Can you cook frozen chicken in the microwave?

By TheWholePortion
Page last updated: 06/09/2022 | Next review date: 06/09/2024
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In this brief guide we will address the question, “can you cook frozen chicken in the microwave?” as well as other questions pertaining to the subject at hand like how to cook frozen chicken in the microwave and how to defrost chicken.

Can you cook frozen chicken in the microwave? 

Yes, you can cook frozen chicken in the microwave. This is among the most debatable topics.
Such questions are common among people who do not have enough time for cooking, but want quality food served on the table. Well, now we are going to explain how you can do this.

You can either directly cook frozen chicken in the microwave or thaw first. What technique you use for thawing is up to you. Note that it is always recommended to thaw frozen products first.

How to cook frozen chicken in the microwave?

To be honest, I wouldn’t recommend cooking frozen chicken in the microwave, but this doesn’t mean you cannot do so. If you are careful about the internal temperature, you might as well be able to pull it off. 

  1. To cook frozen chicken in the microwave, first make sure that your chicken is even in size. You can cut it into equal portions and then pound the pieces to ensure even thickness. This will help the chicken to cook quicker and heat from the microwave will be evenly distributed (this is why thawing is important)
  2. Even if you want to directly cook the chicken from frozen, there is a good chance that it will not cook properly and will be exposed to microorganisms because of uneven heat distribution.
  3. Take a deep dish (not too deep) and gently place the chicken in it. Make sure the pieces are not on top of each other. Choose your dish carefully!
  4. Cover 1/3rd of the dish with water and then cover the chicken with wax paper or plastic wrap. Doing so will help to entrap the heat inside the chicken and will create a steam bath.
  5. Set your microwave at high heat and let the chicken cook for 5-10 minutes. This time period depends on the thickness of the pieces and the amount of chicken to be cooked.
  6. Use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature of the chicken. Your chicken needs to be at least 165F. This can be done by taking out the chicken after different intervals. MAKE SURE YOU ARE USING COOKING GLOVES FOR HANDLING.
  7. You can then shred the chicken if needed. It is also not a good idea to cut the chicken for checking the doneness because it will release the flavour and your chicken might eventually turn out dry.
  8. When the internal temperature reaches 165, take it out of the microwave and let it sit for some time. This is because the trapped heat will help to cook it further, eliminating the meat bacteria naturally found in meat products.
  9. Always, always check the temperature when cooking meat products. When undercooked, they can cause severe health problems.

How to defrost chicken? 

You can defrost chicken by using one of these two methods. Never thaw chicken on the kitchen shelf because that temperature is suitable for the microorganism growth inside the meat product. 

Thawing Frozen Chicken in the fridge

The temperature of the fridge ought to be kept at 5°C or underneath, as anything over this may permit the increase of microbes 

Keep the chicken in its bundling and spot it in a bowl adequately enormous to get any juices from any prepared to-eat food varieties 

Store on the base rack of the ice chest so no crude meat juices come into contact with other food 

This is the slowest but most secure technique for thawing out chicken.

Thawing Frozen Chicken in the microwave

Microwaving is the speediest technique for thawing out. Just pick the most suitable setting on your microwave to defrost chicken or to defrost frozen meat.

Care should be taken to ensure that the meat doesn’t dry out during the thawing process. Eliminate any bundling prior to putting the meat in a microwave-safe dish to get any trickling juices. 

Utilizing the thaw out setting, thaw out for two minutes all at once, checking the meat’s advancement as you go. When the chicken has been thawed out, it ought to be cooked straight away. 

While thawing out an entire chicken, make sure to check within the pit for ice gems. If all else fails, try to stick to the guidelines mentioned on the product packaging.

Never refreeze chicken whenever it is thawed out. However, you can freeze the chicken once it has been thoroughly cooked and all the microorganisms are dead inside.

Other FAQs about Chicken that you may be interested in.

Can you eat chicken bones?

Can you eat boiled chicken?

What is the best way to heat up rotisserie chicken?

Conclusion 

In this brief guide we have addressed the question, “Can you cook frozen chicken in the microwave?” as well as other questions pertaining to the subject at hand like how to cook frozen chicken in the microwave and how to defrost chicken.

References

https://oureverydaylife.com/13527329/can-you-cook-frozen-chicken/

Defrosting Chicken

https://www.yourhomebasedmom.com/how-to-cook-chicken-in-the-microwave/

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/how-defrost-chicken

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