How long is cooked ground chicken good for

Whether it was roasted on a rotisserie, fried in a skillet, or baked in the oven, any type of cooked chicken is a good thing to have on hand in the refrigerator. Even if the rest of the fridge is almost bare, you can still cobble together a simple chicken salad out of cooked chicken and a few pantry staples. Shredded rotisserie chicken can also upgrade your usual tossed salad from side dish to entrée. And if you haven't experienced the joy of eating a piece of cold fried chicken straight from the fridge, you should fix that right now.

Just make sure you know how long the chicken has been in there. If stored properly (in a ziplock storage bag or sealed container), the USDA says that cooked chicken can last three to four days in the refrigerator. And that goes for any type of cooked chicken—store-bought, homemade, or restaurant leftovers.

Freeze It.

If you have a lot of leftover chicken and don't think you will eat it within four days, your best bet is to freeze it. Place the chicken in a ziplock freezer bag and press out as much air as possible before sealing it. Then freeze the chicken for up to four months. If frozen properly, the chicken will be edible indefinitely, but the longer it sits in the freezer, the higher the chance that the flavor and texture will deteriorate.

Defrost It.

Defrost frozen chicken overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat on the stovetop or in the oven as needed. You can also reheat the chicken in the microwave. Cut the chicken into smaller pieces if possible and spread a single layer on a microwave-safe plate. Cover with a lid or damp paper towel before reheating.

The cooked chicken breast will be good for 304 days in the fridge if stored correctly. While a raw breast would only last 1-2 days. Your best bet is to store the breast piece in the freezer for extended shelf-life.

Whole chicken 

Whole chicken lasts almost the same or sometimes for a lesser time period as compared to the breast or ground chicken in the fridge. To extend its shelf-life, It is recommended to cut the whole chicken into suitably sized pieces.

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Vacuum sealed cooked chicken 

Vacuum-sealed cooked chicken will last 2 weeks in the fridge and months in the freezer. The vacuum sealing keeps the bacteria at bay.

Chicken liver 

The cooked chicken liver will only last 1-2 days in the fridge. You might have come across chicken liver in stores with its label claiming It will last 3 weeks. It can last this long without being unsafe. However, the quality won’t be the same and the taste will be compromised.

How to tell If the cooked chicken has gone bad?

1. If the cooked chicken develops a slimy texture and a greyish hue all over its surface or in the form of patches, It has gone bad.

1. Totten cooked chicken will give off a sour smell which is very striking and is an obvious sign of spoilage.

1. If the chicken has been stored in the fridge way past its shelf-life, It is always a better idea to get rid of it than risking your health.

Tips for keeping your cooked chicken from going bad

Keep it in the fridge 

Cooked or raw chicken should not be placed for more than 2 hours on the counter and one hour If the temperature is higher than 90℉, according to the USDA. store your chicken within 2 hours of its cooking after It has cooled down.

Seal your food storage containers 

Pay attention to the cleanliness of the container before storing your food. Food storage containers should be free of any grease or dust. Moreover, a good food storage container should have a tight seal to ensure the safety of its contents against pathogens and spoilage microbes.

Cut the chicken into small pieces

Larger chicken cuts will take a longer time to attain a safe temperature. While shorter pieces will cool quickly. Similarly, large-sized food storage containers will take longer to freeze than small ones.

Keep raw chicken away

Cross-contamination is a major cause of food spoilage. Therefore, always keep your raw food commodities away from the cooked food commodities.

Is freezing the cooked chicken better than refrigerating it?

Freezing extends the shelf-life of cooked meat products. Grilled and roasted chicken lasts only 3-4 days in the fridge. While It will stay fresh for 4-6 months If stored correctly in the freezer. Similarly, fried chicken and patties will stay edible for 1-3 months in the freezer.

Chicken gravy or broth can stay fresh for up to 6 months in the freezer. Considering the extended shelf-life of food products, freezing cooked chicken is a better option. However, It comes at a cost. You have to defrost and reheat the food.

What is the best way to freeze cooked chicken?

1. Let the chicken cool down before storing.

1. Divide the chicken into portion-sized servings so that you can easily defrost the amount of chicken that you need.

1. Wrap a clean plastic sheet around the chicken tightly.

1. Transfer the wrapped chicken portions into a freezer bag or air-tight container for extra protection. Label the bag and chuck it in the freezer.

How to use leftover cooked chicken?

Use the leftover cooked chicken as a stuffing for bagels. Add the cooked chicken to your taco salad bowl along with cherry tomatoes, avocados, cheeses, fresh corn, and green onions. Italian pasta salad is incomplete without chicken. 

Quick chicken pot pie is an excellent and quick way to satisfy your cravings and use up your leftovers. You can also shred the cooked chicken and add them to the casserole.

Other FAQs about Chicken that you may be interested in.

Can you cook frozen chicken on the grill?

Can you cook raw chicken in soup?

Conclusion

In this article, we answered the question “How long does cooked ground chicken last in the fridge?”, and how to tell If the chicken has gone bad?

References

How Long Does Cooked Chicken Last In The Fridge?

https://www.stilltasty.com/fooditems/index/16797#:~:text=To%20maximize%20the%20shelf%20life,4%20days%20in%20the%20refrigerator.

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