Can I freeze cooked chicken???

oldMcDonald

Great replies, thank you so much - they are very helpful!

It's been mentioned that chicken needs 'firming' up once frozen. I was hoping to get the meat off of it this morning and then freeze it to make sandwiches as well as adding it to curry sauce.

So, to double check - I can mix some of the meat with a jar of Value curry sauce and this should be fine to freeze in meal size portions, and to defrost and reheat when served.

Will the defrosted chicken be ok to add to sandwiches if it needs 'firming up', or will it have an odd texture?

IfI boil up the bones today, can I freeze the stock and reheat it as a base for soup?

kezlou

Hi they:)

I also freeze cooked chicken, never had food poisoning and neither have my children.
By the way i have never firmed up chicken meat i either cook straight away with it or use it straight in sandwiches.
By the way chicken nuggets etc from supermarket is just frozen cooked chicken covered with breadcrumbs ?! so its perfectly fine to freeze cooked chicken.

So, to double check - I can mix some of the meat with a jar of Value curry sauce and this should be fine to freeze in meal size portions, and to defrost and reheat when served.

Yes the above should be fine, i do it all the time

Will the defrosted chicken be ok to add to sandwiches if it needs 'firming up', or will it have an odd texture?

No just use it straight away, esp chicken, crushed garlic and mayonnaise, a fave with my little boys.

If I boil up the bones today, can I freeze the stock and reheat it as a base for soup?

Yes just leave the stock to cool, put it in a tub or old plastic bottle (i use old juice bottles) and place straight in freezer. When you want to use it again, just leave it to defrost overnight and voila fresh chicken stock in the morning.

hth

EmptyPockets

oldMcDonald wrote: »

Will the defrosted chicken be ok to add to sandwiches if it needs 'firming up', or will it have an odd texture?

IfI boil up the bones today, can I freeze the stock and reheat it as a base for soup?

It should be absolutely fine if you follow the tip given to you/us about defrosting on kitchen paper to absorb moisture

And with the stock you make, yep, get it frozen hehe! It will be great for soup.

zippychick

forgotmyname wrote: »

I am in the same boat, Never know what is safe to do with meat & chicken.

Not a veggie, Just really fussy and hate fatty meat so i tend not to eat much of it.

We cook a chicken from frozen for dinner, Put some in the fridge & make curry or similar the following day. To me thats the end of it. But my wife will save some and have it on sandwiches the day after,
How long is it safe to keep chicken cooked on sunday? Is it safe to reheat as we do when we make curry?

Thanks

Old McDonald - you've had some fantastic help here I think all your questions have been answered :A

Forgotmyname & Old McDonald

I looked up a few threads which may help in future

Can you freeze cooked chicken ?

How long does cooked chicken keep for?

Quick questions on food safety

My rules are

1) Meat can be frozen for the second time, ONLY if it has changed states. So frozen raw chicken, cooked, then frozen is fine

2) 3 day rule - I keep cooked meat (either on its own or in dishes) in the fridge for 3 days max. I will freeze on the third day, but would rather freeze sooner on first day

3) I will cook the chicken, then aim to reheat it ONCE more only (it can be frozen in between or not - doesnt matter to me). Some people heat it several times - that's not for me I had two serious doses of vomiting from eating something containing chicken which had previously been cooked more than once

4) Once chicken is defrosted I aim to use it within 24 hours - it is find in sandwiches and I would honestly say I'm quite fussy! :o

5) Under NO circumstances will i defrost meat in the microwave

I'll add your thread to the first link later to keep the information together for future users

thanks
Zip

MrsBartolozzi

davidhwdn wrote: »

I wouldn't freeze after cooking chicken,you can't be too careful with white meat.

I'm wondering what you mean by that.

Cooked meat - white or otherwise has been cooked - cooking destroys all the bacteria/salmonella/listeria etc etc (otherwise you'd not eat it, right?).

So what do you think happens to white meat when it's cooked and in the fridge? Does the salmonella fairy pay it a visit?
Might seem glib but I've seen plenty of posters here with some kind of hang up about chicken. In it's raw state it's right to be careful, but once cooked it's no more "scary" than beef as long as, like all cooked meats, it's put in the fridge or freezer when it is cool
Don't chuck it out just cos it's chicken!:)

mrs_tooti-frooti

Hiya

I've done a chicken curry in the slow cooker today. We've had it for tea but theres quite a lot left.

Am I ok to let it cool then freeze it or is that a no-no for chicken?

I was going to do it - hubby not so sure with it.

Any ideas?

Thanks

Linda32

Hiya,

Was the chicken raw in the first place?

If so, thats fine. the rule is freeze once raw, then freeze once cooked.

So now you have cooked chicken curry, this is what I would do. Portion in the sizes you need, say two portions for yourself and OH.

Then when you want it for tea, take out the night before and pop in fridge, then the next tea time, cook until heated right through. (make sure at this point you don't change your mind and have something else)

I spread it out onto a flat oven proof dish and put on gas mark 6 for 30 mins, (you know your oven, if in doubt, stick your finger in it, you will know if its hot :eek: )
Whilst at the same time cooking the rice for the curry.

* Which reminds me, take out tea for tomorrow. :rotfl:

tanith

It'll be fine..

mrs_tooti-frooti

Hiya Linda,

I bought it the other day, from the chiller cabinet in Tesco and brought it home and froze it. Defrosted it last night, cut it up and put it in the slow cooker with everything else today when defrosted.

I will portion it out (thanks for that, would have just bunged it in the freezer, d'oh).

Thanks for your quick response,

mrs_tooti-frooti

Thanks Tanith