However, chicken is commonly contaminated with disease-causing organisms known as pathogens, which can lead to foodborne illness or food poisoning.
These pathogens can multiply if you leave chicken at room temperature for too long, making it unsafe to eat.
This article explains how long chicken can safely sit out and provides tips to reduce your risk of foodborne illness from consuming it.
Cooking and serving chicken can be a delicious and safe experience for customers if proper food safety practices are followed. As a food worker, one of your most important jobs is to ensure cooked chicken is stored and handled properly to prevent foodborne illness. So how long can cooked chicken be left out before it needs refrigeration? What is the best way to store chicken in the fridge? This article will provide food workers with a guide on properly refrigerating cooked chicken.
Why Refrigerating Cooked Chicken is Essential
Cooked chicken is a prime target for bacteria like Salmonella and Clostridium perfringens if not refrigerated at the proper temperature. These pathogens thrive in the “danger zone” between 40°F and 140°F and can multiply quickly on cooked chicken left out too long. Refrigerating cooked chicken below 40°F slows down bacteria growth and keeps customers safe.
The FDA Food Code says that cooked chicken shouldn’t be left in the danger zone for more than two hours before it is put in the fridge. Bacteria on the chicken keep growing after 2 hours, which makes the risk of getting sick from eating it rise quickly. Many food safety experts say chicken should be refrigerated within 1 hour.
When storing cooked chicken in the fridge, food workers should place it in shallow containers to allow for rapid cooling Large cuts of chicken like whole roasts can take a long time to chill to below 40°F in the center, so it is important to divide it into smaller portions first
Proper Chicken Refrigeration Temperatures
Food safety organizations recommend keeping your refrigerator set to 40°F or below. Chicken should be cooled to 70°F within the first 2 hours and 40°F or below within a total of 6 hours. To speed up cooling, you can place chicken in an ice water bath before refrigerating.
Track the temperature with a thermometer. After 6 hours, throw away any chicken that hasn’t cooled to 40°F. Chicken that has been cooked and kept in the fridge for three to four days can be used.
Here are the proper refrigeration guidelines for cooked chicken:
- Within 2 hours: Cool to 70°F or below
- Within 6 hours: Cool to 40°F or below
- Maximum refrigeration time: 3-4 days
Preventing Cross-Contamination
There is still a chance of cross-contamination in the fridge even when cooked chicken is cooled down quickly. Meat juices from raw chicken and other meats can get on cooked food and spread bacteria.
To prevent cross-contamination when refrigerating cooked chicken:
- Store chicken in sealed, leak-proof containers.
- Place chicken on shelves above raw meats so juices cannot drip down.
- Designate an area just for ready-to-eat foods like chicken salads.
- Clean refrigerator shelves, drawers, and walls regularly.
Cooked Chicken Storage Tips
Follow these tips for safely storing cooked chicken in the refrigerator:
- Discard any chicken left out for more than 2 hours.
- Divide large cuts of chicken into smaller portions to chill faster.
- Use shallow containers to allow heat to escape – do not stack containers.
- Make sure cooked chicken is protected and properly labeled.
- Monitor temperatures with a fridge thermometer.
- Check chicken for signs of spoilage before serving.
Reheating Chicken to 165°F
The danger zone applies not only to cooling cooked chicken but to reheating it as well. When reheating refrigerated chicken for hot holding or customer orders, food workers must rapidly reheat it to an internal temperature of 165°F.
Chicken that is reheated improperly to a temperature below 165°F allows bacteria to flourish again. Use a calibrated food thermometer to confirm chicken reaches 165°F for at least 15 seconds.
Cooked chicken can harbor dangerous bacteria if not handled properly. As a food worker, you play a critical role in preventing foodborne illness by limiting the time chicken spends in the danger zone. Refrigerating cooked chicken within 2 hours – and reheating it fully to 165°F before serving – helps keep your customers safe. Follow these refrigeration guidelines and tips to store, cool, and reheat chicken safely.
Chicken and the temperature danger zone
Chicken is commonly contaminated with harmful species of Salmonella and Camplobacter.
Birds can carry these pathogens in their guts, and the pathogens are often transferred to the carcasses during processing.
These pathogens can survive processing and storage, and even multiply when chicken is kept too long in the temperature danger zone.
The temperature danger zone is between 40ºF and 140ºF for the general public (those not working in foodservice).
Falling between this range is room temperature at about 70ºF.
Chicken and other foods that need to be kept cold should not be left in the temperature danger zone for more than two hours.
But if the temperature is above 90ºF, the two-hour rule is reduced to one hour since bacteria can multiply more rapidly in warmer temperatures (1).
Chicken — whether raw or cooked — that exceeds the two- or one-hour rule becomes unsafe and must be tossed.
Summary
There should be no more than two hours of room temperature chicken, whether it is cooked or raw. If the temperature is above 90ºF, there should only be one hour.
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FAQ
How a food worker needs to thaw a package of chicken wings?
Explanation. The correct method for thawing chicken wings is to place the wings in the refrigerator. Bacteria can’t grow on the wings because they can thaw slowly and safely at a temperature below 40°F (4°C).
Where in the refrigerator should the chicken be stored if woodworker needs to refrigerate chicken that has been cooked?
Textbook & Expert-Verified⬈(opens in a new tab) The safest option for storing cooked chicken is near the back of the fridge, ideally next to egg cartons to avoid contamination risks. Therefore, the best choice is B: Near the back next to the egg cartons.
Where in the refrigerator should cooked chicken be stored in Quizlet?
In refrigerated storage, place cooked foods on the upper shelves and raw products on the lower shelves.
Where should refrigerated chicken be stored?
Storage tips: When you get home from the store, place packaged chicken into the meat compartment or on an edged plate or pan on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator, so juices do not drip onto other foods. If you won’t be using ground chicken within 2 days, freeze it.
Where should a food worker refrigerate cooked chicken?
a food worker needs to refrigerate chicken that has been cooked. where in the refrigerator should be the chicken be stored. on a middle shelf next to raw steaks. near the back next to the egg cartons. on the bottom shelf next to raw poultry. on the top shelf next to ready-to-eat salsa.
Do you need a thermometer for safety food?
Yes, all workers need to know how to use a thermometer and take food temperatures when they want to know if the food is safe. Why do you cook temperature control for safety food (TCS) such as chicken, fish, and beef to correct temperatures? To kill the germs that might cause foodborne sickness.
How do you keep food safe in a refrigerator?
The temperature of the refrigerator, the order of the food on shelves, and the amount of time left in the refrigerator can all play a large role in the growth of bacteria or other harmful pathogens on the food. Follow these three food storage rules to keep you and your customers safe. 1. Know the recommended refrigerator temperature.
What does a chef do when cooking chicken?
A chef is cooking chicken breasts in the oven. How cold does the chicken have to be before it can be served? How long does a manager have to keep records of when and how cold raw, ready-to-eat fish was frozen after it was served or sold? A food worker is making a solution to clean and sanitize surfaces that come into contact with food during his 8-hour shift.
What temperature should a refrigerator be at?
To avoid your food reaching a temperature where pathogens can grow on your food, it’s important to measure the temperature of your refrigerator often. Keeping your refrigerator at 41°F (5°C) or below ensures an environment that will minimize the growth of pathogens.
How do you store food in a refrigerator?
It’s important to follow certain rules when putting food in the fridge to keep it safe and avoid cross-contamination. Ready-to-eat foods should always be stored at the top of the refrigerator. This prevents them from being contaminated by raw foods.