegmans anymore, I will DEFINITELY use your method. I hate touching raw meat- blech!
Hahahah, not fair! :)
Yes- Wegmans IS the best…but this is a good tip for chicken thighs as well which they don’t sell vacuum sealed…yet!
BJ’S Warehouse sells individual vaccum pack chicken breast, thighs, legs also Breast are 1 per pack thighs are 4 per Legs 4or5 per pack,Wings 6 to 8 per pack most pack or 10 pounds or more but they are nicely you just freeze and cut off the amount you want.
Thats BJ’S in North Carolina
Don’t you run into the problem of them all freezing together in the bag and hard to get just one out. That’s what happens to me. :)
Not when they’re wrapped in the fold top plastic baggies, it keeps them all separate. :)
Thanks for the tip!!! I would cook more chicken if I did not have to touch it! I cook alot and chicken justs grosses me out bigtime. I have cleaned a few deers, but that slimy bird, ewwwwwwww! And I love chicken.
What a simple and great idea! It’s one of those “why didn’t I think of that?” moments :)
That’s exactly what happened to me. I thought, “of course!” :)
How have I never thought of doing this? It’s the same technique I use to do a poop scoop when I’m out with the dog….
What’s your method for defrosting without spreading yucky chix juices? I rarely freeze chix because I get so nervous about defrosting!!!
I take one of the wrapped breasts out of the freezer the day before and place it in a bowl in the refrigerator. Make sure it’s a big enough bowl to prevent drips as it thaws. :)
You don’t trim your meat before putting it away? I’ve always been in the habit of cutting off excess fat first. Can I do that more easily after it thaws instead? Hm.
That was my question too- what to do about trimming off fat
I usually do it after it’s thawed and ready to use, since I usually am cutting or slicing at that time anyway. :)
I usually do it after it’s thawed and ready to use, since I usually am cutting or slicing at that time anyway. :)
I’m a trimmer too, an I usually buy 10lbs of chicken at a time for my family and pack it for freezing. I always trim first and also try to cut and portion in the cuts I use most, cutlets, bit size strips, etc. That way I only have to touch the raw chicken and wash the chickeny cutting board once, not every time I take out a frozen pack to cook.
Hate.Dealing.With.Raw.Meat, but love to cook and eat it!
I work in healthcare, so I swipe a box of gloves (new and unopened) and keep them in a cabinet for all my meat handling needs.
Thank you Beth.
It beats by far the idea I had to buy a vacuum machine.
Now, I just need to remember to get those bags on my next shopping trip at the grocery … ;)
Cheers,
I LOVE your blog…it is awesome and I am having a blast going through your recipes! I love that you have so many vegetarian options :)
This post cracked me up…I agree, I hate chicken hands and this looks great…but, it reminds me of picking up dog poop…so I got a big laugh!
Keep up the awesome work…cant wait to see your cookbook.
Haha, OMG! I have two dogs and didn’t even think of that. Now that I have read your comment, I will never forget. :P
That is what I do. Buy the boxes of gloves and keep them around for handling meat. Makes my life so much easier ;)
Good thing you don’t work in finance.
I use this same trick at the grocery store when getting greens like cilantro from the case! It keeps your hand from getting wet.
As someone who has the same issue with touching raw chicken as you, I thank you greatly for this! I may start buying chicken in bulk if I don’t have to touch it. :)
Meeeeee toooooo!!!! :-) Thanks a million!!