separating frozen chicken?

[lovinAZ]

Again, not looking for a recipe, just help... 

DH and I buy large packages of chicken breasts and consume them over a few weeks.  Chicken was on sale, so we bought a big package (7 or 8 breasts).  Normally, we'd separate them and put them in their own little tupperwares before freezing, but we didn't for a small variety of irrelevant reasons.

Anyone know how we can get these things apart without defrosting the whole bunch?  It's not good to defrost and refreeze, but we're not going to eat 7 breasts before they go bad in the fridge, either.

Thanks 

[AprilRenee]

Run them under warm water? put them in a baggie and bang them on the counter?

[MadMadge43]

no, but I'd love to hear. We resorted to a screw driver and hammer the other week.

[AngelicGamer]

I think you would do best with soaking the chicken in warm to hot water in a bowl.  It should seperate them easily enough, but be careful with the temperature of the water when you go to pull them out.

[IndianInlaw]

Run a knife under hot water and pryyyyyy them apart.

[ZipTheWonder]

I dont' think you want to expose these to much heat, otherwise you'll have rubber chicken when it comes time to cook them.  I'd let them sit out for just a few minutes, and then just use whatever tool looks like it would work to slip between them and pry.  I think the screwdriver sounds like a good place to start. 

[Rei-chan]

I would stay away from defrosting anything with warm water:  It breeds bacteria, especially in chicken.

Also, prying with knives and screwdrivers?  BE CAREFUL of you will slip and stab yourself.

My advice:  Buy a metal meat mallet.  Place chicken on counter, and bash it where the pieces meet.

Good Luck!   

[veryfluffy]

Could you defrost them all, make up a big batch of coq au vin, and then freeze that in individual portions? It is okay to refreeze if it's been cooked first.

[Psykogrl]

While its not great to thaw and refreeze, you can to some extent. I partially thaw out the chicken (so that the centers are still frozen) with running, cool water.

Put the chicken in your sink and turn on the cold water so it runs over it. If it fits into some kind of container, like a bowl or pot or pan, then even better cause its the movement that does it.

(Caution: Mr Wizard Moment  ) The running water creates a convection current, which even in cold water moves energy around in it, which thaws the chicken faster and without bacteria growth that warm water does

[Suze]

I would cook the whole mess up at once and then refreeze after cooking.

Once you got them apart you could make two or three differnt things out of them so you wouldn't be eating the same thing over and over again.

[lovinAZ]

Thank you for your suggestions!!

I'm going to try to separate them with cold water (I would butcher myself with a knife or a screwdriver!!!!), and if they thaw too much for my liking, then we'll just cook 'em all up into various meals and freeze!

[ZaftigWife]

While its not great to thaw and refreeze, you can to some extent. I partially thaw out the chicken (so that the centers are still frozen) with running, cool water.

Put the chicken in your sink and turn on the cold water so it runs over it. If it fits into some kind of container, like a bowl or pot or pan, then even better cause its the movement that does it.

(Caution: Mr Wizard Moment  ) The running water creates a convection current, which even in cold water moves energy around in it, which thaws the chicken faster and without bacteria growth that warm water does

Thank you for posting this!  I knew it was true that cold water would thaw chicken faster than warm water, but I didn't know why.  Now I do!   

[Nimblicity]

We always just threw the bag on the concrete floor of the garage.  Works like a charm! 

[Bethalize]

Anyone know how we can get these things apart without defrosting the whole bunch?  It's not good to defrost and refreeze, but we're not going to eat 7 breasts before they go bad in the fridge, either.

If they are laid out and joined at the edges only I pry them apart. Stick something into the seam. A hefty thump often helps shatter them.

If they are all welded together flat ways I'd be inclined to start defrosting from one side (cold water method) and take off what you need.

[lovinAZ]

I ran them under cold water and pressed them apart (the sink bottom isn't flat).  I was able to separate them into singles and doubles, which was good enough (better than one mass of eight!).

Thanks!!