Can you microwave raw chicken?

USDA accepts microwave cooking for poultry, but flags that microwaves heat unevenly and can leave cold spots where Salmonella and Campylobacter survive. The fixes are structural: cover the dish so steam evens the heat out, use medium rather than full power so the outside does not race ahead, rotate or rearrange partway through, and allow standing time, during which the temperature continues to equalise. The only thing that settles it is a food thermometer in the thickest part, away from bone, reading 74 °C (165 °F).

How to do it properly

1. Cut pieces to a similar size so they finish together
2. Cover with a vented lid or microwave-safe wrap to trap steam
3. Cook at 50-70 percent power for longer, rather than full power briefly
4. Rotate and rearrange the pieces at least once
5. Stand for a few minutes, then check 74 °C (165 °F) in several places

What goes wrong

• Cold spots leave live Salmonella or Campylobacter in apparently cooked meat
• Bone-in pieces heat unevenly around the bone
• Judging by colour is unreliable in a microwave

Other "can you microwave" questions

• Can you microwave styrofoam? It depends — Only if the container is labeled microwave-safe, and most takeout foam is not.
• Can you microwave aluminum foil? No — No — foil reflects microwaves and the edges arc, which can start a fire.
• Can you microwave plastic containers? It depends — Only ones labeled microwave-safe — cold-storage tubs are not among them.
• Can you microwave eggs? It depends — Beaten or pricked eggs, yes. A whole egg in its shell will explode.
• Can you microwave Tupperware? It depends — Yes, if that specific piece carries the microwave-safe symbol on its base.
• Can you microwave paper plates? It depends — Plain white paper plates are fine; anything with metallic trim or a foam layer is not.
• Can you microwave metal? No — No — metal reflects microwaves, arcs at edges, and can damage the oven or start a fire.
• Can you microwave breast milk? No — No — microwaves create hot spots that scald a baby even when the bottle feels cool.
• Can you microwave takeout containers? It depends — Only if the container is marked microwave-safe — most are not, and metal-handled ones never are.
• Can you microwave cardboard? It depends — Plain dry cardboard is usually fine briefly; anything with glue, staples, wax or foil is not.
• Can you microwave glass? It depends — Yes for ordinary heatproof glass; no for leaded crystal, and never straight from the freezer.
• Can you microwave water? It depends — Yes, but very clean water can superheat and erupt when you move the cup.