Can You Deep Fry Frozen Chicken? (And For How Long)

I guess that I’m not the only one obsessed with fried chicken – both children and the aged love this delicacy. Fried chicken is known for the crispy layer, but questions have been asked regarding whether you can deep fry frozen chicken or not. 

This post will help you answer all the questions you have regarding deep frying chicken – whether it is frozen or not. 

And even before we dive into the nitty-gritty of this post, you must know deep-frying chicken is just a matter of minutes. Maybe, you’ll need to follow the guidelines we will outline in this post, and you’re good to go. 

And maybe a final surprise before I can answer all your questions – did you know that even the fries you buy at your local restaurant is frozen? Sure, all these fries are frozen, but you may never know because nobody will tell you. 

That out of the way, let’s dive in. 

What Happens When You Deep Fry Frozen Chicken?

Yes, you can deep fry frozen chicken, but most health experts don’t recommend the idea. Many risks come with frying frozen chicken, which is why you should give it a second thought. 

To better understand what happens when you decide to deep fry your frozen chicken, we must go back to the basics. What do you think happens when boiling oil comes into contact with frozen water? 

Back to your high school Chemistry – you were probably taught that there are three states of matter. And that when you combine two states of matter, violent reactions are likely to occur. 

Usually, when you fry frozen chicken, there will be an explosion because of the two states of matter coming into contact. This can be dangerous and can cause burns to you if you’re not serious. 

Firefighters have even gone to the extreme of using this experiment to show people the real dangers of deep frying frozen chicken. The bottom line is that you can deep fry frozen chicken, but it’s dangerous. 

How Long Should You Deep Fry Frozen Chicken?

The time taken to deep fry frozen chicken should be between 10 and 12 minutes. Deep frying frozen chicken is an effective way of cooking your chicken because it ensures that your chicken is cooked properly without the inner sides not cooking well. 

Just like cooking any other meal, deep frying also requires some expertise and experience. You will also need to put on protective clothing to ensure that you’re safe from any danger resulting from deep frying. 

When deep frying frozen chicken, there are specific precautions you need to take to make sure that you’re safe throughout the period. For example, you will need to put on an apron and distance yourself a little bit if there is any explosion. 

Additionally, before you start deep frying your frozen chicken, you need to ensure that your chicken was appropriately frozen. That means that there should be no rock-hard or cluster. Also, ensure that you spread the pieces evenly in the fryer. 

Depending on the deep fryer you are using, the time taken will differ. Some will take a relatively shorter time, while some may have to take longer. Regardless of the deep fryer, you are using, rest assured that you will get your chicken fried in the long run. 

In case you’re using a pan, you will need to test the temperature using a thermometer. It is always essential to ensure that the temperature is 350 degrees or less. Once it is at 350 degrees, you can dip your chicken in the oil and let it fry. 

Let your chicken fry for between ten and twelve minutes, after which you can remove and transfer them into a clean bowl or container. If possible, you can spread serviettes on the bowl to absorb the extra I’ll from the chicken. 

How to Deep Fry Frozen Chicken?

Now that you understand most essentials let’s go through how you can deep fry frozen chicken. 

Deep frying chicken involves some expertise, and sometimes experience would be a plus. To avoid unnecessary injuries, you will need to be extra cautious during the process. 

The first step to deep-frying frozen chicken is to take your frozen chicken from the freezer and then deep fry it in vegetable oil with temperatures at 350 degrees. 

In any case, the oil starts to bubble over; you can take out a few pieces of chicken for some time before you can place them back into the oil to fry again. Ideally, you’re doing this to avoid oil bubbling over and burning over in the process. 

And this process might have to be repeated many times if the oil continues to bubble over even after the first attempt to remove some chicken pieces from the oil. Once the oil stops to bubble over, you can let the chicken pieces to fry for between ten to twelve minutes before removing. 

That said, below is a step-by-step process of deep frying frozen chicken: 

Step 1. Heat the Oil

The first step is to get your vegetable oil and pour it into your deep fryer or cookware. The standard amount you’ll need is 2 quarts, but this may depend on the deep fryer or cookware you are using.

Once you have poured the vegetable oil into the skillet you’re using, you need to heat it until you are sure it has hit 359 degrees. You can test this using a thermometer. 

Step 2. Deep your Frozen Chicken into the Hot Vegetable Oil 

Now that the vegetable oil has boiled to the required temperature (350 degrees), you need to slowly put the chicken pieces one-by-one to prevent the hot vegetable oil from splashing on you. 

Leave the chicken pieces to fry for about 12 minutes, after which you should remove them. Please don’t leave to fry for too long because doing so could make your chicken pieces get burnt. 

Step 3. Transfer your Fried Chicken to a Bowl

Once your chicken pieces have fried, you need to remove them from the oil and transfer them to a bowl. It is essential to align your bowl with some serviettes to absorb the chicken pieces’ oil. 

If you did not turn the heat off, you need to at this point. Because not doing so will make the oil continue boiling, which could be dangerous when it gets too hot. Again, at this point, everyone in your family can sit around the table and enjoy the delicious fried chicken.

Additional Deep-Frying Tips

When frying frozen chicken, you need to be extra cautious because of the science behind the states of matter coming together to cause an explosion. 

Also, you need to note that deep fryers need good heat to help fry your chicken properly. Remember, nobody will love not properly fried chicken. 

Fryers  Can be Dangerous

Fryers are way more dangerous than you ever thought. Most people just overlook this, but you don’t need to – instead, you should take more precautions when using a deep fryer. For example, waiting until the oil is too hot can be dangerous. 

Oil and water should not mix because the oil will rise, causing it to bubble if they do. This can make the hot oil splash on you, causing burns and other serious injuries. 

Frozen Chicken is Watery

Any chicken you buy will be frozen. Most sellers do this because they what to make sure that the chicken stays for long. This is something you can’t blame them for because they are in business, and you’d expect that from any businessperson. 

When you buy your chicken from the butchery, the best thing to do is to defrost it before you can let it in the hot vegetable oil. This is because oil and water should not mix, and if they do, there are higher chances that it will splash and burn you. 

If you’re using a deep fryer, you must follow the manufacturer’s instructions on how much oil you should fill in the deep fryer. Usually, you should fill about three-inches deep. However, this depends on the deep fryer you’re using and the size of the skillet you’re frying from. 

Most deep fryers come features settings you can adjust to match your preferences. You can determine the level of oil and adjust the settings accordingly.

Again, make sure that the frozen chicken is a little bit warm because the coldness may bring down the vegetable oil temperature even if it had boiled. Most importantly, make sure that you’re letting in your chicken pieces in the oil when they have no traces of water. 

How to Deep Fry Safely?

We have talked about the essentials when deep-frying frozen chicken, but what if I can give you a few tips on how you can deep fry without worrying about any dangers – is that something you’d love? 

Just to recap, there are several things you need to keep in mind when deep-frying frozen chicken. One of them is that you must never let your chicken pieces in vegetable oil when they still have some water traces. 

Secondly, make sure that you have filled the deep fryer or whatever skillet you’re using with the right amount of vegetable oil. If you’re not sure, you need to consult the skillset’s manufacturer to know exactly how much oil is required. 

Next, don’t leave the oil to boil too much because this can be very dangerous. Instead, let the oil to boil until it is 350 degrees. You can check the temperature using a thermometer just to be sure. 

Once the right temperature is reached, you need to dip your chicken pieces one-by-one into the oil and fry for at most 12 minutes before you can remove and transfer them into a bowl. In this bowl, align some serviettes to absorb the oil remaining on the chicken pieces. 

Additional Safety Precautions While Deep Frying

Unlike other oils, such as grapeseed, sunflower, and canola oil, regular olive oil have a smoking point ranging between 390 and 468 degrees. That means that you need to know the type of oil you’re using. The other oils mentioned above have a much lower smoking point. 

The idea behind this precaution is that you want to avoid any mishap that may result in unnecessary injuries. If you use the recommended oil for frying chicken, I believe you shouldn’t have any issues frying your chicken with ease. 

Apart from the precautions we have discussed above, below are a few to keep you alert and ensure that everything is done the right way. 

• Make sure to go through the manufacturer’s instructions to avoid missing any serious points. 
• Use only pans or skillsets that are wide enough to accommodate the chicken amount you wish to fry.
• Set everything ready, including your ingredients, to prevent any hasty decisions when frying your chicken.
• If you can afford a fire extinguisher, make it available near you so that you can put it out as fast as possible in case of an explosion. 
• Before you top up your deep fryer with oil, ensure that it is dry and away from any water source. 

Frequently Asked Questions