How to quickly defrost chicken

Is it possible to boil or bake frozen chicken?

In the daily hustle and bustle, it’s easy to get overwhelmed and forget to take the bird out of the freezer in advance so that it can thaw calmly. Then the housewife is left alone with the frozen carcass and the question: is it possible to cook frozen chicken?

The answer will be yes, but you need to take into account that the whole process will take more time, and you will have to comply with a number of technological features:

Thawed or simply chilled meat is dipped into boiling water, but a frozen carcass, on the contrary, is poured with cold water and sent to the fire.
After the water boils, the first broth must be drained. The second time, the chicken is poured with warm water and cooked, removing the foam that appears with a slotted spoon.
To make both the meat and the broth more aromatic and rich, be sure to put a few peas of allspice, a small onion and a carrot into the pan during cooking.

Nowadays, many ovens are equipped with a built-in defrost function, so it will not be difficult to bake frozen chicken. But even those housewives who have the most ordinary oven should not be upset - they just need to keep in mind that the carcass will be ready no earlier than in 2.5 - 3 hours.

In this case, the frozen chicken should be rinsed in cold water, rubbed with spices, wrapped in foil or a baking sleeve and continued to cook for the above-mentioned time as usual. Some housewives even claim that frozen poultry turns out even juicier.

Classic in detail

How to quickly defrost chicken without a microwave? This question constantly flashes on the global network. Previously, our ancestors somehow managed without kitchen gadgets. Let's try too. In addition, the classic method of defrosting meat, according to housewives, is recognized as the best.

What attracts us to a broiler is the tender meat and muscle tissue. When fresh, a chicken carcass contains a certain amount of moisture. Under the influence of low temperature, this moisture is converted into ice. Simple laws of nature. If you use intensive defrosting and temperature contrast, ice can damage the fibers and structure of the meat. As a result, we will get porridge that cannot be presented to the table.

To prevent damage to the chicken carcass, you need to defrost it a day in advance. The algorithm of actions is simple:

Remove the chicken carcass from the freezer.
We release it from the packaging.
If necessary, remove by-products.
Now we put the chicken carcass on a dish and put it on the bottom shelf in the refrigerator.
Within 24 hours the bird will melt naturally. And most importantly, it will retain its appearance and original taste.

A woman’s head does not always contain information about timely defrosting of meat. Sometimes it needs to be done spontaneously. In this case, you can perform all the same steps, only make random cuts on the surface of the chicken carcass. The deeper and longer they are, the sooner the poultry meat will defrost. The only negative is that the presentable appearance of the chicken will be hopelessly ruined, and it will no longer be possible to bake it in its entirety. There is a solution - cut the carcass into portions and cook according to your favorite recipe.

A method for quickly defrosting poultry in the microwave

The easiest and fastest way to defrost chicken is in the microwave, especially since devices in every price category are equipped with a defrosting function.

Microwave ovens often have an “Automatic Defrost” option, which is already optimized for a specific type of product in terms of power and time. The hostess can only launch the desired program and wait for the sound signal about its completion.

Microwave ovens may also have a quick defrosting option (“Turbo defrosting”, “Accelerated defrosting”), but it is only suitable for product portions of no more than 200 g.

To defrost a chicken carcass in the microwave, you need to remove it from film or other packaging, transfer it to a large container, put it in the oven and start the defrosting program. In the middle of the cycle, be sure to pause and turn the chicken over to the other side so that the bottom does not start to cook in the water that is released during thawing.

Let's use a kitchen gadget

Of course, we are talking about a microwave oven. Basically, these devices are equipped with special functionality. You can select the weight of the product, and the smart gadget will calculate the duration of the heat treatment on its own.

When choosing this method of defrosting poultry meat, consider a few points:

the chicken must be removed from the packaging;
To prevent the skin from drying out, you can cover it on top with cling paper or film;
the average time for defrosting a carcass weighing 1.5 kg varies from 9 to 13 minutes;
study the instructions for the microwave oven, especially pay attention to the power of the device;
After 4-5 minutes, the bird carcass needs to be turned over.

If you notice that certain parts of the chicken have already begun to cook, simply cover them with parchment. Another little trick: give the chicken time to “rest”. For example, defrost it for 5-7 minutes at moderate power. Then leave the bird carcass alone for 15 minutes. During this time, the defrosted ice crust will begin to thaw.

How can you tell if a chicken is defrosted? There are several signs:

the color of the bird's skin became uniform;
the skin is soft to the touch, and you can easily press on the meat and muscles;
legs and wings rotate easily;
the carcass is at room temperature;
Without much effort, you can cut the chicken into portions.

She helps out housewives in any situation. With its help, cooking becomes easy and relaxed. If you need an answer to the question of how to quickly defrost chicken without a microwave, then you can consider that you already got it.

Take out the carcass.
Place it on the stand.
Set the appropriate program and wait 10 minutes.

Indeed, a very convenient and fast way. If your chicken is not whole, but in pieces, then the process will go even faster. There is no need to try to speed up cooking as much as possible through primary processing. If the meat is partially cooked, it will lose its juiciness. Therefore, the quality of the prepared dish will lose its charm. If you've tried chicken at a party, but it doesn't taste as good at home, it's possible that you're making this mistake.

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Thaw chicken using running water

There are several ways to quickly defrost chicken without a microwave. The most common of them is aquatic. Since the liquid has a greater heat capacity, the process of thawing a frozen carcass will end faster.

In cold water, a whole bird will defrost in 2-3 hours, and in hot water - literally in 20-30 minutes, but, as a rule, the meat becomes tough and loses most of its taste.

How to avoid this:

Pack the frozen carcass in a tightly tied plastic bag, which will prevent the juice from leaching out of the meat fibers.
Place the chicken in the sink and turn on the faucet. The water temperature should be cool (about 15 degrees) and in no case hot or icy.

Depending on the weight of the carcass, the meat will become tender in about an hour or a little more.

Frozen chicken fillets are thawed by placing the frozen meat in a bag and tying it tightly. Then put it in a container filled with warm water and leave for 1-3 hours, depending on the weight.

If you use hot water, the fillet will become tough when cooked. It is necessary to place the product in a bag in order to preserve the beneficial elements contained in the pulp and to prevent the accumulation of liquid in the fibers.

A water bath is the most gentle way to defrost poultry, which thaws much faster when exposed to steam.

First you need to build a structure of two pans. One should be large, the second should be smaller, but the bird should fit in it. Place a large saucepan half filled with hot liquid on the fire, and place a small one inside. You must first remove the film from the carcass.

This method is best for chickens that are not too large. They will be ready for further use in 30-35 minutes.

This method of quick defrosting has something in common with the technology of using a multicooker:

Pour cold water into a large saucepan, place another saucepan on top and place the chicken in it.
Place the resulting structure on the fire and wait for the water to boil.

Under the influence of steam rising from boiling water, the carcass will begin to quickly thaw.

Using water

With this method, you need to defrost the chicken using water. This reduces the defrosting process to 1-3 hours.

Remove the chicken from the freezer and place in an airtight plastic bag;
Place the chicken in a bag in a large saucepan;
Place the pan with the chicken under running cold or slightly warm water and leave for a while;
After the chicken begins to thaw, you should untie the bag and release the melt water from it;
Remove the chicken from the bag and leave for a short period at room temperature until completely thawed.

It should be noted that by thawing the chicken in a bag, the taste of the chicken will remain unchanged, but the healthfulness of the meat will be significantly reduced.

Thanks to modern technology (microwave, steamer), quickly defrosting chicken has become easy. This method is the least beneficial for the taste and nutrients of the finished meat, but allows you to defrost chicken in a matter of minutes.

Remove the chicken carcass or parts thereof from the freezer and discard the packaging;
Place meat on a plate;
Set the microwave oven dial to defrost (thawing) mode and place the chicken there for 2-3 minutes;
Turn the chicken over and defrost in the microwave for another 2-3 minutes;
Check the degree of defrosting of the entire carcass and increase the thawing time by 1-4 minutes (depending on the power of the microwave).

Remove the chicken from the freezer and discard the bag;
Place the meat in a steamer and let it steam for a few minutes;
Turn over or raise the carcass to a higher shelf and leave for a few more minutes.

We invite you to familiarize yourself with Appendix No. 24. Norms of natural loss of meat in blocks when defrosting in chambers with a steam-air environment

This method is similar to the process of properly defrosting chicken, but saves time from 24 hours to 8-12.

In the evening, remove the frozen chicken from the refrigerator and place in a large container;
Remove the chicken from the bag;
Leave the container with the chicken at room temperature overnight (8-12 hours), loosely covering it with a cloth or paper napkin;
In the morning, drain the ichor and thawed water and start preparing the chicken dish.

One of the effective types of quick defrosting is soaking the chicken in cold water. The chicken wrapped in a bag is placed in a bowl of water and literally after 2-3 hours the ice, as a rule, it thaws and the meat is ready for use. The water should cover the meat completely, so it is recommended to choose a larger bowl than the chicken. To speed up the defrosting process, rub the chicken with salt; besides, the spice will have a good effect on the taste of the meat. You can defrost chicken faster if you change the water in which the chicken lies every 30 minutes. The bag in which the meat is located must be water-permeable, otherwise, with constant contact with water, the chicken will lose some of its beneficial and taste properties.
The microwave oven also serves as a means of quickly defrosting food; for this purpose it has a special mode. Some microwave ovens are equipped with a function for selecting the type of meat to be defrosted. The advantage of defrosting in a microwave oven is that the process takes no longer than 10 minutes. The disadvantage of this type of defrosting is that the chicken is defrosted unevenly, so most likely there will be parts left that need to be defrosted again. To speed up the process, divide the chicken carcass into four parts. In this case, it is necessary to carefully monitor how defrosting occurs. The meat must be turned periodically, every two to three minutes, so that it does not cook in the microwave. You cannot increase the power of the microwave oven, as the chicken will be baked ahead of schedule. To reduce water splashing in the microwave, cover the chicken with a special non-metallic lid. Before choosing this defrosting method, it is worth considering that the influence of microwaves used when heating the product in a microwave oven changes the taste of the product and the chicken will not be as tasty and juicy as with natural defrosting.
You can also defrost chicken in warm water. To defrost, you will need a bowl (sink) and warm water, which will have to be replaced as soon as it gets cold. This will significantly speed up the defrosting of the bird. The bag must be carefully closed so that water and bacteria from the sink do not get into the meat. If there is a layer of ice on the chicken, it is advisable to remove it. Hot water cannot be used, it will ruin the quality of the product.
You can defrost chicken by simply placing the carcass on a plate and leaving it at room temperature. The process will take a long time, but defrosting the product will happen faster than in the refrigerator, since the meat melts under the influence of elevated temperatures. Chicken cannot be defrosted in the air for more than two hours, as the product risks deteriorating under the influence of harmful microorganisms, so for further defrosting, place the chicken meat in the refrigerator, on the bottom shelf.
You can quickly defrost chicken by placing the bird in the oven; this process takes 15-20 minutes. In this case, the temperature in the oven is set to 30 degrees, otherwise a golden brown crust will form on top of the chicken, and as you understand, the inside will remain raw.
To quickly defrost chicken, you can also use a slow cooker. The meat is placed on the grill, the steaming mode is turned on, and the chicken is exposed to steam for several minutes. Then turn the chicken over to the other side and turn on the multicooker again.

Remember that defrosted chicken can be stored in the refrigerator for no more than two days, but this does not apply to meat defrosted in water; such a product cannot be stored in the refrigerator, you just need to cook it.

The chicken should be placed in the coldest place possible to prevent the rapid growth of bacteria. It is not recommended to refreeze meat; by refreezing chicken, you will lose the nutrients that were in it before freezing.

Cooks often face the question of how to quickly defrost chicken without losing its flavor. I shared with you the most efficient methods of defrosting chicken meat, which allow you to preserve its properties and speed up the preparation of the dish.

Of course, I may have missed something, but I hope you will supplement these recommendations with your stories about the methods of defrosting chicken carcass that you personally use.

Best regards, Alexander Abalakov.

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Defrosting minced chicken

To quickly defrost minced meat, you can use the same methods as for a whole chicken carcass, but you should place the semi-finished product in a container or sealed bag that will not allow the meat juices to leak out.

Along with methods that involve exposing meat to heat, you can defrost minced meat without heating.

To do this you need:

Chop the workpiece with a knife or break it into small pieces with a hammer. The smaller they are, the faster they will defrost.
Sprinkle the top of the minced meat with regular table salt. One teaspoon is enough for a kilogram of minced meat. Salt prevents moisture from freezing, so meat juices will melt faster. This method will help you get a completely defrosted product in 20 - 30 minutes.

How to defrost chicken in a slow cooker or oven

In addition to the microwave, you can use other kitchen devices to defrost a chicken carcass - an oven and a slow cooker.

To defrost a bird in the oven, place it in a mold with deep sides and place it in a preheated oven. An important point: the heating temperature should be 30 - 50 degrees, no more. Otherwise, the meat will be covered with a beautiful golden brown crust on top, but the inside will remain raw. After 15-20 minutes, the carcass can be turned on the other side and defrosted for the same amount of time.

In a multicooker, chicken is defrosted using the “Steam” program. A little water is poured into the multi-pan, a steamer basket is placed on top, the carcass is placed on it and the desired option is started. Under the influence of steam, the meat will begin to soften literally before your eyes.

And if you have an air fryer at hand

It would seem that this unit is not at all suitable for solving such problems. Place the chicken in the frying pan and it will immediately fry on top in the same manner. But no, an air fryer can actually prepare meat for cooking in an emergency.

Place the bird in a baking sleeve. This will distribute the heat evenly.
Set the temperature to about 50 degrees.
Set the timer for 6 minutes. In this case, the air fryer lid should be slightly open.

The method is really very convenient. But you need to take into account that under the influence of high temperature, tender meat loses some of its properties and turns out less juicy. In a restaurant, a cook will never resort to the quick defrosting method. Otherwise, the number of satisfied customers may decrease.

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Easy defrosting in a warm place

Defrosting chicken in a warm environment will be much faster. So, on the kitchen table at room temperature, the carcass will thaw in 4 - 6 hours. To do this, you need to remove it from the packaging, put it in a deep bowl and leave.

If you use a container with heated water as a “warm place”, the defrosting process will take only 1 - 3 hours, but so that the meat does not lose its taste, it should be packed in a vacuum bag.

In accelerated mode

It is not always possible to wait 8-10 hours. Often the picture is as follows. Early in the morning, the housewife remembers that she needs to prepare dinner from chicken, which has not yet left the freezer. That is, there is not night ahead, but literally several hours. In this case, the technology remains the same, but instead of the bottom shelf of the refrigerator, you need to choose a kitchen table.

If you want to speed up the defrosting process further, make several cuts across the entire surface of the carcass. The more there are and the longer they are, the more warm air will have access to the chicken meat. If you are looking for a simple, but not the fastest way, then pay attention to it. The only downside is that the cuts can ruin the appearance of the bird if you are preparing it for baking.

Thawing chicken can be done under running water. Place the carcass in a plastic bag, tie it tightly, place the product in a bowl of cold water.

Place the dishes in the sink under the tap and turn it on. The meat will defrost much faster than if it were simply placed in liquid.

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You can speed up the process by turning on warm water, but in this case the chicken will lose most of its nutritional properties. It is better if the liquid temperature does not exceed 15 degrees.