What can be cooked, frozen and then cooked from frozen?!

[DairyleaFunker]

As title really! If I can cook ready meals containing chicken direct from the freezer, what's the safe way I can make my own chicken ready meals?!!!

They tend to have extra things in that your kitchen won’t be able to add-stabilisers, additional water injected into the meat etc. The chicken is generally very soft and full of water, quality may be compromised in your home version I suppose. Could you not just defrost in the microwave and then heat fully? We do that with chicken casserole or chicken curry.

Don't see any reasons why not.

I guess the issue is that the food needs to be piping hot and cooked through to avoid food poisoning. You might also lose some texture and overall taste, quality.

What is stopping you using the defrost function on microwave? Or putting food out to defrost in the morning?

I do this, just batch cook, freeze and re heat

Everything I've looked at says chicken should not be defrostered in microwave or hot water? I'd much prefer to be able to choose dinner at dinnertime than have to remove from freezer hours before so any tips and suggestions welcome!

I do this all the time. If we've cooked a roast chicken I'll freeze the excess breast meat etc for other meals and smaller pieces to add to curries, soups etc.
As PP, it just has to be reheated properly.

That's uncooked chicken. If you cook it in something, then freeze, it's ok to microwave - obvs cook throughly.

Im confused. What is it you are looking to do?

Cook a meal yes? Freeze it yes? Then heat it back up again as your home cooked ready meal yes?

You can make your own chicken ready-meals safely, and take them out the freezer when you want to!

You just have to make sure they are piping hot. So if it's a chicken curry/casserole it's best to turn it out of the freezer container into a wide-ish shallow bowl then put in microwave, give a stir half way through cooking time to redistribute the middle icy bits!

Rather than a microwave, would it be safe to do this in a slow cooker?

That's raw chicken though, I think? 🌹

Put your frozen meal in the oven and it will defrost as the oven heats. Just make sure it is piping hot before serving .I've survived years of this

I don't know about cooked meat, but I think you can't cook frozen, raw meat in a slow cooker as it doesn't get hot enough

It's fine, we do this most weeks. As long as the meat is cooked before the dish goes in the freezer, you can defrost it and heat it through.

Beef stews, chicken casseroles, chilli, curries, goulash... they all work just fine cooked, frozen, then reheated.

Do you have an instant pot? It’s the perfect gadget for this.

I came on to say this! Game changer! You can even cook a full raw chicken from frozen.

Stuff like chicken curry, bolognaise, chilli all come out fabulous from frozen.

What constitutes an instant pot?! I have an air fryer and a slow cooker.

An instant pot is an electric pressure cooker (and slow cooker, and rice cooker and a yoghurt maker and god knows what else, it does all sorts) they're really good.

I just put straight from freezer into the oven on a bit lower heat and for a bit longer and make sure hot in middle. Give a stir half way through. Stews casseroles curry etc, they are fine. Or in a pot on the hob.

defrosted spag Bol in microwave last night and finished on hob while spaghetti Cooking.