I Don't Understand This Recipe?

  • Hey everyone! I found a recipe to try, and I even have the ingredients, except I don't quite understand the first direction. I'm trying to learn how to cook healthy, but I'm very new to this and I'm finding it confusing!

    Quote:
    Place chicken between sheets of plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet or heavy skillet until flattened to an even thickness, about 1/2 inch. Season both sides of the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Place 1/4 cup flour in a shallow glass baking dish and dredge the chicken in it. Discard the excess flour.
    What the heck do they mean by place the chicken breasts between sheets of plastic wrap? Also, the chicken I have is frozen chicken breasts. Am I really suppose to flatten frozen meat with a mallet? And if I need to thaw it, how long do I thaw it for and do you have any tips on how to thaw poultry safely?

    Sorry for the stupid questions, I'm new to this and very lost. I appreciate any help!
  • Chicken pounding 101.
    Take the frozen chicken breast out of freezer & let it dethaw on your counter for several hrs or in your refrigerator overnight. Or nuke it in the microwave for awhile if you don't want to wait. Then place the dethawed breast in a big ziploc bag & pound with mallet to make it slightly flattened. You don't have to pound chicken breasts if you don't want too, I never do, I like my chicken thick!
    Walla, easy peasy, the ziploc bag works instead of saran wrap (plastic wrap), here's a u-tube video if you need a visual to walk you through.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RD2iz0x1eo
    Girl, you got this!
  • Thank you so much for helping a cooking newbie!! I put it in the fridge to thaw out for tomorrow. The video definitely helped, now I know what how to do with the plastic wrap, though a baggie sounds much easier if I can find one! Thanks again!