The Danger Zone

• In cooking, the "danger zone" is a temperature range between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit. This is the temperature range in which bacteria grows and thrives -- and bacteria is the leading cause of food poisoning. Thawed meat is safe to prepare in a slow cooker because it passes through this danger zone relatively quickly. When frozen meat like chicken wings is prepared in a slow cooker, though, it lingers in the danger zone for an unsafe period of time, creating an environment in which bacteria can grow. For this reason, you should defrost chicken wings before slow-cooking them.

Refrigerator Defrosting

• The safest method of defrosting chicken wings is to transfer them from the freezer to the refrigerator. Leave them in a sealed plastic bag on the bottom shelf of your refrigerator, so that they do not drip any water or juices onto the other foods in your fridge. Move your wings to the refrigerator at least one day before you plan on cooking them to give them plenty of time to thaw -- once they are completely defrosted, they'll remain safe in the refrigerator for one or two days.

Other Defrosting Options

• If you do not have time to wait for your wings to defrost in the refrigerator, you can also thaw them with cool water. Leaving your wings sealed in plastic, either run them under a continuous flow of cool water or submerge them in a bowl of cool water, replacing the water every 30 minutes. Avoid defrosting your wings in the microwave -- though the USDA cites this as an acceptable method of defrosting, it's also unpredictable, and can bring your wings up to an unsafe temperature.

Safe Cooking

• When you cook your wings in the slow cooker, they'll typically need at least four hours on high before they are finished. The exact timing varies depending on factors like the consistency of your marinade and the number of wings, so use a meat thermometer to make sure that your wings are done and safe to eat. Slow-cook the wings until their internal temperature is 165 F.