When it comes to Defrost Chicken in Microwave and cooking food, chicken is considered one of the main food sources for us and sometimes we freeze them so that we can cook them whenever we feel like having a piece of chicken. Defrosting chicken must be done in a very careful way so that it doesn’t ruin the taste and look of the chicken.
We are lucky enough these days to have a microwave which is one of the main and important kitchen appliances that is found in our kitchens nowadays to help us defrost chicken in a safe and an easy way.
Now let us find out how to defrost frozen chicken in a microwave? There are many ways to defrost chicken in a microwave, the best and easy way is firstly remove the frozen chicken from its original packaging then place it in a microwave safe plate, and choose the defrost settings, or select 30% power level, for 2 minutes per pound or until the chicken is fully thawed.
Below you will find useful information about the right way to defrost chicken in microwave and many other microwave tips and hacks to thaw chicken fast.
Can you defrost chicken in the microwave?
The easy and straightforward answer to this question is yes, you can defrost chicken in a microwave. Thawing chicken is the most important step in preparing a meal with frozen chicken because if the chicken is not thawed properly it might cause uneven cooking, and even food poisoning.
How To Defrost Chicken In Microwaves?
Defrosting chicken in microwave is fast, easy and only takes few minutes, here is a step by step guide to how to defrost chicken using a microwave:
Step 1: Remove the frozen chicken from its original packaging and place it on a microwave safe plate.
Step 2: Set the microwave on a defrost setting or set the power at 30% power level for 2 minutes per pound.
Step 3: After the set time is up, check if the chicken is fully defrosted by poking it with a fork or a knife. If you still find some places hard and frozen then microwave it for an additional minute or two on the defrost setting until it is thawed fully
Step 4: Once the chicken is thawed completely, cook it immediately or store it in the fridge for up to 24 hours until it is ready to be cooked.
Tip: If you have a few frozen pieces of chicken stuck together, start by defrosting them using the microwave. Pause the defrosting process every few minutes and separate the frozen pieces apart then continue the defrosting, this will help with the defrosting process.
Note: The chicken should not be put in the freezer after it has been defrosted in the microwave. Now defrosting chicken in the microwave is safe as long as the chicken is cooked immediately after defrosting. If the chicken is kept at room temperature for 2 hours or more after it is defrosted might lead to bacterial growth.
What Happens If You Defrost Chicken In Microwave For A Long Time?
If the chicken is defrosted in a microwave for a long time, it will start to get cooked in the microwave which you do not want.
In the defrosting process the water molecules in the food are broken down by the rays in the microwave which then turns them into steam. So if the steam is not vented right it will cause the food to get cooked. The defrosting process starts by thawing the outer layer of the chicken then inside so if the chicken is still frozen from the inside and you continue to defrost for a long time, the outside might start to cook while the inside is still frozen.
Defrosting chicken in the microwave for too long can make it hard and dry from the outside. So to avoid this happening, defrost your chicken in the microwave at short intervals and keep checking the food often to make sure it doesn’t start cooking.
Also chicken can be defrosted in cold water or in the fridge overnight. Make sure to follow the instructions on the microwaves defrost settings for optimal results.
Defrost Chicken in Microwave FAQ
How long does chicken take to defrost in the microwave?
Tip 1: Place one or two pieces of frozen chicken at a time on a plate in the microwave. Set the timer for 2 minutes to defrost the chicken in the microwave.
Tip 2: It is optimal to rotate the plate and flip the chicken pieces every minute to make sure the defrosting process is applied to the whole chicken pieces, not just parts of it.
How to defrost chicken in the microwave without a defrost button?
Even without the defrost button in the microwave you can set the microwave timer to 2 minutes and place a pound of chicken each time in the microwave and adjust the timer accordingly to the chicken thickness, weight number of pieces and microwave oven.
Can you cook frozen chicken?
Is it safe to defrost chicken in microwave?
How long does it take to defrost chicken in the fridge?
Defrost Chicken in Microwave: Final Thoughts
To recap on what we have discussed and covered in the above article, defrosting chicken in the microwave can be done easily if you do not have the time to wait for defrosting in the fridge or by other means. But at the same time be careful as leaving it in the microwave for too long might increase the risk of growing harmful bacteria.
The chicken might get cooked slowly while it is in the defrosting process so we advise you to keep on checking the inside temperature of the chicken to make sure it is thawing correctly.
Rotate the chicken pieces every few minutes to allow the thawing of all areas. Total defrosting time depends on the thickness of the chicken piece and whether it has bones or not, and the number of pieces in the plate.
There you have it, you now know how to defrost chicken in microwave fast and easily and you will always be ready to cook a delicious plate of chicken at any time you want. Thank you for reading our article about defrosting chicken in a microwave and we hope that you have learned and enjoyed reading. Check out our other articles for more information about other microwaves.