Freezing cooked chicken from the deli?
I think this is a pretty basic question, but can I purchase cooked chicken breast from the deli at the local supermarket then freeze it? Would it be unsafe in any way to unfreeze it later to eat? Would I have to bring it up to 165 degrees F when unfreezing it, or would it be safe to just defrost to around room temp and eat it then?
Best Answer
Yes, you can freeze cooked chicken, no problem. As long as you follow safe food handling techniques, it is perfectly safe to defrost it for eating later.
Since it has already been cooked, you do not need to bring it back up to 165 deg F. Just get it to the temperature at which you want to eat it, and enjoy!
Do keep in mind that when you defrost your chicken, you should do it in the refrigerator rather that out at room temperature, where bacteria can begin to grow again. You can, of course, rapidly defrost it in a microwave, or just heat it from frozen, though this can give you uneven heating depending on how big the pieces are.
More info
As it pertains to bacteria, you can think of freezing as stopping time. So if your food is clean and safe when it goes into the freezer, it should be clean and safe when it comes out. The USDA has a guide to Freezing and Food Safety if you want more details.
Cooking chicken to 165 deg F mainly serves to kill salmonella bacteria. Once this has been done, your chicken is salmonella-free, hence you don't need to reheat to this temperature again.
Also see the very thorough post on food safety on Seasoned Advice with just about everything you need to know on the subject.
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Quick Answer about "Freezing cooked chicken from the deli?"
Yes, you can freeze cooked chicken, no problem. As long as you follow safe food handling techniques, it is perfectly safe to defrost it for eating later. Since it has already been cooked, you do not need to bring it back up to 165 deg F. Just get it to the temperature at which you want to eat it, and enjoy!Can you freeze chicken that is already cooked?
You can freeze cooked chicken and turkey, too Put cooked chicken/turkey in an airtight container or wrap the food well in freezer bags, freezer wrap or cling film before freezing. Label it so that you remember what it is and when you froze it, then place in the freezer.Can you freeze deli rotisserie chicken?
The first thing I do when I buy rotisserie chicken is freeze it. It freezes exceptionally well, and thaws like it was never frozen. This makes cooking a breeze. If a recipe calls for chicken, I just whip one of these out, let it thaw, and add it in to whatever dish I am making.Can cooked chicken be frozen then reheated?
You'll need to achieve a temperature of at least 160\xb0F for at least two minutes. This will kill off any remaining bacteria, ensuring that the chicken is safe to eat. After thawing it out, you should only reheat the chicken once.Is it healthy to freeze cooked chicken?
Although it is safe to freeze a whole cooked chicken, it's not something we would advise. Instead, if you want to freeze a whole cooked chicken, then we would actually recommend shredding the meat from the bones once you have cooked it. Keeping the meat on the bone when frozen won't give you an advantage.How to Safely Freeze Cooked Meats | 1 Minute Tips | DJ BBQ
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