Can you freeze a rotisserie chicken and then thaw it to eat later?

Cooking chicken on a rotisserie is one of the best ways to cook this meat – but it does take a fair amount of time and effort. So, is there a way to cook it and then store it for the longer term?

Can You Freeze Rotisserie Chicken?

Yes, you can freeze rotisserie chicken for up to 3 months. Debone and shred the chicken before transferring it to portion-sized airtight freezer bags. Label the bags and, once cool, seal the bags and transfer them to the freezer. 

Can You Refreeze Rotisserie Chicken? No

Does Rotisserie Chicken Freeze Well? Yes

How to Freeze Rotisserie Chicken

Before you get to freezing it, you either need to cook your own rotisserie chicken or purchase it from a store. Don’t cook it and then let it sit in the fridge for a few days before freezing it. You’ll lose too much flavour!

Now you’ve got a freshly prepared rotisserie chicken ready to freeze, here’s what you need to do:

1. Cool: Once the chicken is prepared, allow it to cool to room temperature completely. You don’t want to add the warm chicken to containers, or the freezer, as that can lead to bacterial growth.
2. Breakdown: Now, deconstruct the chicken itself – removing the bones is the most crucial part. Since you’ll be shredding the chicken, it doesn’t need to be too neat. A few mistakes will be missed when it’s shredded and cooked.
3. Shred: After removing the bones from the chicken, you’ll likely have already shredded some elements of the chicken itself. Regardless, shred the rest of the chicken on your counter until you’re left with a pile of shredded chicken, ready for the freezer.

1. Portion Into Bags: Portion the shredded chicken into freezer bags, ensuring that you’re freezing it in portions that will be handy. For example, there’s no sense in a family of three freezing two people’s worth of chicken!
2. Seal: Once the chicken has been portioned out and is entirely cool, press out excess air from the bags and write the correct date on the outer layer of the bags themselves.
3. Freeze: Transfer the bags to the freezer, which can be stored for up to three months.

3 Tips for Freezing Rotisserie Chicken

Now you know how to freeze it, we’ve got our 3 top tips which we strongly recommend following when freezing rotisserie chicken to have the best results:

Cool Before Preparing
Making sure that the chicken you’re working with is as cool as possible before you start working with it will make it much easier to break down. On the other hand, leaving chicken out to cool for too long can lead to bacterial growth.

Avoid Freezing the Bones
Removing all of the bones from the chicken will remove any choking hazards from the chicken itself. This will allow you to be sure that the food you’re serving to your family is as safe as possible. It will also save you plenty of time in future – there’s no point freezing bones you can’t eat!

Remove Excess Air
Removing excess air from the freezer bags is vital. The reason for this is that excess air will lead to freezer burn, which will degrade the texture and flavour of the meat that you’re working with.

How Long Can You Freeze Rotisserie Chicken?

You can freeze rotisserie chicken for a maximum of three months, beyond which point freezer burn will likely have set in, leading to chicken having an inferior texture.

How Long Does Rotisserie Chicken Last in the Fridge?

Rotisserie chicken can be kept in the fridge for up to 4 days once it has cooled to room temperature. It should be kept on a plate wrapped in cling film and foil or, if shredded, in a Tupperware container.

How Do You Defrost Rotisserie Chicken?

The best way to thaw rotisserie chicken is to place each of the bags into the fridge overnight before you come to use the chicken itself.

This will allow it to be completely thawed slowly. We would recommend cooking it until steaming hot throughout, as this will eliminate any harmful bacteria.

Can You Refreeze Rotisserie Chicken?

No, you cannot refreeze rotisserie chicken, or any form of meat, at all.

The reason for this is that when the meat has been thawed, it is a prime target for bacterial growth. To keep it as safe as possible, therefore, the food shouldn’t be refrozen and eaten at a later date.

Does Rotisserie Chicken Freeze Well?

Yes, rotisserie chicken does freeze exceptionally well. As long as it has been kept in an airtight bag with no excess air for less than 3 months, you’ll struggle to tell the difference between fresh and frozen rotisserie chicken.

Related FAQs

If you’ve still got questions about freezing rotisserie chicken or chicken in general, then these may help:

Can You Freeze Supermarket Rotisserie Chicken?

Yes, you can buy a rotisserie chicken from the supermarket and freeze it. You should shred the meat from the bones as there is no point freezing the bones and then bag it up.

Can You Freeze a Whole Rotisserie Chicken?

Although it is possible to freeze a whole chicken, there’s no point. It will take up so much room in the freezer. Instead, remove the meat from the bones and freeze this in portions.

Can you freeze cooked chicken then defrost it and eat it?

How do you freeze and thaw a rotisserie chicken?

How long is rotisserie chicken good for after thawing?

Can I freeze a whole roasted chicken?