Introduction
There’s nothing more convenient than being able to quickly reheat that chicken you had earlier. But, how long can you leave cooked chicken out for? How about 3 hours? Or is it 1-2 hours? What if it’s under room temperature or worse yet, in the fridge. I’ll answer all those questions and more!
It can be left out for 1-2 hours.
You can leave cooked chicken out for 1-2 hours. But if you’re planning on going longer than that, it’s best to put it back in the fridge.
The USDA recommends that cooked chicken be refrigerated after two hours of being at room temperature. If you’ve got leftovers from dinner, make sure to put them away within two hours of finishing your meal!
It will be safe at room temperature for 2-3 hours
If you’re not going to eat it right away, put the cooked chicken in the fridge. It will be safe at room temperature for 2-3 hours.
If you are in a hurry and don’t want to cook more, then it is safe to put it in the fridge and reheat it later.
If you are in a hurry and don’t want to cook more, then it is safe to put it in the fridge and reheat it later.
You can keep chicken in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat it by microwaving or pan-frying on the stovetop.
Cooked chicken can be left out on the countertop for up to 3 hours before refridgeration
As with all meats, the shorter the cooking time, the longer you can leave it out. Chicken is cooked quickly and therefore can be left out for up to three hours without refrigeration. However, if you do put your cooked chicken into the fridge–even after two hours–it’ll still be safe to eat.
Conclusion
Don’t worry, it’s safe to leave your cooked chicken out on the countertop! If you don’t want to cook more and have leftovers, then it is safe to put them in the fridge and reheat later.
