After cooking your chicken, get any leftovers into the fridge as quickly as possible. If you can’t, cover it immediately and allow it to sit at room temperature for no more than 2 hours (including any resting time). Bacteria can multiply quickly at temperatures between 4℃ and 60℃ so you should also keep an eye on the room temperature, especially on hot days when it needs to be refrigerated within just 1 hour.
When refrigerating cooked chicken, you may find it easier to remove the meat from the bone and slice or dice before refrigerating, especially if you plan to reheat later in a soup or curry. Also consider wrapping in convenient individual portions or keeping different chicken cuts, like thighs wrapped together to avoid exposing the entire leftovers to the air each time you open the container.
Cooked chicken should be stored in an airtight container or plastic bag, labelled with the date and stored in the middle shelf of the fridge for no longer than 3-4 days. If you don’t plan to eat it within this time, consider freezing it.
Storing cooked rotisserie chicken in the fridge
Rotisserie chicken should be consumed within 2 hours of purchase and any leftovers should be refrigerated within that same period. Place the cooked chicken in an airtight container or bag, label with the date and store in the middle of the fridge for no longer than 3-4 days. Alternatively you can freeze the cooked chicken for up to 4 months.
Tell tale signs your cooked chicken is unsafe to eat
Freshly cooked chicken should be white or brown depending on the cut of meat and smell mouth-wateringly savoury. Cooked chicken stored in the refrigerator should be safe to eat for 3-4 days. Tell tale signs that the cooked chicken is unsafe to eat include a sour, unpleasant smell, grey or green colour patches and a moist slimy texture. If in any doubt, throw it out.