Can you eat cold chicken?

When it comes to popular foods, chicken is certainly at the top of the list.

There are so many ways to prepare it and use it in the kitchen that you are basically only limited by your imagination. Chicken is especially good for batch cooking so you can cook once and eat all week.

You can easily roast a whole chicken and use the leftovers to make soup or sandwiches for the week.

If you prefer a single cut of meat, you can cook chicken breasts, thighs, or drumsticks for a quick and easy protein to use in any meal.

As you can see, there is no end to how you can use chicken in the kitchen, but what if you want to eat it cold?

So, can you eat cold chicken?

Yes, you can eat cold chicken. You just have to make sure that it has been fully cooked, that it has cooled properly and that you eat it within 4 days of being in the fridge, to avoid any disease caused by the proliferation of bacteria.

Read on to find out how to tell if chicken is still safe to eat, how to properly store cooked or raw chicken in the fridge or freezer, and some delicious chicken recipes for any occasion.

Can you eat cold cooked chicken?

One of our favorite things to do to make sure we have fresh and healthy meals for the week is to batch cook a few things to have on hand and ready to eat anytime.

One of the staples in our batch cooking repertoire is chicken, whether it’s breasts, drumsticks, drumsticks, or whole.

Chicken is a very versatile food because you can cook a batch of breast meat, for example, and use it in a soup, toss it in a salad, add it to a wrap, put it in a stir-fry, or in any other way. But you may be wondering if you can eat cold chicken once it’s cooked.

The answer is yes, you can eat cold cooked chicken. When the chicken has cooked and cooled, it has a wonderful texture and flavor. The meat is a bit firmer when cold, giving it a nice texture to add to your salads or sandwiches.

It also has a slightly milder flavor when cold, so it won’t overwhelm any of the other flavors in the dish you add it to.

Precautions to keep in mind before eating cold cooked chicken

Before eating your cold cooked chicken, there are a few precautions you should take to ensure you don’t get sick from the growth of bacteria in the meat.

Here’s what to do when eating cold cooked chicken:

1. Make sure you’ve fully cooked the chicken to an internal temperature of 165°F to kill any bacteria, such as salmonella. You can’t eat cold chicken without cooking.
2. Allow the meat to cool to room temperature before storing it in the fridge.
3. When storing cooked chicken, make sure it’s in an airtight container or zip-top bag. You should write the date you made the chicken on a piece of tape and stick it to the container so you don’t eat old meat.
4. Use the cooked chicken within 4 days. The longer chicken stays in the fridge, the more bacteria can start to grow, which could make you sick if you eat old chicken. That is why we recommend writing the date you cooked it on the packaging to avoid illnesses.
5. Store cooked chicken away from any raw meat in the fridge. A good rule of thumb is that raw meat goes on the bottom shelf of the fridge and cooked meat goes on the top shelf to avoid any cross contamination.

How long does cooked chicken last in the fridge?

If you’re cooking the chicken in batches to have a few easy sources of protein for the week, you’ll want to make sure you don’t cook more than you can eat in 4 days. Cooked chicken will keep fresh and healthy in the fridge for up to 4 days.

If you leave chicken in the fridge for longer, it can start to grow harmful bacteria.

These bacteria can make you sick if eaten in high levels, so to stay safe and healthy be sure to eat cooked chicken within 4 days.

To safely refrigerate chicken, follow these steps:

1. Cook the chicken to an internal temperature of 165°F.
2. Let the chicken cool to room temperature. This must be done within 2 hours. If you get to the 2 hour mark and it hasn’t chilled completely, stick it in the fridge anyway to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria.
3. Once the chicken has cooled, place it in an airtight container or freezer bag and seal well.
4. Take a piece of tape and write the date and contents on it, and stick it to your chicken container or bag.
5. Place the cooked chicken in the fridge away from any raw meat to avoid cross contamination.
6. Consume the cooked chicken within 4 days.

How long does cooked chicken last in the freezer?

If you want to cook a very large batch of chicken to last you all week, we recommend portioning and freezing it so that you can pull out your daily serving size when you need it.

This process will prevent the chicken from developing harmful bacteria.

Once you’ve cooked the chicken, it will last in the freezer for about 6 months. After this time, it is usually safe to eat, but the flavor may not be very good and it may get freezer burn.

That’s why using airtight containers is crucial for long-lasting freshness.

To properly prepare cooked chicken for the freezer, follow these steps: 

1. Be sure to fully cook the chicken to an internal temperature of at least 165°F. We recommend that you invest in a meat thermometer for the best results.
2. Cool the chicken completely to room temperature, making sure not to leave it out for more than 2 hours to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria.
3. Once the chicken has cooled, divide it into individual or family portions.
4. Place chicken portions in airtight containers or freezer bags.
5. If you’re using containers, you can gently press a piece of plastic over the top of the chicken to protect it from cold air and freezer burn. Then seal the container as usual.
6. If you’re using a freezer bag, press all the air out of the bag, then seal it completely.
7. Take a piece of tape and write the date and content on it. Place the tape in your container or freezer bag. This step will help you remember what you cooked and when, so you don’t eat foods that are past their expiration dates.
8. Place portioned chicken in the freezer and consume within 6 months for best results.

How long does raw chicken last in the fridge?

When you buy raw chicken at the grocery store to prepare, make sure you cook it within 2 days of buying it. There will usually be a best before date on the package you buy, so always stick to that date for the safest results.

If there is no date on the package, be sure to cook the raw chicken within 2 days to prevent spoilage.

Raw chicken naturally contains bacteria that grow and multiply the longer it is left in the fridge. Some of these bacteria, like salmonella, can make you incredibly sick if you eat them.

To avoid any illness or food poisoning, the best guideline to follow is to cook raw chicken within two days of buying it from the store.

Once cooked, you can keep it in the fridge for another 4 days. If you don’t eat it within that time, it can last in the freezer for up to 6 months.

How can I tell if my raw chicken is spoiled?

When it comes to knowing if your chicken is spoiled, there are some telltale signs to look out for.

Fresh chicken:

• Raw chicken should be light pink in color with yellowish-white bits of fat (breast meat will have less fat than thighs and thighs).
• Raw chicken should not have any noticeable odor.
• Raw chicken should be soft and moist to the touch.

spoiled chicken:

• Spoiled chicken will be slimy to the touch.
• Chicken that is not safe to eat will have a strong or unpleasant odor.
• Instead of looking light pink, chicken that has gone bad may turn gray, yellowish, or green.

If your chicken has any of the above characteristics, throw it away immediately.

The risk of getting sick is quite high and washing the chicken (please don’t ever do this: it just spreads bacteria all over the kitchen) or cooking it will not kill all the harmful bacteria.

How long does raw chicken last in the freezer?

Sometimes we go to the supermarket with the best intentions. We buy a big package of chicken to cook in batches for the week, but then life happens and our good intentions go flying out the window.

The two days are approaching and you know that you will not be able to cook the chicken before then.

Well then, fear not! Freezing raw chicken is a great way to preserve it until you’re ready to start cooking it.

Raw chicken cut into pieces (breasts, thighs, wings, drumsticks) can last in the freezer for up to 9 months. Whole chickens can be stored in the freezer for up to one year.

How to store raw chicken in the freezer

To store raw chicken in the freezer you have a couple of options.

If you plan to freeze a whole chicken, you don’t need to do anything special. Just freeze it in the sealed bag it came in.

If you’ve already taken it out of that bag, put it back in a freezer bag, squeeze out all the air, and seal it. Write the date on it before putting it in the freezer.

To freeze chicken pieces, follow these steps: 

1. Portion the chicken in the amounts you will use at one time. If you’ve bought a bulk pack, that means separating it into smaller amounts. You don’t want to have to thaw the whole package just to use 1 or 2 pieces, as you don’t want to refreeze it once it’s thawed.
2. Once you’ve portioned the chicken, place it in the appropriate size freezer bags.
3. Gently press all the air out of the bag to prevent freezer burn, then seal the bag.
4. Take a piece of tape and write the date so you know when you frozen the chicken.
5. Use the chicken before 9 months.

How to cook the perfect chicken breast

Sometimes it can be challenging to cook the chicken and keep it from getting rubbery. So here are our tips to always cook the perfect chicken breast.

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon thyme
• pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. In a bowl, mix the chicken breasts, olive oil, sea salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, and pepper until completely coated.
3. Place them on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
4. Roast for 10 minutes, flip and cook another 10 minutes until internal temperature is 165°F or juices run clear. Test on the thickest part of the brisket.
5. Remove from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes.
6. Cut into strips and serve over quinoa salad, in noodle bowls, in rice wrappers, etc. It can be sealed in sandwich bags and frozen for a protein that thaws and eats quickly.

How to Cook the Best Lemon Herb Roasted Whole Chicken

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken
• 2-3 tablespoons of butter
• A combination of your favorite fresh herbs, about 1-2 teaspoons of each.
• Try: sage, rosemary, basil, garlic, shallot/onion, and thyme for a delicious combination.
• 1 tablespoon of salt
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• Juice of 1 lemon

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Cut small slits in the skin of the chicken on the back of the breast meat and on the bottom of either thigh.
3. Mix the herbs, salt, onion and garlic with the butter.
4. Stuff the butter-herb mixture under the indentations in the skin of the chicken breast, massaging toward the front of the chicken to ensure even distribution. Repeat the operation with the thighs and breasts. You may have to run your fingers under the skin to separate it from the meat.
5. Brush the skin of the chicken with olive oil and sprinkle a little more salt and the poultry seasoning.
6. Grill uncovered at 375 for 45 minutes, then pour the lemon juice over the chicken and drizzle with the juices.
7. Continue roasting until the internal temperature reaches 165°F in the breast meat and thighs. You may want to baste every 15 minutes or so.
8. Take the chicken out of the oven and let it rest for 15 minutes so the juices don’t run out when you cut into the meat.
9. Slice the chicken and enjoy. You can use the pan juices to make a delicious sauce that complements the meat.
10. It can be carved, chilled and used in salads, wraps, sandwiches or soups.