Should I cook the chicken tonight, or can it wait another day?

[FlockOfSillies]

I pulled out some frozen chicken breasts to thaw yesterday. I'd planned to cook them last night, but my afternoon went kerplooey. I'd like to leave them in the fridge until tomorrow -- tonight I won't even be home during the dinner hours. Will the chicken go bad if it sits another day in the fridge?

[Janet in Toronto]

You know, thawed chicken makes me nervous. I'd boil it and shred it (and then refrigerate) for tacos or a casserole or soup tomorrow night. But others may not share my chicken anxiety!

Janet

[WendyK]

If you thawed it in the fridge (and not on the counter) I think it will be fine. If you thawed it on the counter (I know..bad bad, but I do it all the time) I would probably cook it sooner rather than later.

[krazzymommy]

We've done this many a times and we're all still alive. But, I don't think it's recommended.

[melissel]

If you thawed it in the fridge (and not on the counter) I think it will be fine. If you thawed it on the counter (I know..bad bad, but I do it all the time) I would probably cook it sooner rather than later.

ITA (I do it too, though I prefer the water bath method now--it's much faster anyway). If you thawed it on the counter, I'd bake or boil tonight and save it in the fridge or freezer. If you thawed it in the fridge, I'd feel totally fine letting it keep until tomorrow.

[FlockOfSillies]

Grrr. I thought that's what y'all would say. I thawed it most of the way on the counter, then finished in the fridge.

I guess I'll boil this batch and save it for another recipe. I was gonna make George Stella's Tequila Chicken, but that has to be baked, and warming it up the next day "as is" just isn't the same. Ah well.

Thanks to everyone for confirming my suspicions.

[Gretchen in NJ]

We've done this many a times and we're all still alive. But, I don't think it's recommended.
So have we. One of the things iw ould do would be to marinaded it with some fresh garlic, salt, and fresh lemon, lime, orange juice or all three. Garlic and salt are anti-bacterial.

[JFS in IL]

I'd cook it now and eat it tomorrow. I thawed a turkey and it thawed so fast I had to cook it the day before I needed it.