Leftovers and Cold Chicken
Cooking Skills: Chicken 1
Chapter 7 · Leftovers and Cold Chicken
Skill goal
Turn a cooked chicken into several more meals, and store and reheat it safely.
Shopping list for this chapter
The basics
A roast chicken is really two meals, and sometimes three: the dinner, the cold chicken next day, and the stock from the carcass (see Cooking Skills: Soups and Stocks 1, chapter 1). The key is to strip the meat from the carcass while it is still slightly warm, cool it quickly, and keep it cold. Cooked chicken keeps for 2 days in the fridge and 3 months in the freezer. Don't reheat it more than once, and always until it is steaming hot through.
Leftover chicken is already cooked, so it needs only warming through or none at all. Cold dishes need a dressing to stop them drying out: mayonnaise and yogurt are the classic choices. Warm dishes (quesadillas, hash) reheat the chicken in the dish, so the dish must reach steaming hot. For a Sunday roast to start with see Cooking Skills: Chicken 1, chapter 2, and for a hash base Cooking Skills: Potatoes 1, chapter 6.
The method
- Cool the chicken quickly and strip the meat from the carcass within 1 to 2 hours.
- Chill it below 5°C in a covered container and eat it within 2 days.
- Dress cold dishes with mayonnaise or yogurt to keep the meat moist.
- Heat leftovers until steaming hot all through when you cook with them.
- Freeze extra meat in flat, labelled bags, and use the carcass for stock.
| Dish | Hot or cold | Dressing or base | Time (approximate) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coronation-style sandwiches | Cold | Mayonnaise, curry, chutney | 10 minutes |
| Chicken salad | Cold | Yogurt dressing | 15 minutes |
| Quesadillas | Hot | Cheese, tortilla | 15 minutes |
| Chicken hash | Hot | Potato, onion | 30 minutes |
Cold chicken, reheating and allergens
Cold chicken safety: cooked chicken for salads and sandwiches must be cooled quickly (within 1 to 2 hours), refrigerated below 5°C and eaten within 2 days. Keep it on its own shelf above raw foods, don't leave sandwiches out for more than 2 hours, and pack lunch boxes with an ice pack.Reheat once, steaming hot: reheat cooked chicken only once, and until it is steaming hot all the way through (at least 75°C), not just warm. Don't reheat chicken that has been left out for more than 2 hours, and don't reheat rice or sauces more than once.
Leftover chicken: cool cooked chicken quickly (within about 1 to 2 hours), cover and refrigerate, and eat within 2 days. Reheat only once, until steaming hot all the way through. Never leave chicken on the table for more than 2 hours. Cooked chicken can be frozen for up to about 3 months.
Allergens: chicken itself is not a major allergen, but the dishes around it often contain milk, gluten, egg, mustard, celery, soya and sesame. Check stock cubes and sauces, tell guests what is in a dish, and use separate tools for anyone with an allergy.
Try it
Level 1 · Start here
Coronation-style chicken sandwiches
A British classic: cooked chicken in a mild curry mayonnaise with chutney, almonds and sultanas. It tastes better after an hour in the fridge. Serve in soft bread or on a jacket potato. Keep sandwiches cold.
Ingredients (4 portions)
- 300 g cooked chicken, shredded or diced
- 4 tbsp mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tsp mild curry powder
- 2 tbsp mango chutney
- 2 tbsp flaked almonds, toasted
- 2 tbsp sultanas
- 1 lemon, juice
- 8 slices of soft bread
- Mix the mayonnaise, yogurt, curry powder, chutney and lemon juice in a bowl.
- Fold in the chicken, almonds and sultanas, season, and chill for 30 minutes if time allows.
- Spread on bread and keep cold until eaten.
Cold chicken and allergens
Cold chicken safety: cooked chicken for salads and sandwiches must be cooled quickly (within 1 to 2 hours), refrigerated below 5°C and eaten within 2 days. Keep it on its own shelf above raw foods, don't leave sandwiches out for more than 2 hours, and pack lunch boxes with an ice pack.Allergens: chicken itself is not a major allergen, but the dishes around it often contain milk, gluten, egg, mustard, celery, soya and sesame. Check stock cubes and sauces, tell guests what is in a dish, and use separate tools for anyone with an allergy.
Allergens: contains egg, milk, nuts (almonds), gluten and sulphites (chutney).
Level 2 · Salad
A chicken salad with yogurt dressing
Cooked chicken with crisp lettuce, cucumber and tomato in a light lemon and yogurt dressing. It is lighter than mayonnaise and good for a lunch box. Add the dressing just before eating so the leaves stay crisp.
Ingredients (4 portions)
- 300 g cooked chicken, sliced
- 2 little gem lettuces, leaves separated
- ½ cucumber, sliced
- 200 g cherry tomatoes, halved
- 4 spring onions, sliced
- 150 g plain Greek yogurt
- 1 lemon, juice
- 1 tsp wholegrain mustard
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
- Whisk the yogurt, lemon juice, mustard and parsley with salt and pepper.
- Arrange the lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes and spring onions on plates and top with the chicken.
- Spoon over the dressing just before serving.
Cold chicken and allergens
Cold chicken safety: cooked chicken for salads and sandwiches must be cooled quickly (within 1 to 2 hours), refrigerated below 5°C and eaten within 2 days. Keep it on its own shelf above raw foods, don't leave sandwiches out for more than 2 hours, and pack lunch boxes with an ice pack.Allergens: chicken itself is not a major allergen, but the dishes around it often contain milk, gluten, egg, mustard, celery, soya and sesame. Check stock cubes and sauces, tell guests what is in a dish, and use separate tools for anyone with an allergy.
Allergens: contains milk and mustard.
Level 2 · Hot
Chicken quesadillas
Shredded chicken, cheese, sweetcorn and spring onion, sandwiched in tortillas and fried until crisp and melting. The chicken must be steaming hot all through. Cut into wedges and serve with salsa (Cooking Skills: Sauces 2, chapter 5).
Ingredients (4 portions)
- 250 g cooked chicken, shredded
- 8 flour tortillas
- 150 g mature Cheddar, grated
- 100 g tinned sweetcorn, drained
- 3 spring onions, sliced
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
- Mix the chicken, cheese, sweetcorn, spring onions and paprika. Spread over 4 tortillas and cover with the other 4.
- Fry each quesadilla in a dry or lightly oiled pan over a medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes a side until crisp and the cheese has melted.
- Check the filling is steaming hot all through. Cut into wedges and serve with salsa.
Reheating chicken, hot pan and allergens
Reheat once, steaming hot: reheat cooked chicken only once, and until it is steaming hot all the way through (at least 75°C), not just warm. Don't reheat chicken that has been left out for more than 2 hours, and don't reheat rice or sauces more than once.Hot pan and hot oil: roasting tins and frying pans for browning are very hot and fat spits. Use dry oven gloves, pull the shelf out a little before lifting a tray, put hot things on a heatproof surface and keep children away.
Allergens: chicken itself is not a major allergen, but the dishes around it often contain milk, gluten, egg, mustard, celery, soya and sesame. Check stock cubes and sauces, tell guests what is in a dish, and use separate tools for anyone with an allergy.
Allergens: contains gluten and milk.
Level 3 · Skillet
A chicken hash
Diced cooked potatoes browned in a big pan with onion, then the chicken and herbs added for the last few minutes. It uses leftover roast potatoes or boiled ones. Top with a fried egg if you like.
Ingredients (4 portions)
- 500 g cooked potatoes, diced
- 250 g cooked chicken, diced
- 3 tbsp rapeseed oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 red pepper, diced
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce
- Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large frying pan and fry the potatoes over a medium-high heat for 10 minutes without stirring too much until golden. Remove.
- Fry the onion and pepper in the remaining oil for 6 minutes, add the paprika, then return the potatoes with the chicken.
- Cook for 6 to 8 minutes until the chicken is steaming hot all through. Add the sauce and parsley and serve.
Reheating chicken, hot oil and allergens
Reheat once, steaming hot: reheat cooked chicken only once, and until it is steaming hot all the way through (at least 75°C), not just warm. Don't reheat chicken that has been left out for more than 2 hours, and don't reheat rice or sauces more than once.Hot pan and hot oil: roasting tins and frying pans for browning are very hot and fat spits. Use dry oven gloves, pull the shelf out a little before lifting a tray, put hot things on a heatproof surface and keep children away.
Allergens: chicken itself is not a major allergen, but the dishes around it often contain milk, gluten, egg, mustard, celery, soya and sesame. Check stock cubes and sauces, tell guests what is in a dish, and use separate tools for anyone with an allergy.
Experiments
Experiment
Warm or cold salad
Taste and texture.
- Eat the chicken salad with warm chicken and then with chilled chicken.
Look for: Warm chicken is softer and more flavourful; cold chicken is firmer and better for a lunch box.
Experiment
Mayonnaise or yogurt
Richness.
- Dress two portions of chicken, one with mayonnaise and one with yogurt.
Look for: Mayonnaise is rich and clings; yogurt is lighter and tangier but thinner and can weep.
Experiment
Reheated once
Safety and quality.
- Reheat a portion of leftover chicken once, until steaming, and compare with one just warmed.
Look for: The steaming-hot portion is safe and moist; the barely-warm portion is not safe and tastes flat. Never reheat twice.
Experiment
Freezing the cooked meat
Quality.
- Freeze some cooked chicken for a month and compare with fresh leftovers.
Look for: Properly wrapped frozen chicken is fine in hot dishes, but is a little drier and less good cold.
Tasting notes
| What I tried | Method or amount | What I saw | What I thought | Will I do it again? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coronation-style chicken sandwiches | ||||
| Chicken salad with yogurt dressing | ||||
| Chicken quesadillas | ||||
| Chicken hash | ||||
| Warm or cold salad | ||||
| Mayonnaise or yogurt | ||||
| Reheated once | ||||
| Freezing the cooked meat |
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Dry cold chicken | No dressing or overcooked first time | Dress it and use thigh meat |
| Soggy salad | Dressed too early | Dress just before eating |
| Cold in the middle | Not reheated through | Heat until steaming hot all through |
| Bland hash | Not seasoned | Season each stage and add paprika |
| Chicken smells | Kept too long | Throw it away if in doubt |
| Quesadilla leaks | Overfilled | Use less filling and press down |
Leftovers, reheating and freezing
Cold chicken safety: cooked chicken for salads and sandwiches must be cooled quickly (within 1 to 2 hours), refrigerated below 5°C and eaten within 2 days. Keep it on its own shelf above raw foods, don't leave sandwiches out for more than 2 hours, and pack lunch boxes with an ice pack.Reheat once, steaming hot: reheat cooked chicken only once, and until it is steaming hot all the way through (at least 75°C), not just warm. Don't reheat chicken that has been left out for more than 2 hours, and don't reheat rice or sauces more than once.
Freezing and defrosting chicken: freeze chicken on the day you buy it, in flat, labelled bags, for up to about 9 months raw or 3 months cooked (general guidance). Defrost it in the fridge on a plate on the bottom shelf, never on the worktop, and cook it within a day. Do not refreeze raw chicken that has defrosted unless you cook it first.
Checkpoint: can you do this now?
- I can strip and store a cooked chicken safely.
- I eat leftover chicken within 2 days.
- I know to reheat chicken only once.
- I can dress cold chicken.
- I can use the carcass for stock.
Next chapter
Cooking Skills: Chicken 1, chapter 8 is A Chicken Dinner: planning, timing and storing.