If you got your chicken directly from a butcher counter, remove the butcher’s paper or plastic that it’s wrapped in. Avoid defrosting whole chickens and legs in the microwave. The bones, skin, and other materials won’t defrost correctly, and the meat may taste rubbery when you cook it.

Avoid putting your chicken directly onto the glass dish that comes with your microwave (or onto the bottom of your microwave, if it didn’t come with a dish). It’s best not to defrost your chicken on a paper plate or anything absorbent, since the chicken will leak fluid as it thaws.

If your microwave has a dial for its power setting, turn the dial to roughly ¼ of the way above the lowest setting. This 30% power recommendation is based on a standard microwave, which uses about 800-1000 watts of power. If your microwave has a lower wattage than this, try a 40% or 50% power setting. Check the product label on your microwave (printed on the back, or on the inside of the door) to confirm its wattage. [4] X Research source

If your chicken is broken up into pieces, stop the microwave every 2 minutes and pull the frozen pieces apart. This helps them defrost more evenly.

Be sure to set your microwave to “defrost” (or 30% power) each time. Cook your chicken immediately after defrosting it. There’s a high risk of bacteria and other foodborne illnesses in warm chicken, so it’s safest to prepare and cook it right away. [7] X Trustworthy Source US Food and Drug Administration U. S. government agency responsible for promoting public health Go to source

Defrost whole chickens in the fridge over several nights. A whole chicken requires 5 hours per lb. (10 hours per kg) to fully defrost. You can also defrost whole chickens in cold water. A whole chicken requires 1 hour per lb. (2 hours per kg) to fully defrost. [9] X Research source

If you prefer to defrost chicken without cooking it right away, you can defrost it in the fridge. This will let is thaw while preventing it from getting too warm.

Once your chicken is thawed in the microwave, you should cook it right away.

Never thaw your chicken at room temperature due to the risk of bacteria.

Make sure your plastic bag is leakproof to prevent the chicken from getting watery. Use a large pot to hold the cold water while your chicken defrosts. Once you’re finished, clean the pot thoroughly with hot water and soap to prevent bacteria from growing.