A 1-pound pack of boneless chicken breasts thaws in cold water in an hour or less. A 3 to 4 pound pack of parts, or a whole bird that size, takes 2 to 3 hours. Keep the chicken sealed, change the water every 30 minutes so it stays cold, and cook it as soon as it's thawed.
Cold-water thaw times
| What you're thawing | Time in cold water |
|---|---|
| 1-lb pack of boneless breasts or thighs | 1 hour or less |
| 1-lb pack of ground chicken, pressed flat | 1 hour or less |
| 3 to 4 lb pack of parts | 2 to 3 hours |
| 3 to 4 lb whole chicken | 2 to 3 hours |
Breasts frozen flat and separate thaw faster than a packed block, so start checking at 30 minutes.
How to thaw chicken in cold water
- Keep it sealed. Leave the chicken in its package, or move it to a leak-proof zip-top bag. Water that gets in soaks the meat and can carry bacteria.
- Submerge it. Set the package in a bowl or a clean sink and cover it with cold tap water.
- Change the water every 30 minutes, so the water stays cold.
- Check it. Press the thickest part. No hard spots means it's ready.
- Cook it right away. Chicken thawed in cold water doesn't go back in the fridge to wait, and it doesn't go back in the freezer raw.
Use cold water only. Warm or hot water warms the outside into the danger zone while the center stays frozen.
Other ways to thaw chicken
- In the refrigerator: the hands-off method. Breasts can take 1 to 2 days or longer. Once thawed, raw chicken keeps another day or two in the fridge, and you can refreeze it without cooking.
- In the microwave: fastest, but parts of the chicken start to cook. Cook it right after.
- Skip the thaw: chicken can go from frozen into the oven or onto the stove. See how to cook frozen chicken breast.
Never thaw chicken on the counter.
Ready to cook
Our organic chicken breasts and ground chicken come sealed in packs that go straight into a cold-water bath. Find recipes in the chicken hub.
Part of our Cook From Frozen guide.
