How To Defrost Chicken Breast In Microwave
Just like any other meat, frozen chicken can be thawed using a microwave as well. Let's learn how to defrost chicken breast in microwave and the different options you can consider.
Microwaved Frozen Chicken Breast
How to defrost chicken breast in microwave is easy and fast. This thawing process will take you a maximum of five minutes. It may be fast, but this method makes the chicken breast more prone to bacteria.
To start, get your frozen chicken breast from your freezer and transfer it in a bowl. You will have to ensure that the bowl would fit inside your microwave. Another thing to remember is to remove the chicken breast from the plastic bag before you put it in the microwave. You're into so much danger if you microwave the meat along with the bag. Next is set the microwave for one minute to start defrosting. After one minute, open the microwave, flip the chicken breast, and set for another minute. You can do this for about four to five minutes, making sure that you flip the chicken in each interval. Once the chicken breast has been defrosted, cook it immediately to prevent the growth of bacteria.
Other Ways To Defrost Chicken Breast
Here are your other options in thawing your chicken breast without running the risk of growing bacteria.
- Let it defrost inside the refrigerator. Get your chicken breast out of the freezer, put it in a bowl or plate, put it in one of your refrigerator racks, and wait for it to thaw. This will probably take you half of the day or even the whole 24 hours to let the meat completely defrost. Use this method if you plan to cook the chicken breast the next day.
- Dip in cold water. Transfer your chicken breast in a tight container. Make sure that no water can get in the container since you will submerge it in the water. Next is to prepare a bowl of cold tap water and sink the chicken breast container. Check the chicken after 30 minutes. If it is not yet thawed, change the water in the bowl and put the container back in the water. Do this until the chicken breast is defrosted.
- Keep it frozen. If you are in a rush to cook, then this would be your best option. You can skip the entire defrosting process and proceed in cooking the frozen chicken break. There is no harm in doing that. The downside is that you will have to cook the chicken almost twice longer. Also, you won't be able to get a golden-brown chicken breast when you fry it. The extra moisture in the frozen chicken stops the browning.
Conclusion
Choose the method that works for you. But also bear in mind the risks that you'll have to take. Defrosting in the fridge will take so much time before you can cook the meat. Microwave runs the risk of bacterial growth. Coldwater bath, if you are not careful and water gets in the chicken, can contaminate the meat and grow bacteria too.