We include products we think are useful for our readers. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission. Here’s our process.

Healthline only shows you brands and products that we stand behind.

Our team thoroughly researches and evaluates the recommendations we make on our site. To establish that the product manufacturers addressed safety and efficacy standards, we:
  • Evaluate ingredients and composition: Do they have the potential to cause harm?
  • Fact-check all health claims: Do they align with the current body of scientific evidence?
  • Assess the brand: Does it operate with integrity and adhere to industry best practices?
We do the research so you can find trusted products for your health and wellness.
Was this helpful?

It’s better to thaw chicken before cooking it. You can do this safely in the refrigerator, microwave, or with cold water.

It’s almost dinnertime, and the chicken is still in the freezer. Food safety often becomes an afterthought in these situations, partly because people don’t take foodborne illness seriously until they’re the ones suffering.

Foodborne illness is serious and potentially deadly: Around 3,000 Americans die from it every year, estimates FoodSafety.gov.

Learning how to properly defrost chicken only takes a few moments. It won’t only make your meal taste better — it’ll ensure that you feel good after eating it.

Foodborne illness is dangerous, and chicken has the potential to make you quite sick if not handled correctly. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the strains of bacteria most likely to be found on raw chicken are:

These are bacteria that can, at best, make you sick. At worst, they can kill you. Proper thawing practices and cooking chicken to an internal temperature of 165ºF (74ºC) will considerably reduce your risks.

Definitely:

  1. Don’t thaw meat on your kitchen counter. Bacteria thrive at room temperature.
  2. Don’t rinse chicken under running water. This can splash bacteria around your kitchen, leading to cross-contamination.

There are three safe ways to thaw chicken, according to the USDA. One method skips thawing altogether.

Use the microwave

This is the fastest method, but remember: Chicken must be cooked immediately after you thaw it using a microwave. That’s because microwaves heat poultry to a temperature between 40 and 140ºF (4.4 and 60ºC), which bacteria thrive in. Only cooking the chicken to proper temperatures will kill the potentially dangerous bacteria.

Shop for microwaves at Amazon.

Use cold water

This should take two to three hours. To use this method:

  1. Place the chicken in a leakproof plastic bag. This will stop the water from damaging the meat tissue as well as any bacteria from infecting the food.
  2. Fill a large bowl or your kitchen sink with cold water. Submerge the bagged chicken.
  3. Change out the water every 30 minutes.

Purchase plastic bags online.

Use a refrigerator

This method requires the most preparation, but it’s the most highly recommended. Chicken typically takes a full day to thaw, so plan your meals in advance. Once thawed, the poultry can remain in the refrigerator for a day or two before cooking.

Don’t thaw at all!

According to the USDA, it’s perfectly safe to cook chicken without thawing it in the oven or on the stove. The drawback? It will take a little longer — usually, by about 50 percent.

The USDA doesn’t advise cooking frozen chicken in a slow cooker. Thawing the chicken first is advised, and then cooking it in a crockpot can be a great way to make a tasty meal. Start it early in the day, and it’ll be ready to eat by dinnertime.

Shop for crockpots at Amazon.

Proper handling of poultry meat will reduce the risk of foodborne illness for you and your family. Get in the habit of planning your meals 24 hours in advance, and you’ll have no trouble ensuring that your poultry is ready to cook when dinnertime rolls around.