Rotisserie chicken is the savior of weekday dinners. Perfect for last-minute plans, the store-bought, ready-made poultry always feeds a crowd, and more. The leftovers are handy throughout the week, but it’s important to make use of the chicken before it goes bad.
Like other foods, the clock starts ticking on rotisserie chicken the moment it goes into the fridge. Since it’s already prepared, it has the same lifespan as home-cooked chicken in the refrigerator — only three to four days. To keep it intact up to four full days, the USDA recommends setting the fridge to 40 degrees Fahrenheit or less. Along with the temperature requirement, you’ll need to store the bird properly so you can get the most out of it. Once it’s cooled down slightly, debone the chicken. You can carve it into separate cuts and place each one in its own airtight containers. Keep them in the back of the fridge, away from light and air that can cause bacteria to spread faster.
Always examine the chicken for signs of spoilage before reheating it. A pungent smell and slimy or sticky texture may stand out to you first. The chicken’s color may also change, either darkening or taking on a pale look.
How to use up your rotisserie chicken
Eating a whole bird in less than four days may sound like overkill, but there are so many delicious ways to use rotisserie chicken before it goes bad. The store-bought chicken does make for an enticing dinner, but it’s great for a meal to start the day, too. Once you’ve shredded the chicken, you can swap it out for pork in chorizo breakfast tacos. Heat the chicken with olive oil, smoked paprika, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, and cinnamon before assembling the taco.
Any leftover chicken breast can be turned into a quick sandwich, as well. Pile it on top of white bread with lettuce, garlic pickles, sliced tomatoes, red onions, and Dijon mustard, or whip up a chicken, brie, and peach panini. Using pre-cooked chicken takes half the work out, so all you need to do is slice up the chicken breast while waiting for your balsamic reduction to simmer. Add the chicken, brie, and peach slices to the bread and heat the panini for about 10 minutes.
If you don’t have time to use up the chicken within four days, freeze it to keep it around for four months. After deboning and carving the bird, wrap each cut in plastic wrap and place it in a labeled freezer-safe, airtight container. To thaw the chicken, leave it in the fridge overnight or reheat it using the stove or oven until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
