Can You Freeze Cooked Chicken Safely?

Updated: Apr. 04, 2024

People who like stocking up on chicken when it's on sale know it can be hard using it all up. Wondering, can you freeze chicken? It all depends on how it's prepared.

What can’t you do with chicken? This protein-rich poultry is the ultimate ingredient for any home cook who lives for quick, healthy meals. It can be cooked in so many wonderful ways, which is why many people purchase it in bulk.

Extra chicken breasts, tenders, wings and drumsticks should never go to waste. So, what if you have leftovers? Can you freeze cooked chicken? Thankfully, the answer is yes—most of the time.

How to Freeze Chicken

leftover chicken in storage containermarekuliasz/getty images

If you have any extra chicken that can be eaten later, store the extras in an airtight container in the fridge overnight. Once it’s cold, the chicken can be stowed away in the freezer to enjoy later. Cooked chicken can spend four months in the freezer before it’s past its flavor prime. Get more tips for freezing food.

Cooling down the chicken before freezing it is an important step. Quickly decreasing the temperature of meat will lower any risk of contamination and foodborne illness. Just like storing raw chicken, don’t leave cooked chicken out at room temperature for more than two hours.

Are these prepared chicken dishes OK to freeze?

  • Chicken and dumplings: Yes. Put the soup in airtight freezer-safe containers or bags, leaving 1/4-inch of room for expansion. You may want to freeze dumplings separately to keep their shape.
  • Fried chicken: Yes. You can put pieces of fried chicken in airtight freezer-safe containers or bags. Note that the crispiness probably won’t compare to when it was freshly fried.
  • Chicken noodle soup: Yes. Most soups freeze well. The exceptions are soups made with cream and potatoes.
  • Chicken salad: No. The mayo will separate and create a terrible texture.

How to Defrost Cooked Chicken

The safest way to defrost cooked chicken is in the refrigerator. Any of the faster methods, such as thawing on the countertop or in a bowl of cold water, promote the growth of bacteria. The cooked chicken should be used within four days of thawing.

Do not reheat frozen cooked chicken in a slow cooker. Due to the nature of its low and slow cooking, the chicken will remain in the “danger zone” for too long. This temperature range (40° to 140°F) is ideal for the rapid growth of harmful bacteria.

Can you refreeze cooked chicken?

According to the USDA, it is safe to refreeze cooked chicken, although it should be refrozen within three to four days of thawing. The USDA cautions that you should not refreeze cooked chicken that has been left out of the refrigerator for more than two hours. Also, note that each time cooked chicken is refrozen, it loses a bit of moisture and its texture will suffer.

The Best Ways to Use Thawed Chicken

chicken salad sandwiches TMB studio

Thawed cooked chicken can be used in a variety of recipes that call for chicken as an ingredient. Because freezing can affect the chicken’s moisture content, look for recipes that can compensate for any dryness.

Though you might not want to freeze prepared chicken salad, you can definitely use the thawed meat to make fresh chicken salad sandwiches. And because simmered recipes like chicken pot pie, spicy chicken stew and white chicken chili hide the chicken in brothy mixtures, you won’t miss the lack of moisture!

How to Tell If Frozen Cooked Chicken Has Gone Bad

To determine if your cooked chicken has gone bad, look for the telltale signs of spoiled chicken—if the chicken smells funky or is discolored (especially yellow or green), throw it out immediately.

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