Can You Eat Cooked Chicken Which Is Left Out Overnight?

If you left cooked chicken out overnight, you just cannot eat it. Your health is always more important than the money you've invested on preparing your chicken. There is a time limit for cooked chicken left out overnight, and it is usually no more than 4 hours. What it actually means is that you can eat your chicken if you left it outside for a couple of hours, and maximum for 4 hours. It is still a good idea to throw it away if it was out in the open for 4 hours. The reason is that bacteria will multiple at temperature somewhere around 40-140 degrees Fahrenheit. After 4 hours in the open, the chances are quite low that you can salvage your chicken. Eat it the next morning, probably after 10-12 hours, and you will most definitely become sick. So, don't take any chances – throw it away!

Can you eat cooked chicken left out overnight out of the fridge when you know the temperature in your room was not that high? It actually depends on a number of factors. The most important thing to consider is the temperature over the oven you set when you first cook it. If the temperature in your oven was 140 degrees Fahrenheit or below, it usually means your chicken may already contain some bacteria because this temperature isn't going to kill all those microorganisms. If some of them have survived and you leave your chicken overnight, they will most probably be multiplying during the night.

If you set a higher temperature on your oven and cook your chicken for half an hour or so, the chances are there aren't any bacteria left to contaminate your dish. Now, if you don’t get your chicken out and leave it in the oven overnight, you may be able to eat it in the morning because the environment in the oven is good enough to keep bacteria at bay for 12-14 hours. Still, it is a good idea to avoid eating it after so many hours.

Freeze It Quickly

The best way to preserve your cooked chicken is to freeze it within a couple of hours of preparing it; in fact, you should put it in your freezer after an hour if your oven temperature is 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Speaking of grilled chicken, the "safe window" is even smaller. You cannot socialize and wait for several hours to freeze the leftovers.

In case of a chicken casserole, you need to package it as soon as you get it out of the oven. You can also place it into a bowl until it cools down a bit and then put it in the refrigerator. It is a good idea to cut your large rotisserie chicken into smaller pieces first before refrigerating.

Wrap It Properly

In the freezer, you need to pay attention to how you wrap the chicken. Use airtight packaging, such as plastic wraps or zip-top bags – don't use your regular container that lets air to enter and encourage bacterial growth.

You need to use a foil to wrap your chicken patties and fried chicken. It is important to mention though that you should bring these items to room temperature first and then wrap them to put in your refrigerator. It is important because the steam will make the crust soggy when you heat it again to eat.

Know Its Life Span

Knowing whether you can eat cooked chicken left out overnight is not enough, you would like to know the way you cook your chicken will have an impact on how long it can survive. Even if you have packed your chicken properly, you may still not be able to use them beyond a certain time limit. For instance, roasted, plain grilled, and baked chicken can last only three days even when packaged properly. You may also be able to use your fried chicken pieces after three days, but you will be better off reheating it in a warm oven.

You can use a chicken casserole for three days only when packaged into smaller airtight containers. Homemade chicken salad will have a relatively longer life; in fact, your deli versions can last up to five days when packed carefully. You should, however, be consuming your leftover chicken nuggets and patties within a day or two. Remember, sometimes, you think you have packed and stored chicken properly, but that may not be the case. It is therefore important to be careful when eating your chicken after a few days.