Can You Freeze Cooked Shredded Chicken?
Chicken is always one of the best comfort foods, isn’t it? Be it any chicken dish, you are sure to drool over it! And why not? Chicken tastes just excellent when prepared and seasoned with the right ingredients. Likely, you might also love cooked shredded chicken.
Talking about cooked shredded chicken, it is not only a dish in itself, but can also be added to other recipes to enhance the flavor. Chicken is not only tasty, it is also a great source of protein. However, I know about your busy time in the kitchen when you are cooking shredded chicken.
You might think about storing cooked shredded chicken for later use. The question is, can you really store chicken for later use? Can you freeze cooked shredded chicken? Yes, you can freeze shredded chicken for later use.
Shredded chicken can be frozen for about 3-4 months in the freezer. In this post, I have got you all the information that you need to know before you freeze the chicken recipe. Read till the end for more!
How To Freeze Cooked Shredded Chicken?
Freezing the cooked shredded chicken is quite straightforward. It is very simple and can be done within no time. You can prepare your shredded chicken in advance and store it for about 4 months in the freezer. This way you will not have to spend time in the kitchen each time to cook the dish.
Check out the following steps to freeze your cooked shredded chicken effectively at home:
- Cook your shredded chicken as you would normally do, and set the dish aside on the counter for cooling completely. It will take about 45-60 minutes.
- Once the cooked shredded chicken is cooled completely, transfer them into high-quality zip-lock bags. Make sure the bags are freezer-safe.
- Remove as much air as possible and seal the bags adequately. You can also use airtight containers to store the shredded chicken.
- After the completion of these steps, label and date the bags appropriately and stack them in the freezer. Your cooked shredded chicken is ready to freeze.
So, you see the process of freezing shredded chicken can be done within an hour after it has cooled completely. For best results, consume your frozen shredded chicken within the first two months of freezing it.
Tips To Freeze Cooked Shredded Chicken!
Now that you know the steps to freezing shredded chicken, here are a few tips that you cannot miss. These will definitely be beneficial for you, the next time you freeze the chicken.
Check out the tips for better results while freezing cooked shredded chicken:
- If you intend to preserve your cooked shredded chicken for a long time, store them in smaller quantities. Anyway, you are not going to use them all at once, therefore, storing them in smaller portions will be beneficial for defrosting and serving the dish.
- It is better to store the shredded chicken in freezer-safe bags if you want to keep them flat in the freezer. Also, freezer bags take less freezer space than containers, which means you can store more of the dish at a time.
- Do not stack the shredded chicken packages at the edges of the freezer. This is because the edges are cooler as compared to the other spaces inside the freezer, and the chicken might react to freezer burns.
How To Defrost Frozen Shredded Chicken?
Defrosting frozen shredded chicken is simpler than freezing it. All you have to do is remove the frozen packages of shredded chicken from the freezer and place them in the refrigerator overnight for defrosting. This will provide enough time for the dish to thaw gradually.
However, make sure that you never defrost your frozen packages of shredded chicken at room temperature. This is because the temperature shift from freezer to normal room temperature will spoil the food. And you would not want that, would you?
Defrosting is easy but needs to be done carefully. You will have to allow your frozen shredded chicken to defrost completely before you intend to reheat and use it in other dishes. So, if you wish to use shredded chicken, it is best to thaw it overnight for the best results.
Ways To Use Shredded Chicken After Reheating!
You can use shredded chicken in a lot of recipes. The numbers are endless. It also depends on your tastes and preferences. Some people like it with soups or as appetizers. There are many ways to use shredded chicken, and the best part is, all of them taste amazing!
Check out a few ways to use your reheated shredded chicken here:
- chicken tacos
- chicken soups
- chicken dumplings
- French onion chicken casserole
- chicken quesadillas
- fried rolls, and more.
Can You Refreeze Shredded Chicken?
While it is technically possible to refreeze shredded chicken if it has not been reheated. Reheating cooked the dish further, and therefore there are high chances of food spoilage if you freeze them again. You can refreeze the chicken only if it has just been defrosted.
Some food experts suggest not to refreeze any chicken dish. This is because there might be a loss of flavor. Therefore, to be on the safe side, avoid refreezing the shredded chicken. However, if you still do, consume the refrozen shredded chicken within 3-4 weeks for the best results.
