Food safety guide
How to Thaw Chicken Safely (3 Reliable Ways)
The three safe ways to thaw chicken — refrigerator, cold water, and microwave — and the one method to never use.
The rule behind safe thawing
Chicken should stay out of the temperature range where bacteria multiply quickly, roughly 40°F to 140°F. That is why thawing on the counter is not safe: the outside warms into that range long before the middle thaws. Every safe method keeps the chicken cold or moves it straight to cooking.
- Never thaw chicken on the counter at room temperature.
- Keep thawing chicken on a plate to catch drips.
- Keep raw chicken and its juices away from ready-to-eat food.
Refrigerator, cold water, or microwave
The refrigerator is the easiest and safest method: move the chicken to a plate on a low shelf and let it thaw overnight, about 24 hours for a package of breasts. Fridge-thawed chicken can even wait a day or two before cooking.
For a faster thaw, seal the chicken in a leak-proof bag and submerge it in cold water, changing the water every 30 minutes; most portions thaw in an hour or two. The microwave defrost setting is the quickest, but the edges start to cook, so cook microwave-thawed chicken immediately.
Put the method into practice
Recipes that use the techniques in this guide.
Food safety & sources
Cook and store with confidence
The cooking temperatures and storage guidance in our recipes and guides follow official U.S. government food-safety standards. Always confirm doneness with a food thermometer rather than by color or time alone.
- Safe minimum internal temperatures — U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, FoodSafety.gov
- Cold food storage chart — U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, FoodSafety.gov