Is there a way to safely defrost my chicken pieces any quicker?

[mosschops30]

I forgot to get them out the freezer last night, so they only came out at 9am.
Its just thighs and drumsticks.
But theyre still solid and I want to cook them in a casserole later.
I have the heating on so its warm in here, would they defrost quicker if I took them out the pack?

Put them in water that's marginally warmer than they are - i.e. slightly tepid.

Keep changing the water and keep the temperature just a bit higher.

(I'm assuming you haven't got a microwave?)

Putting them in water speeds it up (cold not hot) or defrost in the microwave just before you need to cook them.

yes have got a microwave but have never used it to defrost.
Does putting them in water or mircowave increase the chance of salmoella or some other nasty bug type thing?

Not if you do it properly.

Microwave is your friend in this case - but take it easy. Always better to under rather than over time it.

I would suggest putting them in the microwave and on the defrost setting for about 5 minutes, and see what they're like after that time.

If they're still rock hard, give them another 5 minutes. You won't get salmonella from them this way.

(And in any case if the chicken is properly cooked through, which it will be if you're cooking long and slow in a casserole, you won't get salmonella either!)

Use the mocrowave. It will not increas ethe chance of salmonella just use the defrost setting.

or just put your casserole on early and bung the chicken in and if you cook it for long nough they will defrost and cook just fine.

nooooo never do it in water. Really bad to wash or defrost chicken in water.

If you have a solid metal skillet etc it defrosts more quickly than if it just left on a chopping board. I have found that a fillet will defrost in about under two hours on ours.

I have lots of friends who will never defost in the microwave. They are not quite sure why, they just dont.

But it seems much safer to me. Microwave defrosts from inside out, its quick and no water splashing about.

Surely thats safer than leaving meat hanging about at room temp for hours?