Hi Lynn, 

For food safety, you should not let raw chicken sit above 40°F for more than two hours. There are a couple of safe ways to thaw frozen chicken: 

Refrigerator: frozen poultry will take longer to thaw in the refrigerator than with other methods, but the temperature of the poultry will be kept below 40°F the entire time. Some cuts will thaw overnight, but larger poultry will take a day for every 5 lbs of weight.

Cold water: you can submerge poultry sealed in a leak proof bag in clean, cold water. This will thaw the poultry faster, but it does require you to change the water every 30 minutes or so. Once thawed, you must cook immediately.

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