How to Defrost Chicken the Safe Way

Did you forget to take those boneless chicken breasts or thighs out of the freezer?  No worries - you can probably still cook them tonight!  

There are three main ways that are considered the safest ways to defrost the chicken.

  1. Defrosting in the fridge- considered the safest method, this method also takes the most planning. This is the only method you can use if your chicken has bones in it.
    1. Remove your chicken from the freezer and, depending on size, place it in a leak-proof bag.
    2. Place bagged chicken on a plate or in a container that will not overflow or leak into the refrigerator
    3. Leave the chicken in the fridge for anywhere between 5 hours and 24 hours, depending on size; for a single chicken breast, likely not longer than 5 hours, but for a whole chicken you may need 24 hours.
  2. Defrosting in the microwave - a popular method of defrosting chicken due to its quickness and ease of it, it also requires the most vigilance.  
    1. You should place the chicken on a microwave-safe dish one or two pieces at a time.  
    2. You should not defrost a whole chicken this way nor any cuts of chicken with bones in them.
    3. Use the defrost settings on your microwave and follow the instructions in your microwave manual for the weight and cut of meat.
    4. If you do not have your manual, set it to defrost in one-minute increments.  
    5. Be very careful that the chicken does not begin to cook.
    6. When you defrost chicken in the microwave you MUST use chicken immediately. 
  3. Defrosting in water - another very easy way to defrost. You should not use this to defrost any chicken with bones or whole chickens.
    1. Place your chicken in a sealed bag to prevent the ingress of water 
    2. Find a large bowl, or you could fill up your kitchen sink with cold water
    3. Submerge the sealed bag with the chicken in the cold water
    4. Do NOT use hot or warm water as you may make the chicken dangerous with bacterial growth
    5. Change this water every 30 minutes

Always use your senses when dealing with meat and if anything smells off or you are unsure, it is always better to be safe than sorry. Arkenz ltd Meats has all the best cuts of halal chicken available for your family meal planning. Visit us online to order for delivery or find your nearest location today.  www.tariqhalalmeats.com