According to the USDA, you must take the correct steps to cool cooked foods to avoid foodborne illness problems. If the internal temperature of cooked food drops below 140 degrees, you are at risk for E. coli and Salmonella. The best thing to do is take home a hot rotisserie chicken and let it come to room temperature on the counter, then serve it or put it in the refrigerator. If you can, buy a chicken around the time you plan to serve it.
HOW TO CHOOSE A ROTISSERIE CHICKEN
What are you looking for when choosing a rotisserie chicken from the line you face in the market? You want to go with one that has been cooked more recently. Some stores will use a tracking system like-colored stickers or markings, or the chickens may be placed in the order they are cooked. If you’re not sure which method your store uses, go ahead and ask for guidance.
HOW LONG DOES COOKED CHICKEN LAST IN THE REFRIGERATOR?
When you bring the precooked chicken home, it should be eaten or stored in about two hours. If you know you want to store it and want it to cool quickly, cut up the chicken and remove the bones. When the meat has reached room temperature, you can place it in a designated food storage container and store it in the refrigerator for three to four days.
FREEZING COOKED CHICKEN IS ALSO AN OPTION
It is always a good idea to have a protein-like chicken in the freezer. And yes, you can store both cooked chicken and raw chicken in the freezer. Rotisserie chickens last in the freezer for up to four months.
So if you’re regularly planning meals around roast chickens these days and can’t find any on the market, a roast chicken from the freezer can solve the problem!
