How Long Does Cooked Chicken Last in the Fridge?

Leftover roast chicken is one of the most useful things in a fridge, but it is also one of the foods people are least sure about. Here is how long cooked chicken lasts, the storage habits that make the biggest difference, and the signs that it is time to throw it out.

How long cooked chicken lasts

The figures below are the U.S. Department of Agriculture's guidance for cooked poultry that was handled safely: cooled promptly and kept covered.

The 3 to 4 day clock starts when the chicken was cooked, not when you moved it to a new container. If you buy a rotisserie chicken, count from the day you bought it.

Why the 2-hour rule matters

Bacteria multiply fastest between 40°F and 140°F (4°C and 60°C), a range often called the danger zone. Cooking kills most bacteria, but some, like Clostridium perfringens, form spores that survive cooking and multiply quickly as food cools slowly. That is why getting chicken into the fridge soon after the meal matters more than almost anything else you do.

• Pull the meat off the bones of a whole chicken before refrigerating it. Smaller pieces cool faster.
• Use shallow containers rather than one deep tub.
• Don't wait for food to cool completely on the counter. Modern fridges handle warm food; just leave space around the container for air to circulate.

How to store cooked chicken

In the fridge

Store cooked chicken in an airtight container or wrapped tightly, on a shelf rather than in the door, where the temperature swings every time it opens. Keep it away from raw meat, which should always sit on the bottom shelf so nothing can drip onto ready-to-eat food. A fridge thermometer is inexpensive and tells you whether your fridge really is at 40°F (4°C) or below.

In the freezer

If you won't eat the chicken within a couple of days, freeze it straight away rather than on day four. Portion it into freezer bags, press out as much air as possible, and label each bag with the contents and date. Shredded or sliced chicken freezes well and is easy to add straight to soups, tacos and stir-fries.

Thaw frozen cooked chicken in the fridge overnight, in cold water in a sealed bag, or in the microwave if you will use it immediately. Never thaw it on the counter.

How to tell if cooked chicken has gone bad

Throw cooked chicken away if it is past 4 days in the fridge, even if it looks fine. Spoilage bacteria, which cause bad smells and slime, are different from the bacteria that make people ill, so a normal smell is not proof that food is safe.

Discard it sooner if you notice any of these:

• A sour, sulphurous or otherwise unpleasant smell
• A slimy or sticky surface
• Grey or green discolouration, or any mould

Never taste chicken to check whether it is still good. When in doubt, throw it out.

How to reheat cooked chicken safely

Reheat leftover chicken until it reaches 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part, or until soups and sauces containing it come to a full boil. A thermometer takes the guesswork out; see our safe cooking temperatures guide or check a reading with the temperature checker.

• Oven: 350°F (175°C), covered with foil and a splash of broth to keep it moist, for 15 to 25 minutes depending on the amount.
• Skillet: sliced or shredded chicken with a little oil or broth over medium heat, stirring, for 4 to 6 minutes.
• Microwave: cover, stir or turn halfway, and let it stand for a minute so the heat evens out. Microwaves heat unevenly, so check more than one spot.

It is safe to reheat chicken more than once if it was cooled and stored correctly each time, but quality drops with every round. It is better to reheat only what you will eat.

Good ways to use leftover chicken

Chopped cooked chicken turns a Greek salad into a full meal, and it can go straight into a stir-fry at the end of cooking; see our chicken and broccoli stir-fry for the method. The bones from a roast chicken make excellent stock: read how to make chicken broth from bones.

For storage times of other foods, see our guide to how long leftovers last in the fridge and freezer.

Sources: USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, “Leftovers and Food Safety” and “Chicken from Farm to Table”; FoodKeeper app guidance on cooked poultry.