Chicken wings are a popular appetizer and snack. Their juicy, tender meat coated in crispy skin is hard to resist! However, enjoying perfectly cooked chicken wings starts with proper thawing. So how long does it take to thaw chicken wings?
An Overview of Thawing Chicken Wings
A pound of frozen chicken wings can be thawed in one to two hours, depending on the method used. Smaller wing sections may thaw faster in 30-60 minutes. Thawing in the refrigerator can take 12-24 hours.
Proper thawing is crucial for food safety and best texture. Thawed wings should feel pliable, not frozen solid or mushy. Thawing too slowly can lead to bacterial growth. Thawing too quickly, like in hot water, can start cooking the wings.
Below is a complete guide to thawing times for chicken wings using various methods. Follow USDA guidelines to thaw wings safely.
Thawing Chicken Wings in the Refrigerator
The USDA says the slowest and safest way is to put the wings in the fridge. Place them in a bowl or pan to catch any drips, and if you can, thaw them breast side up.
- 1 lb wings: 12-24 hours
- 2 lb wings: 24 hours or more
The fridge keeps wings at 40°F or below inhibiting bacteria growth. Thaw longer for more wings. Check often and cook immediately once thawed.
Thawing Chicken Wings in Cold Water
The USDA recommends thawing in cold water between 40-70°F. Submerge bagged wings in bowl, changing water every 30 minutes.
- 1 lb wings: 1-2 hours
- 2 lb wings: 1 1/2 – 2 1/2 hours
This speeds thawing while keeping wings safely cold. Cook immediately as surface temp can reach unsafe levels.
Thawing Chicken Wings in the Microwave
Microwaving is the fastest way to thaw wings, but it can make meat fall apart. Defrost at 30% power in microwave-safe dish.
- 1 lb wings: 4-8 minutes
- 2 lb wings: 8-12 minutes
Check and flip wings every few minutes. Cook wings immediately as some areas may become warm.
Thawing Chicken Wings at Room Temperature
- 1 lb wings: 1-2 hours
- 2 lb wings: 2-3 hours
While speedy, leaving wings out can bring meat to unsafe temps. Only thaw for 1-2 hours max. Monitor temperature and cook immediately.
Thawing Chicken Wings Under Running Water
Avoid this method as it wastes water, splatters bacteria, and unevenly thaws. Cold water baths thaw wings more safely and at similar speeds.
Tips for Thawing Chicken Wings
- Always thaw in sealed packaging or bag
- Avoid thawing on counter over 2 hours
- Cook raw wings within 1-2 days of thawing
- Do not refreeze thawed raw wings
- Microwave thawed wings cook faster
- Rinse wings before cooking to remove ice crystals
- Marinate wings after thawing
Thaw wings in fridge overnight or morning of cooking for best results. Quick thaw small batches in cold water bath or microwave if short on time. Follow USDA guidelines and food safety practices to avoid illness.
With the proper thawing method, your crispy baked, fried, or grilled chicken wings will be juicy, tender, and safe to eat. Enjoy your wings knowing they were thawed safely and correctly.
Frequently Asked Questions About Thawing Chicken Wings
How can you tell if chicken wings are thawed?
Thawed chicken wings should feel cold, pliable, and slightly yielding but not frozen solid. The meat surface will appear moist with some ice crystals.
Can you bake frozen chicken wings?
It is not recommended. Baking from frozen takes much longer, often resulting in dry, overcooked meat. Always thaw first for juicy wings.
Is it safe to thaw chicken wings on the counter?
Only for 1-2 hours max. Bacteria multiply rapidly at room temperature. Thaw in the refrigerator or cold water for safety.
Can you thaw chicken wings in hot water?
Avoid hot water as it can begin cooking wings. Warm water between 70-80°F may speed thawing but cooks outer areas. Stick to cold water or the fridge.
Can you refreeze raw chicken wings after thawing?
Refreezing raw wings is not recommended. Thawing and refreezing chicken creates moisture loss and texture changes. Cook wings instead of refreezing.
How long do thawed chicken wings last in the fridge?
Raw chicken wings thawed in the fridge can keep 1-2 days. Cook thawed wings within this timeframe for best quality and safety.
Why do my microwaved chicken wings stay frozen inside?
Microwaves often thaw meat unevenly. Flip wings frequently and use lower power. Or thaw slowly in the refrigerator for even results.
The Takeaway on Thawing Chicken Wings
Thawing is a necessary first step to cooking juicy, tender chicken wings. While thawing on the counter is fastest, the refrigerator and cold water methods are safest. Thaw 1-2 pounds of wings for at least 1-2 hours depending on the method. Cook thawed chicken wings immediately for the crispiest skin and juiciest meat.
Running Water
Method To speed up thawing in cold water, many cooks will place their frozen meat under running water. I put a bowl of frozen chicken in it under running cold water from my faucet to see if this was true. I then let it sit there until it was completely thawed. Depending on the size of your chicken, this can take anywhere from 20 minutes to over an hour. While the USDA doesn’t discourage this rapid defrosting method, there were some serious drawbacks.
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First: It’s an incredible waste of water. (A faucet that leaks at just one drip per second releases more than 3,000 gallons of water a year.) Plus, even with the poultry in a plastic bag, this method leads to water that is potentially contaminated splattering all over your sink and counter. This method was also loud: at 78 decibels, the volume of this method is about the same as a running vacuum. Finally, this method was not substantially faster than defrosting packaged chicken in a bowl of cold water, and also had much more uneven results. This is likely because the faucet is focused on just one area of the chicken, causing that one area of the chicken to thaw much faster than the rest of it.
Microwave
Method To defrost chicken in the microwave, I removed the chicken from its packaging and placed it on a microwave-safe plate. If your microwave has a “defrost” setting, the USDA recommends using that to thaw chicken. (Some microwaves may also have different defrost settings for poultry, meat, fish, or bread. Choose “poultry” when thawing chicken. The USDA says to defrost the chicken at 100% power if your microwave doesn’t have a defrost setting.
Keep an eye on the chicken while it’s defrosting because the thin edges will probably start to cook as the meat defrosts. Use tongs to flip the chicken periodically, about every two minutes or so, to help it defrost evenly. For ground chicken, the USDA even recommends using a spoon or offset spatula to scrape off bits of thawed chicken onto a separate plate. This prevents the chicken from cooking while also allowing the remainder of the meat to thaw more easily.
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I used my microwave’s “poultry” defrosting setting, which recommends the amount of time to defrost the chicken based on the weight you enter. According to the manufacturer, my microwave varies between 20 to 30% power during the defrosting process to ensure even thawing. Despite this setting, the edges of my chicken were fully defrosted and beginning to cook before the center even had a chance to thaw.
Its important to note that how long it takes to thaw chicken in the microwave will ultimately depend on your microwave’s wattage. To demonstrate this, I tested defrosting boneless chicken breasts with both my higher-wattage microwave and a lower-wattage one to compare the results, and it took about three times as long to thaw them in a lower-wattage microwave (see details in the chart below). How Safe Is It? The USDA considers microwave-thawing one of the safest ways to defrost chicken. You’ll have to cook the chicken immediately after defrosting, however, as the outer edges of the chicken will begin to heat up as it defrosts, bringing it into the danger zone. During testing, parts of the chicken frequently reached upward of 80ºF (26ºC)—well above the recommended limits, but still far from the USDAs recommended temperature for chicken of 165ºF (74ºC). Carothers, however, says this isn’t dangerous if you plan on cooking it immediately. “The time that [the chicken] is spending in the danger zone is not actually long enough for bacteria to reach a dangerous level,” she says.
The Results The microwave was by far the quickest defrosting method. The smallest cuts, like the chicken wings, took as little as five minutes to defrost, while larger cuts took about 25 minutes. You’ll have to sacrifice taste for speed, though: Each microwave-thawed cut was substantially drier than chicken defrosted using other methods, as you’re blasting the poultry with heat to thaw it.
| Cut of Meat | Defrosting Time in 1200W Microwave |
| Drumsticks (2 pieces; 1/2 pound) | 2 drumsticks took 7 minutes and 30 seconds to defrost, but the thawing was uneven. The thickest part of the drumstick measured 35ºF (1.6ºC) when they were thawed, while thinner parts near the bone were 135ºF (57ºC), hot enough to burn me. |
| Wings (5 pieces; 1/2 pound) | 5 minutes |
| Ground Chicken (1 pound) | 11 minutes |
| Boneless Breasts (2 pieces; 1 pound) | 10 minutes and 45 seconds in a 1200W microwave but took 35 minutes in a 900W microwave. |
| Bone-In, Skin-On Breasts (1 piece; 1 pound) | 8 minutes |
| Boneless Thighs (2 pieces; 1/2 pound) | 6 minutes |
| Bone-In, Skin-On Thighs (6 pieces; 2 pounds) | 25 minutes |