Pour the chocolate chips into a microwave-safe bowl or heat-proof measuring cup, ideally glass or ceramic.
Place the container of chocolate chips in the microwave. You'll be heating the chocolate in two or three 30-second increments at 50% power, stirring between each increment, until thoroughly melted. After the first 30 seconds, take the bowl out of the microwave and stir the chocolate.
Pop the bowl back in the microwave for another 30 seconds on 50% power.
After 30 seconds, remove the bowl and stir the chocolate once more. It takes just over one minute for a half cup of chips to completely melt.
Finish heating when most, but not all, of the chocolate is melted. There should still be a few visible chunks you can simply stir, as they will continue to melt in the rest of the hot chocolate thanks to residual heat.
If it's beyond a minute and you're still left with a handful of chips that have not melted, blast them again in the microwave, this time in 15-second intervals, still on 50% power. Continue stirring in between until the chocolate is smooth and totally melted.