Why Restaurant Chefs Never Buy Previously Frozen Chicken

Frozen chicken can be a quick go-to option when stocking up your freezer, especially because it's fairly cheaper and can last longer than its fresh counterpart. Due to its ease of access and adaptability to many cooking methods like baking, boiling, or grilling, frozen chicken fits well as an alternative to red meat. Like all other frozen proteins, frozen chicken takes longer to cook compared to unfrozen or fresh ones. However, if all you have is frozen chicken and you still want to enjoy some delicious chicken soups, sandwiches, wraps, or casseroles, using it may be your only option. 

In addition to having to defrost or thaw (for almost a day in the fridge) before cooking, frozen chicken is comparatively less tasty, juicy, or delicious compared to fresh chicken. If you're always enjoying your chicken from frozen (despite being totally safe according to USDA), chances are that you're missing out on the soft texture, succulence, and other niceties that come with fresh cuts of chicken — something that professional chefs are already well aware of.

According to James Wilschke, a sous chef at Middle Eastern restaurant Bavel in Los Angeles, juiciness is the ultimate delight that makes the chicken so appealing. "When chicken, or any meat, is previously frozen, this can dry it out," he tells Food and Wine, adding that you should look for signs that the chicken has not previously been frozen such as a "fresh, never frozen" label on packed chicken. "But sometimes you can't even trust that." He also says that when stores overstock their chicken, they can be tempted to freeze it to avoid getting spoiled and losing sales revenues. Although he understands that there are certainly higher-end poultry brands that you can trust they have not frozen the chicken, Wilschke advises that you should link up with your butcher just to be sure.

Experts like chef Jon Sloan, the culinary director at Crack Shack, advise that you should stay clear of chicken that has added water or brine. "Brine-injected chicken can actually have compromised texture and flavor," he tells Food and Wine. This is further supported by Livestrong which observes that saline-injected chicken can be saltier than fresh ones. Want more? Here's why you should avoid buying frozen chicken if you're still not convinced.