How to Defrost Chicken

Defrosting chicken is easy, but it must be done the right way to prevent harmful bacterial growth. The best way to defrost a chicken largely depends on how soon you plan to cook it. The safest but slowest option is to thaw it in the refrigerator, but if you need to defrost chicken fast, you can use cold water or the microwave.

Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Thawing Chicken in the Refrigerator

  1. Image titled Defrost Chicken Step 1
    1
    Remove your frozen chicken from the freezer and place it in the refrigerator overnight for better results. This is the safest way to thaw your chicken, however it does take longer than other methods.
    • Place the chicken on a plate lined with paper towels, covered in plastic wrap.
    • Place your chicken at the front of the bottom shelf while it defrosts to prevent excess juices from getting on other food in the refrigerator. If your chicken has already been unwrapped, place it in a pan or bowl so that the juices do not leak.[1]
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    Keep an eye on the time. The standard rule says that 1 pound (450 g) of chicken takes 5 hours to defrost in a refrigerator.[2]
    • Keep in mind that thawing a whole chicken in the refrigerator can take more than 24 hours. Plan accordingly.[3]
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    Remove your chicken from the refrigerator when it is thawed. The chicken will no longer be covered in frost and will be squishy to the touch.
    • Check to see if your whole chicken is defrosted by placing your hand in the major cavity of the chicken. If there are ice crystals within the chicken, it needs to be defrosted for a longer period of time.
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    Store your thawed chicken in the refrigerator. Chicken that has been thawed can be safely stored in the fridge for 1-2 days. Once a chicken has been thawed it should not be refrozen.
    • Store your thawed chicken in the coldest part of your refrigerator. This will keep your chicken bacteria-free for a longer amount of time.[4]
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Thawing Chicken in the Sink

  1. 1
    Put your chicken in a Ziploc bag if it is not already wrapped. The Ziploc bag will keep bacteria from contaminating the chicken during the thawing process. It will also prevent bacteria from contaminating the sink.[5]
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    Find a bowl that can hold all of the chicken. Make sure that the bowl is large enough for the chicken to be fully submerged in water.
  3. 3
    Place the Ziploc-ed chicken in the bowl and fill the bowl with cold water. Make sure that the top of the chicken is covered.
    • Do not use hot water. Hot water will promote bacterial growth.[6]
  4. Image titled Defrost Chicken Step 8
    4
    Change the water every 30 minutes. A pound of chicken will be thawed in roughly an hour by using this method.[7]
    • If you are thawing a whole chicken, be prepared for it to take a bit longer. If your chicken is 3 pounds, it should be thawed for 3 or more hours.
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    5
    Cook all of the chicken before storing it back in the refrigerator. Raw chicken thawed using this method cannot be stored again while it is still raw.[8]
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Thawing Chicken in the Microwave

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    Unwrap your pieces of chicken. Place them in a microwave-safe bowl so that juices do not leak while the chicken is being thawed.
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    Keep in mind that microwaving your chicken could place your chicken in the ‘Danger Zone’. This means that if defrosted for too long, your chicken will become warm, thus becoming more open to bacterial growth.[9]
    • Generally try to avoid defrosting a whole chicken in the microwave because there is more chance for your whole chicken to enter the 'Danger Zone'. Microwaving a whole chicken also takes away from the nutritious and tasty aspects of the chicken.
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    Place your bowl in the microwave. Set the microwave to defrost. If you do not know how long you should defrost your specific amount of chicken for, defrost the meat for 2 minutes. Let stand for 1 minute and then check the progress.[10]
    • Be careful to follow your microwave's specific instructions and power levels to make sure that the chicken does not start to cook.
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    4
    Cook your chicken immediately. You must cook all chicken defrosted in this method before storing it back in the refrigerator.[11]
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Community Q&A

  • Question
    Can frozen chicken be steamed?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Yes. Place parchment paper or cabbage underneath to hold in moisture for the chicken. Add fresh citrus juices like lemon to keep the chicken from becoming dry.
  • Question
    Is it not okay to defrost chicken breasts in the microwave and store them overnight for cooking later?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    No. It will be in the danger zone. Cook it immediately after defrosting and THEN store in the fridge.
  • Question
    What is the longest period of time chicken can be thawed on the counter?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Time is not important, temperature is! Chicken, like other meat, should be kept at 42 degrees or less. Note that none of the above methods includes defrosting chicken at room temperature. Use an IR thermometer to check surface temps. Additionally, defrosting in the fridge should be done in an airtight container as shown in Step 4, not nearly touching the eggs as in the photo above it. If you decide to defrost on the counter, use a large enough container.
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Warnings

  • Be sure to wash your hands before and after handling raw chicken.
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  • Avoid defrosting chicken at room temperature on your kitchen counters because if you leave your chicken at room temperature for too long there is a high risk of bacterial growth.
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  • Whole chickens do not thaw well in the microwave. You can still use this method for a whole chicken but there is a higher risk of bacterial growth.
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  • Keep the kitchen sanitary so you do not contaminate the chicken.
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  • Make sure to cook it before you eat it so the harmful bacteria will get killed.
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  • Be sure not to rinse the chicken before cooking because of risk of bacteria transfer as outlined in latest health guidelines.
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Expert Interview

Thanks for reading our article! If you'd like to learn more about defrosting chicken, check out our in-depth interview with Ollie George Cigliano.

References

  1. ↑ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/07/how-to-defrost-meat_n_1574315.html#s1062771&title=Thawing_In_The
  2. ↑ http://www.helpwithcooking.com/cooking-poultry/defrosting-poultry.html
  3. ↑ http://www.helpwithcooking.com/cooking-poultry/defrosting-poultry.html
  4. ↑ http://allrecipes.com/howto/chicken-cooking-basics/
  5. ↑ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/07/how-to-defrost-meat_n_1574315.html#s1062822&title=Thawing_Under_Cold
  6. ↑ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/07/how-to-defrost-meat_n_1574315.html#s1062822&title=Thawing_Under_Cold
  7. ↑ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/07/how-to-defrost-meat_n_1574315.html#s1062822&title=Thawing_Under_Cold
  8. ↑ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/07/how-to-defrost-meat_n_1574315.html#s1062822&title=Thawing_Under_Cold
  9. ↑ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/07/how-to-defrost-meat_n_1574315.html#s1062794&title=Thawing_In_The
  1. ↑ http://www.helpwithcooking.com/cooking-poultry/defrosting-poultry.html
  2. ↑ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/07/how-to-defrost-meat_n_1574315.html#s1062794&title=Thawing_In_The

About This Article

Ollie George Cigliano
Co-authored by:
Ollie George Cigliano
Private Chef & Food Educator
This article was co-authored by Ollie George Cigliano. Ollie George Cigliano is a Private Chef, Food Educator, and Owner of Ollie George Cooks, based in Long Beach, California. With over 20 years of experience, she specializes in utilizing fresh, fun ingredients and mixing traditional and innovative cooking techniques. Ollie George holds a BA in Comparative Literature from The University of California, Berkeley, and a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from eCornell University. This article has been viewed 2,972,621 times.
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Co-authors: 32
Updated: December 15, 2022
Views: 2,972,621
Categories: Featured Articles | Chicken
Article SummaryX

To quickly defrost a chicken, unwrap it and place it in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave the chicken for 2 minutes on the defrost setting. Let the chicken stand for 1 minute and check it. Repeat if necessary, but make sure the chicken doesn’t start to cook. Once it’s defrosted, cook your chicken right away. To thaw in the refrigerator, simply place your wrapped chicken in the front, bottom shelf of your refrigerator and let it defrost, allowing for 5 hours for every pound (450 g). Store your refrigerator-thawed chicken in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

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