Lightly defrost chicken in microwave to separate them

I had two pieces of chicken breast in a tupperware container in my freezer. I wanted to separate them and put one in the fridge below, so I put it in the microwave on defrost (fairly weak machine, and defrost was the second lowest setting) for about 30s.

When it came out, the thinnest edges of the chicken became bendable, but still stiff. The other parts of the pieces were still stuck together, cold, and rigid.

I separated the two pieces by hand (it actually took a bit of force to bend them, and rip them apart because the thin transparent skin layer and the fat bound the pieces together when freezing), I then put one piece back in the same container, back into the freezer, and the other piece in another container into the fridge below.

I just bought them today, and the best before date is not for another 5 days. Before freezing, I rinsed them under very cold water, and patted them down with some Bounty towels.

I've been told to never refreeze meat after defrosting in the microwave. Is this still safe to eat or am I just being paranoid?

Best Answer

What you have done is fine. Not only are you not facing a safety issue, but because you didn't allow the piece that was to be refrozen to completely thaw, you're unlikely to even face the quality issues that refreezing poultry often sees. (Refreezing poultry tends to play a bit of havoc with the texture)

One small thing...our grandmothers rinsed chicken. It has been definitively shown that rinsing chicken (purchased from a reputable store) is unnecessary, and may actually do more harm than good because it doesn't significantly reduce pathogens on the surface of the chicken, but it will spread those pathogens (if present) around your kitchen.

Pictures about "Lightly defrost chicken in microwave to separate them"

Lightly defrost chicken in microwave to separate them - Interior of white modern kitchen with minimalist design of white cabinets blue backsplash and black built in appliances

Lightly defrost chicken in microwave to separate them - Interior of apartment with kitchen cupboards near living room

Lightly defrost chicken in microwave to separate them - Interior of bright modern kitchen with cupboards and oven with microwave near sink with tap next to window

Is it OK to microwave chicken to defrost?

Is it safe to defrost chicken in a microwave? Yes, it's safe to defrost chicken in the microwave. In fact, it's the easiest and quickest way to defrost the frozen chicken. Since the defrosting setting on microwave uses less power to thaw, the chicken will begin to slowly warm until completely defrosted.

How do you separate frozen chicken stuck together?

The best way to separate frozen chicken is to run cold water over the seam until you can safely wedge a butter knife in between the chicken pieces. Turn the butter knife, and the chicken pieces should pry apart. Use rubber gloves to hold the chicken if it's too cold.

How do you defrost individually chicken breast in the microwave?

Defrost the chicken breasts for 2 minutes at 30% power. Program your microwave so it's on a low power setting. Then, place the dish of frozen chicken breasts in it and defrost them for 2 minutes. Don't worry if the chicken breasts are frozen together in a block at this point.

How to Thaw Chicken Safely | 3 Easy Methods

Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Images: Curtis Adams, Max Vakhtbovych, Max Vakhtbovych, Max Vakhtbovych