Raw chicken can last in the fridge for one or two days, and cooked chicken can last up to four days. An easy way to make chicken last longer is by freezing it at 0F or below. A whole chicken can be frozen for up to a year and chicken pieces can be frozen for up to nine months. Can you defrost chicken in the microwave?
All meat needs to be kept in the fridge to slow down germs’ growth.
This keeps the meat fresher and safe to eat for longer.
You’ll spot the use by date and labels that state keep refrigerated on the packaging.
The good news is you can freeze pretty much every food to extend its shelf life.
Chicken can be frozen at any time before its use by date.
Wrap your chicken up in clingfilm and place in a freezer bag before freezing.
This will prevent the meat from getting freezer burn, which makes it tough and inedible.
Remember to date and label the packaging so you don’t leave it for too long.
Ideally, you should eat the meat within three to six months because the quality will deteriorate after this.
When you want to eat it, you have to make sure it has been defrosted thoroughly before cooking.
As meat thaws, lots of liquid comes out and the bacteria in it can spread to other things.
To stop this from happening, make sure you defrost chicken or any other meat in a bowl.
Never defrost your chicken on a kitchen counter as bacteria thrives at room temperature.
You should also never rinse chicken under running water because this can splash bacteria around your kitchen.
You’ll know a piece of chicken is properly defrosted by cutting a small slit in the thickest part of the breast or thigh.
Insert your finger into the slit and check if the flesh is soft.
There should be no ice crystals remaining, and if there are it isn’t defrosted.
If the flesh feels solid rather than soft, you need to continue defrosting it.
Can you defrost chicken in the microwave?
Defrosting chicken in the microwave is the quickest method.
However, you must cook the chicken immediately after you defrost it in the microwave.
This is because microwaves will bring the chicken up to a temperature bacteria thrives in.
Don’t leave the chicken in the microwave for too long, otherwise it will start to cook.
Cook the chicken until it is steaming hot throughout.
If you don’t want to cook the chicken straight away, defrost it in the fridge overnight so it doesn’t get too warm.
Pop the chicken in a large sealed sandwich back and put it in a bowl to avoid leakage.
Leave the plate on the bottom shelf of the fridge overnight or for five hours minimum.
You can either cook the chicken straight away once defrosted or keep it stored in the fridge for up to 24 hours before using it.
