Chicken is one of the most favourite food items. You can find hundreds of chicken dishes all over the world, from burgers to gravy recipes, you will find nothing but chicken as an ingredient. Chicken has very tender meat, and it is a significant source of white meat. There is a high risk of bacteria growth in this soft and tender white meat if you can not defrost it properly. Raw chicken has a high tendency of bacteria growth when defrosted. There a re several ways you can choose to defrost the frozen chicken properly without any contamination of harmful bacterias. Below we will discuss these methods of how to defrost frozen chicken?
Defrosting chicken on the counter
if you live in a warm region, then it is hazardous to defrost the frozen chicken on your kitchen counter. At high temperatures, harmful bacteria rapidly replicate themselves in the raw chicken. Which may cause sickness in you and a bad taste in your recipe.
How long does chicken take to defrost at room temp?
Along with the risk factor, it takes too long to defrost at room temperature. Usually, it takes 6 to 8 hours to defrost at room temperature. This time is enough for bacteria growth in raw chicken. At room temperature, defrosting starts from the outer layer, and it goes inside with time.
How to defrost chicken wings?
Chicken wings are the small cut of chicken meat. For these small cut pieces, you can use the hot water method for defrosting quickly and safely. The latest scientific studies show that the defrosting time of little or thin cuts of chicken meat in warm water is not sufficient for the bacteria growth. So it is a highly safe and quick method to defrost frozen chicken wings in hot water.
Place the frozen chicken wings in a watertight polybag. You can use a deep bowl or your kitchen sink to defrost these frozen wings. Turn on the hot water tap and fill the sink or basin with warm water. Put these frozen wings wrapped in a polybag inside the warm water. Wait for just 15 minutes and defrosting done. Take out defrosted chicken wings from polybags and cook it immediately as this defrosted chicken is very favourable now for bacteria growth.
How to defrost chicken thighs?
Chicken thighs are the most favourite cut in chicken meat. People say it is meat with a high handle. For frozen chicken thighs, you can use many methods of defrosting. The hot water method is also excellent and quick for defrosting chicken thighs. Place the frozen chicken thighs in a watertight polybag and put this bag in a hot water-filled bowl or sink. Within 15 minutes, you will get the defrosted chicken thighs, ready for cooking your yummy meal. Avoid refreezing this hot water defrosted legs, as these have a high tendency of bacterial growth.
Defrosting chicken in water unwrapped
some people use this method to defrost the frozen chicken. But this method is not safe. There are a lot of chances of splashing the contamination in your kitchen with this water. The quality of defrosted chicken is also compromised. For proper defrosting the inner core of frozen chicken, you will need some time with this method. Long time unwrapped chicken mean s, plenty of chances of bacteria growth inside this chicken.
How to defrost whole chicken?
Fro defrosting the frozen whole chicken, the refrigerator is the best method. You defrost the frozen whole chicken inside the fridge for 24 hours, guaranteeing the same freshness and bacteria-free chicken as frozen. Although it takes a long time, it is the safest method for defrosting the whole chicken. You do not need to cook this defrosted chicken in a hurry to avoid unhealthy bacteria. This defrosted chicken is safe inside the refrigerator for 5 to 6 days. You can refreeze this chicken if you change your mind about cooking it. You can store the leftover cooked chicken in refrigerate for many days. You can store it in an airtight jar for a long time.
How to thaw chicken in the microwave?
As everyone is in a hurry and facing the shortage of time, so cant wait longer to get the chicken defrosted and then cook. A microwave is the quickest solution for all those who are lacking time to prepare a meal. Now the latest models are equipped with a builtin defrosting feature, which gives you safe and quick defrosting of any food item.
Remove the packing material and place the frozen chicken on a microwave dish. Cover it with the lid to avoid any spits during defrosting. Select the defrosting option and choose the poultry button. These microwaves have programmed timing and power for defrosting any food item like meat, fish, or poultry. Close the door and turn on the microwave. Enjoy your newspaper or cup of tea, and microwave will do its work spontaneously.
It usually takes six to eight minutes for defrosting four to five pounds of frozen chicken. When defrosting done, the buzzer will ring. Open the door, takeout defrosted chicken, and prepare your delicious meal for your loved ones. To ensure complete defrosting, cut chicken breast or thigh and insert your finger in that cut. If it is soft and crystal-free, your frozen chicken defrosted.
Conclusion
for defrosting the frozen chicken, there are many methods. We discuss in detail how to defrost frozen chicken quicky and safely. You can use a hot water option if the frozen chicken has small cuts. It is a quick method, but you have to cook it immediately after defrosting. You can use your refrigerator for defrosting frozen chicken if you are quality-conscious and have plenty of time before cooking. The refrigerator method works well if you have a whole chicken or large quantity of frozen chicken. A microwave is your saviour if you are a shortage of time to cook your meal.
Choose any one method and enjoy safe and healthy food!!
