Can i defrost chicken

We include products we think are useful for our readers. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission. Foodborne illness is serious and potentially deadly: Around 3, Americans die from it every year, estimates FoodSafety. Learning how to properly defrost chicken only takes a few moments.

Foodborne illness is dangerous, and chicken has the potential to make you quite sick if not handled correctly. According to the U. 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. There are three safe ways to thaw chicken, according to the USDA. One method skips thawing altogether. All of our tips are for using chicken commercially frozen — this is uncooked chicken that has been frozen by the manufacturer, ensuring it is of the highest quality and can be cooked safely from frozen.

Please note: Frozen chicken should never be defrosted at room temperature as this is when bacteria can multiply rapidly. Never defrost chicken at room temperature. However, if a person defrosts the chicken in a water bath or the microwave, they should cook it immediately after defrosting. Only when they have done this can they safely refreeze it. If a person defrosts chicken in the microwave or in a water bath but they do not immediately cook it, it may not be safe to eat.

It is also not safe to refreeze chicken in this scenario. Refreezing can affect the quality of the chicken, as can leaving it in a freezer for too long. However, while frozen, the chicken is safe from bacterial growth. If chicken stays in this temperature range for too long, this increases the risk of people contracting foodborne illnesses once they eat it.

Foodborne illnesses, such as food poisoning, are due to bacteria, viruses, and toxins. Some of the bacteria associated with chicken include:. While thoroughly cooking chicken can kill these types of bacteria, they can leave toxins behind.

These toxins remain in the food even if a person cooks it at a safe temperature. One example of this is E. Similarly, it is impossible to tell whether meat has gone bad just by looking at or smelling it. This is because the pathogens that cause foodborne illnesses do not necessarily cause food to spoil, so there is no way of detecting dangerous levels of these organisms by sight or smell. Food poisoning affects 1 in 6 people each year.

While many people recover in a few days, some forms of food poisoning can be more serious. People who are more vulnerable to serious cases of food poisoning include :. Foodborne illnesses can also lead to complications. For example, some people with irritable bowel syndrome IBS develop symptoms after having an acute intestinal infection from contaminated food or water. Experts refer to this as post-infectious IBS.

Be especially careful not to leave the chicken in the microwave for too long as you do not want the chicken to start to cook. Remember when using this method, you must cook your chicken immediately after defrosting. It may take a little longer but defrosting chicken in the fridge is the safest and most recommended method. Make sure you plan ahead if you wish to do this, keeping note of how long your chicken has been thawing.

Once defrosted using this method you can keep your chicken stored in the fridge for up to 24 hours before using it. To check if your chicken is thoroughly defrosted cut a small slit in the thickest part of the breast or thigh. Insert your finger; the flesh should be soft and no ice crystals should remain.

If you feel ice crystals or the flesh is solid you will need to continue defrosting. Subscriber club Reader offers More Good Food. Sign in. Back to Recipes Pumpkin recipes Butternut squash See more.