Thaw in Water

• 1). Place the whole frozen chicken in an airtight bag.
  
  
• 2). Fill a sink full of cold water. Never use hot water to thaw the chicken. You will need enough to cover the chicken completely. Place the chicken in the sink.
  
  
• 3). Change the water every 30 minutes until the chicken thaws completely. Thawing time using this method is about 1 hour per pound.
  
  

Thaw in Microwave

• 1). Remove the whole chicken from its package.
  
  
• 2). Place the whole chicken on a microwaveable dish.
  
  
• 3). Place plastic wrap loosely over the whole chicken. Move the defrost setting on the microwave to medium-low. Check your user's guide, as some models will allow you to enter the weight of the chicken.
  
  
• 4). Press the defrost button. Follow any directions that your microwave gives you. Defrost the whole chicken for 2 minutes. Check on the chicken frequently to feel for ice crystals inside the cavity. Continue to defrost the chicken in 2-minute intervals. The defrosting time will vary according to the size of the chicken and the power of your microwave.