Chickens are versatile food that can be eaten alone or prepared to make a meal. After cooking the chicken, you have a change of plan and can’t eat it right away. This will lead to the question of can put the warm chicken in the fridge?
Yes, you can put a warm chicken in the fridge, but it’s not recommended. If you do, the warmth from the chicken will cause condensation to form inside the fridge. This will not only cause the chicken to become wet but also other foods in the fridge. Eventually, the chicken and other food will go bad.
Do You Have To Let Chicken Cool Before Refrigerating?
If you want to store cooked chicken in your refrigerator, it is best to let the chicken cool down before placing it inside. This prevents the chicken from getting condensation and making a mess in your refrigerator.
The reason for this is that when you put the hot chicken into the cold air, condensation will build up on the inside of the fridge, which can make your food wet.
Therefore, it’s a good idea to let the chicken cool to room temperature first.
The best way to cool the cooked chicken is to place it on a cooling rack and let it cool.
Make sure to not let the chicken sit outside for too long. Never leave the chicken out longer than 2 hours. If so, the chicken will get contaminated with harmful bacteria which could cause food poisoning.
How Long Should You Wait Before Putting Warm Chicken In The Fridge?
It is best to let it rest for a few hours before storing it in the refrigerator. The chicken will then have time to cool down and avoid becoming spoiled.
if you are cooking fried or roasted chicken, then it’s recommended that you wait for about an hour before placing them in the fridge.
If you put your chicken in the fridge too soon, it will lose its flavor and become dry. A good rule of thumb is to store your chicken at room temperature for two hours before putting it in the fridge
What Happens If Warm Chicken Is Placed in The Refrigerator?
When you place warm chickens in the refrigerator, condensation will typically form on the lid of your refrigerator.
If condensation is forming on the lid of your refrigerator and you don’t want it to drip onto other food, you can try using a plastic bag over your freezer or a trash can liner to catch any drips.
If the chicken is placed on top of a warm dish that is on the bottom shelf, it will get moist and humid. This will cause condensation to form on the inside of the refrigerator door. The moisture may drip onto other food items in the refrigerator, causing them to spoil.
How To Store Cooked Chickens In The Fridge
Sometimes you have to cook a lot of chicken and have leftovers that you need to store for later. Below is how to store cooked chicken in the fridge.
The first step is to make sure that the chicken is completely cooled down before storing it in the fridge. If you leave it hot, bacteria can grow on it and cause food poisoning if consumed later. Also, the warmth from the chicken could cause condensation to form in the fridge, which will lead to food spoilage.
Once the chicken has cooled down, cut away the skin from any remaining pieces of the chicken with scissors or a knife. This will prevent bacteria from spreading throughout your kitchen by not allowing them to penetrate into the meat’s surface area.
Transfer your cooked chicken pieces onto a shallow dish and cover them with plastic wrap or cling film so that they are not touching each other but covered tightly on all sides without overlapping. Make sure all parts of the chicken are wrapped tightly. This will prevent air from drying out the chicken.
Lastly, place the cooked chicken into the fridge for storage.
How Long Does Cooked Chicken Last In The Fridge?
It is important to know how long cooked chicken will last in the refrigerator so you can prepare it well. Depending on the type of chicken, the recipe, and how you store the chicken, it usually stays fresh for up to five or six days in an airtight container or a plastic bag.
After that time, any cooked chicken that’s left should be discarded. Most likely, it will start to go bad due to bacteria contamination.
An option you have if you don’t want to throw it away is to freeze cooked chickens. Just make sure it has not gone bad yet.
Conclusion
Yes, you can put the warm chicken in the fridge, but it’s not recommended to do. If you do, the warmth from the chicken will cause condensation to form inside the fridge. This causes other foods in the fridge to have moisture, which will lead to spoilage.
Therefore, it’s a good idea to let the chicken cool to room temperature before storing it in the fridge.