freezing chicken

[Stachetastic]

I found a good sale on chicken legs last week at aldi, so I stocked up. When I was breaking down the packs to freeze smaller portions, I realized they were all partially frozen. I have read that most chicken from the grocery store has been previously frozen anyway, but wondered if it is safe to eat this chicken, since it was obviously frozen once before and was thawing when I bought it.

[YK-Phil]

I think it is fine to refreeze the chicken breasts as long as you thawed them in the refrigerator and kept them there for no more than two days. If that was the case, you can pop the chicken breasts back into the freezer and they'll still be safe to eat. This comes from the United States Department of Agriculture. Not sure if you can trust these guys though...

[LalsConstant]

FWIW, I've had this happen to me before.  As the previous poster suggested I simply thawed or froze the chicken as otherwise needed.  It seems to not really be an issue in my experience but YMMV.

I think the issues with chicken come from people not washing their hands after handling the raw meat, or just flat out undercooking it.  I have never gotten sick from chicken I've prepared myself.

[Bob W]

Really,  it is fine.   

[Sibley]

Properly cooking food will take care of a lot of the risk as well.

[PatStab]

I have read they keep it partially frozen so it won't spoil.

I raised my own chickens for several years, dressed them out.  Either froze whole or cut up, best chicken you ever ate.  We used to raise them when I was growing up and I learned to kill and dress them.  I had
to laugh at hubby, even he was kind of squeamish when I killed them.

Mom would pull off their necks, but I read a more humane way.  Tie the legs together, slit the arteries on
each side of their neck, they just kind of go to sleep as the blood drains out.

Sounds gross but that's what they are for. 

[lise]

Yes, FDA says you won't get sick by refreezing meat.  However some food scientist guy I saw said that the meat quality in terms of taste degrades as water/moisture is lost with each refreeze/defrost.

[PatStab]

I find very little meat tastes good anymore.  If you have eaten really good meat in the past unless you can buy it on the hoof and have it processed, most just isn't good anymore.