Here's How Long It'll Take To Thaw A Whole Chicken

Few meals are as homey as a whole roasted chicken. A savory and customizable entrée that pairs well with many different side dishes, a well-made whole chicken requires care and thoughtfulness from the very first steps. And yes, that includes thawing. Freezing a whole chicken preserves its freshness and extends its shelf life so you don't have to feel rushed to cook it. But when it's time to fire up the oven, you should defrost the bird to ensure even, efficient cooking. But just how long does it take to thaw?

Whole chickens come in different sizes, some larger than others, so the exact time one will take to thaw depends on its weight. Roughly, you'll need about four hours of refrigerator thawing for every pound of chicken. That means even a 3-pound chicken, which is on the smaller end, will take twelve hours to thaw. When thawing from frozen, keep the poultry in its original packaging and let it defrost in a refrigerator set to 40 degrees Fahrenheit or lower. For best food safety practices, roast the chicken within two days of thawing to prevent bacterial growth, per the USDA.

Although slow-thawing a chicken in the refrigerator is the ideal method for defrosting, it's not always the most pragmatic. If you're short on time, there are a few other ways to thaw meat, although you'll need to cook poultry promptly if you take these approaches.

For one, you can speed up thawing a whole chicken with water. Submerge the packaged chicken in a large container or sink filled with cold water, allowing a steady stream to flow over it. To ensure safety and reduce the risk of bacterial growth, the water temperature should be set somewhere between 40 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit and the packaging should be leak-proof. Change the water in the bowl every 30 minutes to maintain a safe temperature. This method typically takes about 30 minutes per pound.

Another, albeit less effective, option for speedy thawing is to use the microwave. Defrosting chicken in the appliance requires approximately eight to 10 minutes per pound when thawing at 30% power, so a 3-pound chicken can take up to 30 minutes to thaw. Always remove poultry from its packaging when microwaving. Some high-tech microwaves may include a defrost button, where you can enter the total weight of your chicken and it will assume the amount of time required for thawing. Note that microwaving can cook through smaller parts of the bird, while leaving larger pieces still frozen, potentially disrupting the evenness of the roast.

Never defrost meat at room temperature, as the time it takes to thaw outpaces the time it takes for bacterial growth to develop. One of the most common mistakes you can make when roasting a whole chicken includes improper defrosting. Although it takes a hefty amount of time, thawing in the refrigerator is the most foolproof and stress-free way to get the job done right.