Introduction

If you’ve ever had the pleasure of enjoying a plate of chicken that’s been sitting in the freezer for months on end, you know what I’m talking about. It’s not usually a pleasant experience. Still, sometimes it happens: You end up with leftover cooked chicken and no immediate plans to use it, so instead of tossing it out or letting it go bad in the fridge, you pop open your freezer and stash the meat there until the next time you need another meal. Now you’ve got yourself a few pounds of frozen poultry chilling out until its next big moment! But how long can cooked chicken last? To answer that question (and more), let’s take a look at one particular situation…

Freezing cooked chicken is a good way to preserve your leftovers.

Freezing cooked chicken is a good way to preserve your leftovers. The shelf life of cooked chicken depends on several factors, including how it was stored in the refrigerator and how quickly it’s consumed after being cooked.

It’s important to note that not all types of chicken freeze well; do not freeze raw poultry, because it will become unsafe to eat once thawed again. You should also avoid freezing uncooked whole birds or large pieces of meat (such as roasts), as these tend to take up too much room in the freezer and may cause other foods within the same container or bag to spoil more quickly than usual.

How long cooked chicken lasts in the freezer depends on a few different factors.

How long cooked chicken lasts in the freezer depends on a few different factors. Some of the factors are how you store it, the temperature of your freezer and how long you cook the chicken. If you freeze it properly, cooked chicken will last in the freezer for about 12 months.

The best way to tell if cooked chicken has gone bad is to check for changes in color and texture.

The best way to tell if cooked chicken has gone bad is to check for changes in color and texture.

If you notice that the meat has turned a darker shade of pink or red, this could be an indication that it’s spoiled. It may also feel slimy or slippery when touched, which would indicate that bacteria have started growing on the surface of the food. In addition to these physical changes, you should also pay attention to how long-cooked chicken smells before deciding whether or not it’s safe to eat–if it smells off or sour (like vinegar), discard immediately!

If you’re still unsure about whether or not your meat has gone bad enough for disposal purposes after checking these signs, look at its expiration date; if there isn’t one printed on your packaging then assume that its shelf life was less than 30 days from purchase date (or whenever else was written down).

To prevent mold, wrap any frozen item tightly in plastic wrap, aluminum foil or a moisture-vapor permeable bag.

To prevent mold, wrap any frozen item tightly in plastic wrap, aluminum foil or a moisture-vapor permeable bag.

Plastic wrap is effective at keeping out air and moisture. To use it on cooked chicken that you’ve already prepared:

• Wrap tightly around the entire dish of food and then seal again with another layer of plastic wrap if necessary.
• If you’re covering a small amount of food (less than 1 pound), just fold the edges over twice so they overlap slightly (this will keep them from coming undone).

It’s also important to label and date your stored food items with a permanent marker so you know when the foods were frozen.

It’s also important to label and date your stored food items with a permanent marker so you know when the foods were frozen.

You may have noticed that some of your food storage containers have dates on them already. For example, if you buy chicken breasts in bulk at Costco or Sam’s Club, they might come packaged with a best-by date of November 30th on them; this means you should use up those chicken breasts by then (or freeze them).

Other times it might say “freeze by” instead of giving an actual expiration date–this is because freezing keeps most foods safe for quite awhile after their freshness date has passed (up to about 6 months).

Cooked chicken can last for about 12 months in the freezer when properly wrapped and stored

You can store cooked chicken in your freezer for up to 12 months, but it’s important to keep a few things in mind.

First, make sure the chicken is fully cooled before you put it in the freezer. If you don’t do this, your food may not freeze properly and could develop freezer burn or other issues later on. Second, make sure that you wrap each piece of meat tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil before placing them in their storage containers (like Ziploc bags). This will help keep out any moisture that could otherwise cause bacteria growth over time–and potentially lead to food poisoning!

Conclusion

We hope this article gave you some tips on how long cooked chicken lasts in the freezer. Whether you’re looking for a way to preserve leftovers or stock up on meat for future meals, freezing cooked chicken is a great option that’s easy to do at home!