Cathi Is Preparing for a Dinner Party

Cathi is preparing for a dinner party. The night before the dinner party, she sets out frozen chicken breasts to thaw on the kitchen counter. She is exhausted and heads to bed early, forgetting the chicken on the counter. In the morning, she places the thawed chicken in a casserole dish and puts it in the refrigerator. Three hours before the guests arrive, she begins to prepare the meal. Cathi begins by first cooking the rice and then places it in a serving dish to cool. Next, she cuts the chicken breast into strips on a cutting board, places the chicken back into the dish, and then seasons it. While the oven is preheating, she chops unwashed salad ingredients on the same cutting board she used to cut the chicken, but she uses a clean knife. She combines the salad and places it in a serving bowl. One hour before the guests arrive, she places the chicken in the oven to bake. She stirs the rice and adds nuts and a few herbs. Just as the oven timer rings, the first guests arrive.
How should Cathi have thawed the chicken?

A) on the counter at room temperature for at least four hours
B) in the refrigerator
C) by letting the chicken sit in a warm water bath
D) by running hot water over the chicken
E) by partially thawing the chicken in the microwave and then letting it sit on the counter to completely thaw