The Best Time To Marinate Chicken If You're Planning On Freezing It

There's a lot to love about chicken. It's tasty, filling, and endlessly versatile; it can hold a starring role in everything from soups and stews to pot pies and pasta dishes. But even we can't deny the elephant -– or, should we say, feathered fowl –- in the room: chicken's not always the most flavorful food of the bunch. Thankfully, there are multiple ways to add more flavor to your chicken, from dry rubs to sauces, and you can never go wrong with a good marinade.

Since marinades require quite a bit of time to work their magic, it usually makes sense for marinating to be the first step of your prep process. If you're placing that big batch of chicken wings in the freezer to cook in a few days, however, you might want to shift your timeline. "If you plan on freezing your chicken, I would marinate it after, rather than freezing it in the marinade," chef and content creator Joshua Weissman tells Tasting Table. "Otherwise, it might cause the marinade to split." 

The chicken pro, who happens to be behind the menu of the 2025 Kentucky Derby (readers can recreate further recipes found here), is referring to the separation of the marinade's liquid and oil components, which can occur when colder temperatures cause the water and fats in the mix to break apart, ruining the emulsion. The resulting mess of mismatched textures isn't going to be pretty to thaw, but that's not the only reason to avoid marinating chicken that's headed for the ice box.

Marinades work to not only infuse meat with flavor, but also to moisten and tenderize it, leading to the perfect soft and juicy bite. This results from a chemical process known as denaturation, which occurs when the acids or enzymes in, say, vinegar or lemon juice, start to break down the hydrogen bonds holding the meat's protein molecules together. As those start to unravel, it allows for the seasonings in the marinade to better penetrate the meat and deliver their flavor, while the fats from the oil help to keep things nice and moist. 

The problem with marinating chicken in the freezer? The frigid temperature essentially puts the entire process on pause. The frozen meat forms ice crystals that prevent the acid, oil, and flavor from penetrating it. So not only do you run the risk of a split emulsion — resulting in uneven taste and texture in your marinade — you're also simply wasting your (and your chicken's) time. Once you take it out to defrost, it will still need to spend time in the mixture to get the desired effect before cooking.

So, while it may seem convenient to simply throw everything in the freezer together, you should think twice about marinating frozen meat. For the most tender and flavorful chicken thighs, wings, or breasts, it's best to defer to Chef Joshua Weissman's advice and save the marinade step for later, when your poultry is ready to thaw and get thrown on the grill.