How to Defrost Chicken in the Microwave

Check how long the chicken has been out

Forgot to pull dinner out of the freezer? Chicken pieces can go from frozen to ready to cook in the microwave, as long as you handle them properly along the way.

We'd check how long the chicken has been out first, then use Defrost and stay close. Microwave thawing can be uneven, and pausing every few minutes lets you turn the chicken and remove it as soon as it's thawed.

A whole bird needs a different thawing method. Chicken left out too long needs to be discarded, so make that decision before you set the microwave.

When to skip the microwave

For a whole chicken, use the refrigerator or cold water. Large cuts can warm faster outside than in the middle, leaving some areas starting to cook while others are still frozen.

If the chicken has been at room temperature for 20 minutes or more but hasn't reached the discard limit, thaw it in the refrigerator or cold water instead of the microwave. The 20-minute mark changes the thawing method; the limits below decide when to discard it.

If raw chicken has been at room temperature for 2 hours or more, discard it. If the air temperature is above 90°F, discard it after 1 hour. These are food-safety limits, so moving chicken to the fridge or cold water after it reaches one won't make it safe to use. You can check the FDA's discard guidance (opens in a new tab) if you're deciding what to keep.

Use cold water if you skip the microwave

For chicken that hasn't reached the discard limit, cold water is another way to thaw it. Keep the chicken in leakproof packaging so the cold water surrounds the package.

1. Put the chicken in a leakproof package or plastic bag and submerge it in cold tap water.
2. Change the water every 30 minutes to keep it cold. Continue until the chicken is thawed.
3. Start cooking the chicken immediately after it thaws.

Save the weight before you unwrap it

The package holds two things you'll want once it's in the bin: the handling directions for that chicken, and its weight, which many Defrost settings ask for.

1. Read the handling directions on the poultry package and follow them alongside your microwave's own defrost instructions.
2. Write down the weight from the label. No label? Weigh the chicken on a food scale, which gives you a precise number for the Defrost setting.
3. With clean hands, remove all the packaging. Chicken shouldn't defrost in its original packaging, so you're left with bare chicken and the number you just saved.

Pick a microwave-safe dish

Glass or ceramic bowls typically work best for thawing. A plastic storage container works too, as long as that particular container is microwave-safe, because the label on the dish matters more than what it's made of.

Set Defrost with the food type and weight

Press Defrost and answer what the panel asks. On many microwaves that's the food type (chicken, poultry or meat, depending on your model's wording) and the weight, and then the cycle starts on its own.

Some models work out the time from the food type or weight you enter. Use the choices shown on your microwave's panel, since the controls differ by model.

No Defrost setting? Run the microwave at 20 to 30 percent power and allow roughly 8 to 10 minutes per pound as a planning estimate. For 2 pounds of chicken, that gives you about 16 to 20 minutes, but check every few minutes and stop when the chicken is thawed. The low power helps keep the chicken from cooking while it thaws.

Buttons and power settings differ by model, and wattage changes the timing, so your owner's manual has the final word.

Why Defrost still needs you nearby

On many microwaves, Defrost lowers the power to thaw food without cooking it. It still can't promise an even thaw.

The setting handles the cycle and your turning helps the chicken thaw evenly, so keep the pauses in even when the microwave picked the time for you.

How long it takes

Plan on roughly 8 to 10 minutes per pound. Multiply your chicken's weight in pounds by 8 and by 10 for an estimated window in minutes, then check its progress during the cycle.

Your microwave's wattage and the cut of chicken can move those numbers, so use them to plan dinner rather than as a stop signal. For a closer estimate by cut and weight, use the thawing time chart (opens in a new tab). The chicken itself tells you when it's done.

Turn the chicken and check inside

Stay with the microwave during Defrost. At each pause, check which parts are still frozen and use that result to decide what goes back in.

1. Every few minutes, pause and flip or rotate the chicken. If the turntable is off or your microwave has none, rotate the dish by hand too.
2. If pieces are frozen together, separate them when they loosen and turn them over. Keep thawing any pieces that are still frozen.
3. If some pieces thaw before the others, remove those pieces and start cooking them. Return the frozen portions to the microwave to finish thawing.
4. Cut a small sliver in the thickest part and check for ice crystals and hardness. If it still feels solid or icy, return it to Defrost and check again. When it's soft and free of ice, take it out and start cooking.

Other thawing questions

Cook it right away

As soon as it's thawed, take the chicken out and start cooking it fully. Microwave thawing can leave some spots warm enough for bacteria to grow. If rice is going on the side, you can cook the rice in the microwave once the chicken is out.

If it thawed unevenly and some edges started cooking, still cook the whole piece fully right away. Those spots will likely end up overcooked, with a tough or rubbery texture.

Check that the chicken has reached 165°F with a food thermometer. Put the thermometer in the thickest part without touching bone, and keep cooking if the reading is lower.