Let's paint ourselves a picture here. You worked really hard to make a batch of your world class chicken wings. You're proud to serve it at your summer BBQ party, showing off your mad cooking skills. Time flies and you forget all about the leftover chicken that stayed out on the buffet table. Is it still safe to eat??
How Long Can Cooked Chicken Sit at Room Temperature?
Chicken is usually safe to eat for up to two hours at room temperature. But if it's left out when the ambient temperature is over 90°F, then it's only safe to eat up to one hour after being left out.
Why Can't Chicken Be Left Out?
Bacteria including Salmonella and E.coli are commonly found in poultry. These bacteria can double in numbers every 20 minutes when chicken is left out between 40°F and 140°F. This temperature range is call the "danger zone" *cue the Top Gun music*.
Therefore, you could get sick if you eat chicken that's been sitting out too long.
Plus you can't tell if chicken is still safe to eat just based on its appearance, because the bacteria don't change the chicken's taste, smell or texture. So even if your chicken doesn't "smell funny" that doesn't mean it's inherently safe to eat.
Getting hungry yet? Try my chicken fajita tacos, spicy baked bulgogi chicken, and easy chicken & rice casserole.
What if I Reheat Chicken?
Reheating chicken could destroy some of the bacteria present after it's been left out, but it's not a guarantee to kill them all. The safest route is to unfortunately toss chicken that's been sitting out for more than two hours.
How to Properly Store Cooked Chicken
Here are helpful tips and ways to prevent your delicious cooked chicken from spoiling.
- Don't allow chicken to sit out for longer than two hours, or for more than one hour if it's hotter than 90°F.
- Allow your chicken to cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer. If you put hot food in the fridge or freezer, it can raise the temperature of your fridge or freezer. This can cause all the other food in there to spoil and go bad.
- Store cooked chicken in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Store cooked chicken in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 6 months.
- If I'm meal prepping a recipe with chicken, I find it's helpful to put individual portions in separate containers. Then I'm not opening the same big container of leftover chicken multiple times.
What about Using a Slow Cooker?
Slow cookers are a great way to cook tender, juicy chicken. However, the chicken is usually in the slow cooker for 4 to 8 hours. So is that safe to eat?
Yes, chicken cooked in a slow cooker is safe to eat, since food in slow cookers usually stays around 170°F to 280°F, which is above the "danger zone".
How Long Can Raw Chicken Stay Out?
Bacteria have the same "danger zone" for both cooked chicken and raw chicken, between 40°F and 140°F for more than two hours.
So just like with cooked chicken, raw chicken shouldn't be left out of the fridge for longer than two hours.
How Long Can Frozen Chicken Stay Out?
Just because chicken is frozen, doesn't mean it gets a get-out-of-jail-free card. To be on the safe side, don't leave frozen chicken out for more than two hours.
Defrost frozen chicken in the fridge overnight.
How Can I Tell if Chicken is Cooked Through?
I can't tell you how much peace of mind I got after buying a meat thermometer. I used to be terrified of cooking meat, since I never knew how to tell if it was cooked through. So I'd usually just avoid it, or overcook it to the point of jerky…
The most reliable way to tell if chicken is cooked through is by using a meat thermometer to confirm if the internal temperature is at least 165°F.
Stick the thermometer in the thickest part of your chicken, to make sure it's cooked thoroughly.
Alright, now that you're an expert, let's make some delicious chicken recipes to enjoy!
I'm eggcited to hear from you :)