Can You Freeze Rotisserie Chicken? Here Are 3 Ways to Do It

Samantha Leffler
·7-min read

Freezing rotisserie chicken is an A+ meal prep hack.

<p>Tasha Lyubina/Getty Images</p>

Tasha Lyubina/Getty Images

When you’re walking through the grocery store doing your food shopping, it’s hard not to be tempted by the smell of fresh rotisserie chicken. These birds are already cooked and seasoned, typically don’t cost much, often taste delicious, and mean that you can have dinner on the table in just minutes. But, what do you do with the leftovers? Can you freeze rotisserie chicken?

Whether your eyes are bigger than your stomach and you’re not able to enjoy all of the chicken before it spoils, or you love to stock up on rotisserie chicken so as to always have some easy meals on hand, freezing rotisserie chicken is a lifesaver. What’s more? You can freeze a whole rotisserie chicken, rotisserie chicken pieces, or shredded rotisserie chicken, depending on your needs. For three different ways to freeze rotisserie chicken for quick meals, keep reading!

Related: 7 Costco Rotisserie Chicken Facts You Need to Know

Can You Freeze a Whole Rotisserie Chicken?

Believe it or not, you can pop a whole rotisserie chicken in your freezer. However, there are some things to keep in mind if you want to freeze a whole bird. For starters, we don’t recommend freezing a chicken that’s still hot or even warm. The temperature changes can impact the texture of the chicken, and increase the risk of harmful bacteria that can make you sick.

Instead, if you know you’re not going to eat any of the chicken, place it in the refrigerator within two hours of purchasing it. For the best results, you should freeze a whole rotisserie chicken once it’s had time to cool in the refrigerator, (after about one to two hours) but you can technically freeze it at any point within the first three to four days, so long as it’s been kept in the fridge. 

If the chicken is still slightly warm (but not too hot) once you bring it home, you can also let it come to room temperature on the counter and freeze it from there. Just make sure that the chicken is headed to the freezer within two hours. After the two hour mark, harmful bacteria can start to grow that might make you ill.

To freeze a whole rotisserie chicken, follow the steps below:

  1. Allow the chicken to cool completely.

  2. To freeze, place the chicken in an airtight food storage container or freezer-safe plastic bag and label with the date. Squeeze out any excess air, if needed. Use the chicken within four months for the best quality, flavor, and texture.

Can You Freeze Rotisserie Chicken Pieces?

When it comes to freezing rotisserie chicken, we recommend freezing pieces of the chicken instead of freezing the whole bird. While both methods work, frozen chicken pieces are easier to thaw and potion out for future use. 

If you’ve brought home a whole rotisserie chicken that you’d like to freeze, start by cutting the chicken into pieces. Once you have the wings, thighs, breast, and any other pieces, you can portion the pieces as you like and freeze them individually. 

To freeze rotisserie chicken pieces, follow the steps below:

  1. Once you have your chicken pieces, individually wrap each one in plastic wrap to prevent them from sticking together.

  2. Place each piece in a freezer-safe plastic bag and remove as much air from the bag as you can. Label the bag with the date. 



Tips

Some people prefer to remove the chicken skin and freeze it separately, but it’s not necessary.



Can You Freeze Shredded Rotisserie Chicken?

Freezing shredded rotisserie chicken is an excellent choice if you’ve got plenty of leftovers. In fact, some people love to pick up an extra rotisserie chicken at the grocery store, shred the meat when they come home, and store it in the freezer for nights when they want a quick yet tasty dinner with little to no effort. 

Related: 29 Essential, Easy Chicken Recipes for Every Day of the Week

You can shred the chicken as soon as you get home from the grocery store, even if it’s a touch warm. The meat is actually easier to work with when it’s warm, versus if it’s been sitting in the fridge for a few hours. To shred the chicken, remove the skin and pull as much meat away from the bones as you can, being careful to discard any gristle. Then, place the chicken meat in a bowl and shred it with a hand mixer. Alternatively, if you have a stand mixer, you can place the chicken meat in that bowl and shred it. You can also shred the chicken meat by hand, of course, but a hand (or stand) mixer gets the job done in seconds. Once the chicken is shredded and has cooled to room temperature, follow the steps below to freeze it:

  1. Separate all of your shredded chicken meat into individual portions. This will make it easier to defrost and cook with later.

  2. Place each portion of the shredded chicken in a small, freezer-safe plastic bag and remove as much air from the bag as you can. Label the bag with the date and lay it flat in your freezer. This will help prevent all of the meat from sticking together.

  3. Repeat the above step with any remaining shredded chicken.



Tips

Don’t toss the chicken skin and bones! Freeze them separately so you can make an extra flavorful chicken stock.



How to Thaw Rotisserie Chicken

Thawing rotisserie chicken isn’t hard to do, but the exact process depends on how the bird was frozen in the first place.

  • Whole rotisserie chicken: To thaw a whole rotisserie chicken, remove it from the freezer and put it in the refrigerator overnight. Alternatively, you can submerge the bag or food storage container the chicken was frozen in in a bowl of cold water, so long as no water can get inside. After about three to four hours, the chicken should be thawed. Once the chicken is thawed, reheat it and eat it as you normally would. Don’t re-freeze any leftovers.

  • Rotisserie chicken pieces: To thaw pieces of a rotisserie chicken, remove the plastic bag with the pieces inside from the freezer and put it in the refrigerator overnight. Alternatively, you can submerge the bag the chicken pieces were frozen in in a bowl of cold water, so long as no water can get inside. After about two to three hours, the chicken should be thawed. Once the chicken pieces are thawed, reheat them and eat them as you normally would. Don’t re-freeze any leftovers.

  • Shredded rotisserie chicken: To thaw shredded rotisserie chicken, remove the plastic bag with the shredded chicken inside from the freezer and put it in the refrigerator overnight. Alternatively, you can submerge the bag the shredded chicken was frozen in in a bowl of cold water, so long as no water can get inside. After about one to two hours, the chicken should be thawed. Once the shredded chicken is thawed, you can add it to soups, salads, tacos, grain bowls, and more. The choice is yours! Don’t re-freeze any leftovers.

Related: 12 Grilled Chicken Recipes Everyone Will Love

How Long Does Rotisserie Chicken Last?

According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), a fully cooked rotisserie chicken will stay fresh in the refrigerator for three to four days, and can be eaten cold or reheated to 165 degrees. At any point during that time you can freeze all or part of the chicken using any of the methods outlined above. Once frozen, cooked rotisserie chicken should be used within four months for the best quality, flavor, and texture. However, as the USDA notes, if the rotisserie chicken has been kept frozen continuously, it will be safe to consume indefinitely.

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