ok, so I forgot to take my frozen chicken breast tenderloins out of the freezer last night, so I took them out this morning ... and my dh put them in a tupperware container so he could put marinade over them .. well I just took them out to swish around the marinade AND THEY ARE STILL FROZEN! 
I'm not real sure what to do at this point ... I don't know if they will be thawed in time for dh to grill them but I don't think I should leave them on the counter, what do you all think?
p.s. I am not very smart in the actual "cooking" department!
I worry about letting chicken thaw on the counter. If you can't thaw it in a microwave, then I would take the chicken out of the marinade, put it in a zip lock bag and push all the air out. Then put the bag in some hot water from the tap and let it set for about 10-15 minutes and let it finish thawing. Not too long though....it might start growing bacteria. After that I'd put the chicken back in the marinade, put it in the fridge and let it finish.
HTH 
oh geeze, now I don't know what to do! Leave it on the counter, put it in hot water? Eeeks!
My tap water isn't hot enough to cook anything.
Actually, the safest way to thaw meat is in cold water (when you don't have time to let it thaw in the fridge, that is).
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/FactSheets/Big_Thaw/index.asp
well I'm not in a huge hurry, except dinner is usually in an hour .. I went ahead and pulled it out of the fridge and let the container sit on the counter ... I just checked and most of them seem to be thawing at a good pace .... thanks for all the help you guys!
I cook frozen chicken breasts all of the time. If I have an hour or more, I'll put them in water in the sink. If I don't, I put them in the microwave on defrost and it never takes more than 8 minutes. You can grill frozen tenderloins also. Just make sure your fire is really low. I probably cook frozen chicken breast 3 or 4 times a week.
wow .. thats a lot of chicken! LOL we just started eating chicken on the grill because I am so scared of catching something from undercooked chicken, so I make sure our chicken is WELL done!
Holy bat poop Batman. Don't ever leave chicken or anything else for that matter out to thaw on a counter. After 20 minutes the food starts to break down forming bacteria that multiplies rapidly. The food may look and taste fine but it's not. You are actually food poisoning yourself. If you are a healthy person it really won't affect you too much. Have you ever had a stomach ache for no reason with no other symptoms that just went away....that's almost 100% of the time food poisoning. Now is someone is very young, old or just with a compromised immune system it could kill them. One of the leading causes of death for older people is actually food poisoning. Their systems are weaker and can't handle it. It's too bad that the media doesn't mention this though. Food poisoning can happen anytime from the moment the food was eaten to 7 days later.
I'm not saying this to sound preachy but I work in the food industry and this is a huge no-no.
Here are 2 other ways to thaw....
To properly thaw chicken you can place it into a plastic ziplock bag and put it into a clean sink with colder than luke warm water from the tap running constantly over it. Make sure that the sink is unplugged.
You can also thaw it on defrost in the microwave, but the chicken (meat or fish) has to be cooked right then at that moment, no holding it over to cook later.
Tracycakes is right about cooking frozen chicken. I do it too every now and then, it just takes longer though.
I was watching FN and Rachel Ray (pretty sure it was her anyways) said to cook your meat at room temp, that way it cooks evenly. So that would mean you would have to leave it out right?
But now that I think about it she was cooking steaks, but do you think the same goes for chicken?
It only takes a bout 10 - 20 minutes if that for it to be room temp. I don't cook my meat/poultry/fish at room temp. I always take it straight from the fridge, season or do whatever application needs to be done then cook it. I don't see why room temp meat would make a difference. All it does is make the food that much closer to being in the food temp/time danger zone.
Meat/poultry and fish should never be left out at room temp for long periods of time. Even food that is at proper temp the whole time sitting out in heated chaffing dishes or pans staying cold with ice under them for 2-4 hours is completely all thrown away. If it has set out too long and by food safety laws should be tossed in the trash. This is for any type of food also.
*pick up a meat therm. to test your chicken and other items. It makes things so much easier. They are only like $6 to buy and will save you a lot of hassle. Just put it in till it reaches a small indent line on the therm. It needs to be placed in on a slight angle to where your not getting the temp. of the pan/grill but rather the internal temp. of the meat. This needs to be done on the thickest part of the meat/poultry/fish. Once the temp. holds for 5-10 seconds you know you have an accurate temp. of that product. Chicken is done at 165 degrees and pork is done at 145. If your chicken is really well done and kind of dry you have cooked it too long. It should be moist even at 165 degrees.
If you seriously want to improve in a kitchen pick up a meat therm. It makes a world of difference because you know when something is done rather than guessing, which usually increases how the food tastes also. (because it's not over or under cooked) *bonus tip- chicken that is cut and runs clear can still be under cooked, that is an old wives tale for checking to see if chicken is done*
Sorry, wrote a small book. I love cooking and get excited about it! (especially grilling and pastries)
mkolmar, you have me scared out of my wits! I have actually had a full blown case of food poisoning and that was not fun at all! It took me a week to get to the drs but at that point I was so dehydrated from not being able to keep anything in me, I was practically crawling in with the help of my dh ... the dr listened to my stomach and said .... "sounds like the freeway" haha I still laugh when I think about it ... But you are right, food poisoning is not anything to joke around with ... I did let the chicken thaw on the counter and we grilled it up but now I'm as nervous as all get out that we are going to catch food poisoning again ... I hope we will be ok!
I think you'll be fine. We don't do it often, but do do it, and never get belly aches from it. I wouldn't leave it out after it's thawed, but I honestly don't think it's going to kill you. I know what the health regs say, but I also know my mom used to plop it out before she left for work, and let it thaw all day til it was time to cook it, and all four of her kids are still alive and have never had food poisoning.
I've always overcooked my pork, just be be safe...but I was watching Alton Brown and he said it is now safe to eat your pork chops medium rare just like steak? He said with all the health regulations and breeding and etc the pigs are healthy and the risk is lower with pork now then it was in the past. But the thought of eating anything but fully cooked pork creeps me out, now a steak is a differrent story, I like mine red in the center.
As far as the chicken goes, I've always thawed mine either in the fridge or under cold running water, and never had a problem. I did get food poisening once and it was not fun, but I got it from some pizza that was left out and I ate a slice in the middle of the night. I know stupid, but I have a serious night eating problem.
The other night I ate 1/2 a cherry cheesecake right out of the pan, half asleep with a spoon in one hand and the other hand holding up my head! With 4 kids it's the only time of the day (or night for that matter) I can eat uninterupted!
thanks jen, that does make me feel better ... yourstrulytx, that is a funny story ... about the cheesecake, not the food poisoning!
I didn't mean to scare you, but I take food safety very seriously. Whenever I see posts like this I tend to over do the information. The information on food safety was put in place for a reason and I strictly follow it. I've been hospitalized with it and was very ill also. It's not fun. I'd hate to see anyone else get sick, that's why I posted that info.
Do yourself a huge favor and get a meat therm., makes a world of difference.
As far as the pork goes the safety regs and how they are raised now and cleaner animals is why the temp. safety dropped from 170 degrees down to 145 degrees now.
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