You can freeze raw chicken, but can you freeze rotisserie chicken? There will be times when you won’t be able to consume the whole chicken in one sitting. However, since you do not want the leftover chicken to go to waste, you may be wondering: Does rotisserie chicken freeze well?
The answer is yes; homemade or store-bought rotisserie chicken can be frozen within two days of cooking. It freezes well, and when defrosted properly, it will remain fresh and ready to use in any meal.
Freezing and reheating rotisserie chicken allows you to enjoy this dish to the last piece without wasting any part of the chicken.
Throwing away leftover rotisserie chicken should be the last thing on your list because there are plenty of ways to use it.
For additional flavor and nutrition, leftover cooked rotisserie chickens can be added to many dishes, such as:
It is safe to refrigerate rotisserie chicken for up to four days. However, it would be best to ensure the temperature in your fridge is at 40°F or colder to keep your chicken fresh out of the danger zone.
Indeed, freezing rotisserie chicken is the best way to preserve it and ensure that it will still be good when you are ready to consume it again. However, if you don’t know how to prep your chicken for freezing, you might not get the results you are hoping for.
Here’s a complete guide for freezing your cooked rotisserie chicken:
Freezing the whole chicken requires less prep time than the other methods and is a great idea if you have plenty of room in your freezer.
Here’s how to freeze your whole rotisserie chicken steps:
Freezing store-bought or homemade rotisserie chicken off the bone will give you a ready addition to your soups or chicken salad after thawing.
It is recommended to freeze rotisserie chicken in serving sizes so thawing will not take too long.
Freeze rotisserie chicken off the bone using these steps:
When freezing rotisserie chicken with its bone, follow the same instructions for freezing a deboned one except for the part where you place chicken in freezer bags. The bones can easily puncture the bag, which can cause cross-contamination or freezer burn throughout the freezing process. Thus, you should use hard plastic airtight containers.
Partially eaten rotisserie chicken can be saved for later consumption. You just have to be sure to prep it properly to avoid spoilage and contamination.
Here’s how:
Cooked chicken in the fridge has up to four days of shelf life. In the freezer, it can last for up to four months.
Remember, the longer you keep your rotisserie chicken frozen, the more it will lose its texture and flavor.
Reheat your frozen rotisserie chicken straight out of the freezer, but it is better to thaw it first.
You must properly thaw the chicken to maintain its delicious flavor and taste. When thawing, remember the 2-hour rule: never leave the chicken out of refrigeration for more than 2 hours.
If you want to save time whilst cooking, submerge the bag with chicken in cold water to speed up the thawing process.
Remember that you should only thaw and reheat chicken only once. The more you thaw and reheat the chicken, the more you expose yourself to food poisoning.
Enjoy the crispy skin of your rotisserie chicken even when frozen, thawed, and reheated in the oven with the help of some chicken broth.
Here are the steps to heat your chicken using the oven:
Reheating your chicken rotisserie in an air fryer will allow the chicken skin to be crispy and the entire chicken moist in the shortest time.
If your air fryer can accommodate it, reheat the frozen whole chicken. Otherwise, chop the chicken into smaller pieces.
Follow these steps to use an air fryer to reheat chicken:
Using the good old stove is also a great way to prep your chicken for consumption again.
Reheat your rotisserie chicken off the bone on the stove by following these steps:
An instant pot is a versatile appliance you can use in many ways, including reheating chicken.
Follow these steps to reheat rotisserie chicken in an instant pot:
The microwave can also be used to reheat your chicken quicker.
Here are the steps to do so:
Reheating rotisserie chicken in a slow cooker may take a few hours, but it is also a viable option if you want to make it more delicious and moist.
Steps to reheat rotisserie chicken using a slow cooker:
Your rotisserie chicken can stay in your fridge for up to four days. In the freezer, your chicken lasts for up to four months. Eating your rotisserie chicken beyond this point can cause foodborne illnesses.
Yes, a whole rotisserie chicken can be frozen. When you thaw a frozen chicken, you should eat the entire rotisserie chicken within a few days. Avoid refreezing your chicken after thawing.
Yes, it is okay to freeze rotisserie chicken with its bone.
However, doing these comes with a lot of disadvantages, including the following:
Slower thawing and reheating process
Uneven freezing of the chicken
Bigger portions of the rotisserie chicken are more challenging to store because they consume more freezer space
It is, therefore, easier to freeze shredded or chopped chicken rotisserie instead of freezing it with the bone. Additionally, shredded chicken rotisserie will be quicker to reheat and will have a better taste.
It is unforgivable to waste leftover rotisserie chicken because you can still use them in many ways. You can freeze, thaw, and reheat the chicken with almost no downsides. So, the next time you ask yourself the questions ‘Can you freeze rotisserie chicken?’ and ‘Does rotisserie chicken freeze?’, the short answer is yes.
When freezing, it is always best to wrap your rotisserie chicken in heavy-duty aluminum foil, cling wrap, or its original wrap before placing them in a freezer bag. To prevent freezer burn, remember to release all the air, similar to a vacuum pack, before sealing it.
Chicken can be frozen for up to four months, but the longer it stays in the freezer, the more you compromise its flavor and texture.
