There are times you want a chicken immediately enough for a bunch of unannounced guests. Sometimes, you may need to remember to keep it in the fridge to thaw it fully for use the other day.
It is quite difficult when you need a fully defrosted chicken at that instant.
Microwaving the defrosted chicken is the right choice you can opt for when you need the chicken immediately. However, leveraging the wrong button or making a mistake in the manual can cause an issue while defrosting a chicken in the microwave.
Generally, it takes two minutes per pound to defrost a chicken in the microwave. However, it depends on the chicken’s weight, the number of pieces, and the thickness of each piece.
In this article, we will discuss all factors relating to thawing a chicken in the microwave and how safe and comfortable it is for people to consume it.
Can You Defrost Chicken In The Microwave?
Before deep-diving into the time duration required to defrost a chicken in the microwave, you must be sure whether you can do that in the first place.
Defrosting a chicken in the microwave happens faster and is easier than any other conventional method.
The pieces of frozen chicken are placed on the microwave-safe plate, and the timer is set for 2 minutes per pound.
While defrosting the chicken in the microwave, you must keep a close eye on the meat and whether it is defrosted fully. If it is not, it must be given another spin on the microwave.
When you are defrosting the chicken in the microwave, the heat is actually very low. So you can start slowly cooking the chicken if you leave it unattended. So to defrost it, you must be very careful that the duration is followed.
Defrosted chicken cannot stay at the counter for a long time or be left untreated for a long time. It has to be cooked immediately without any delay according to USDA standards.
Is It Safe To Thaw Chicken In The Microwave?
It is safe to thaw a chicken in the microwave, and this is the quickest way to defrost a chicken. While defrosting the chicken in the microwave, you should be careful to set it to the right temperature.
When the chicken is defrosted, it should be cooked and eaten within 2 hours.
The more you prolong eating it, the more bacteria it will attract.
How Long Does It Take To Defrost A Chicken In The Microwave?
The thumb rule suggests that defrosting a chicken takes 2 minutes per pound. It depends totally on the wattage of the microwave, the number of pieces of chicken, and the thickness of each piece.
While defrosting a chicken in the microwave, pieces of the chicken are laid out on the sheet and shoved into the microwave. Then a 2 minutes time zone is set to defrost the chicken.
Half the way, the chicken is flipped to the other side to even out the heat and expedite the process.
Should You Defrost A Chicken Before Cooking It?
It is very important to defrost a chicken before cooking it. If the frozen chicken is not defrosted fully, cooking it would only soften the surface, and the inner layers would remain rigid.
It also becomes easier to cook the poultry when it is defrosted fully. Poultry must be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Make sure it is cooked immediately.
What Happens When You Thaw A Chicken In The Microwave For A Long Time?
Defrosting a chicken is basically subjecting the chicken to low heat for some time. However, if you keep it for a long time, the chicken will start getting cooked, and it will end up getting overcooked over time.
When the chicken gains more than 40 degrees F, it becomes vulnerable enough to attract more bacteria which was present before when it was frozen. Then you keep it at room temperature, it will get spoiled, and consuming it would lead to food poisoning.
After thawing the chicken, it has to be cooked immediately without any delay. Perishable food in the danger zone is 40 degrees F and 140 degrees F.
How To Defrost A Chicken In The Microwave Without A Defrost Button?
A defrost button is the obvious option to defrost a chicken in the microwave. There are microwaves without the defrost button, and setting the power of the microwave to 30% would help to defrost a chicken.
The same timer option of 2 minutes will work if you don’t have a defrosted chicken. You should also adjust the timer according to the weight, thickness, and number of pieces.
The frozen meat has to be flipped back and forth in the middle to get evened out in the temperature.
Tips While Defrosting A Chicken In The Microwave
- The configuration of every microwave is different, and you have to follow the manual perfectly to score a perfect chicken.
- While defrosting a chicken in the microwave, overextending the time could be dangerous as the chicken may get cooked and overcooked.
- Remove the frozen chicken’s packaging before placing it in the microwave.
- Keep a microwave-safe plate to collect all the juices it drops out while defrosting.
- Keep a tab on the chicken while it is getting defrosted so that it can be removed from the microwave as soon as it is done.
- Separate the loose pieces from the defrosting process and keep flipping them to even out the heat.
Can You Refreeze The Defrosted Chicken?
The defrosted chicken is not advised to be frozen again, but it can be done if you cook it. The cooked chicken can be frozen again for months together without any issues.
Conclusion
Defrosting a chicken in the microwave is an efficient option that people follow when in a hurry. Following all the protocols mentioned above could be the perfect way to defrost a chicken.
Microwaving may be slightly risky if we are a little careless. A tab on the duration and the right steps will dole out the best-defrosted chicken for cooking and consuming it.
Frequently Asked Question (FAQs)
Can you defrost the chicken in the microwave?
Before deep-diving into the time duration required to defrost a chicken in the microwave, you must be sure whether you can do that in the first place.
Defrosting a chicken in the microwave happens faster and is easier than any other conventional method and it is also safer.
Is it safe to thaw chicken in the microwave?
It is safe to thaw a chicken in the microwave, and this is the quickest way to defrost a chicken. While defrosting the chicken in the microwave, you should be careful to set it to the right temperature.
How long does it take to defrost a chicken in the microwave?
The thumb rule suggests that defrosting a chicken takes 2 minutes per pound. It depends totally on the wattage of the microwave, the number of pieces of chicken, and the thickness of each piece.
Should you defrost a chicken before cooking it?
It is very important to defrost a chicken before cooking it. If the frozen chicken is not defrosted fully, cooking it would only soften the surface, and the inner layers would remain rigid.
What happens when you thaw a chicken in the microwave for a long time?
Defrosting a chicken is basically subjecting the chicken to low heat for some time. However, if you keep it for a long time, the chicken will start getting cooked, and it will end up getting overcooked over time.
