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Have you ever in situations where you had to leave your cooked chicken out for a while before eating? Or maybe, you couldn’t eat them all and had to leave them out? In these types of situations, the best way to keep your cooked chicken is in the refrigerator.
Is it safe to eat cooked chicken left out for 4 hours? The answer is No. Eating cooked chicken that has been out for more than two hours is terrible for the health and is ill-advised.
Read on to find out more about left-out cooked chicken.
Is It Safe To Eat Cooked Chicken Left Out For 4 Hours?
The answer is NO! It is not safe to eat cooked chicken that has been left out for four hours. Food left out at room temperature or above 32°C should be consumed in less than two hours.
If the room temperature is just above 90 degrees Fahrenheit, then you should eat your cooked meal in under an hour.
Related Questions About Cooked Chicken
What Is The Time Limit For Leaving Out Cooked Chicken?
The time limit for leaving out cooked chicken is two hours. After preparing your meal, you should let it cool and then package it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
How Does Bacteria Spread When Food Is Left Out?
When the cooked dish is left out for more than 2 hours under room temperature, bacteria spread rapidly. As time passes, the bacteria spread more rapidly, doubling in amount every 20 minutes.
Will Reheating Cooked Chicken Kill The Bacteria?
Proper reheating of your cooked chicken will kill foodborne bacteria. However, when a cooked chicken has been out for an extended period, at a temperature above 32°C, toxins or poisons can form. These toxins cannot be destroyed by reheating your cooked chicken.
How Do You Tell If Cooked Chicken Is Spoilt?
You can tell your cooked chicken has started to go bad when it becomes slimy, the color begins to change, and it had an odd or sour smell. Make sure you discard cooked chicken that has gone bad. This is because spoilt chicken is capable of inflicting you with foodborne illnesses.
Can You Get Food Poisoning From Leaving Cooked Chicken Out?
The answer is YES! You can get food poisoning from eating cooked chicken that has been left out for an extended period. Symptoms of food poisoning may include; vomiting, stomach cramps, diarrhea, and even death.
How Can You Store Cooked Chicken?
The best way to store cooked chicken is by refrigerating it.
Steps for storing cooked chicken:
- After cooking your chicken, allow it to cool within 2 hours
- Pour your cooked chicken in an airtight container and seal
- Finally, you can place it in your refrigerator.
How Long Does Cooked Chicken Stay Before It Goes Bad?
Under room temperature or 32°C, cooked chicken can last for up to 2 hours. However, when the room temperature is above 90 degrees Fahrenheit, it will go bad after an hour. Going bad in this instant does not mean spoiling.
It just means that the chicken will not be safe to eat except when adequately reheated. When stored in the refrigerator, cooked chicken can stay for up to 4 days.
How Do I Reheat My Refrigerated Cooked Chicken?
Before eating your refrigerated cooked chicken, make sure to reheat it. You can do this by using a microwave. Just place your cooked chicken in a microwave-proof bowl and reheat.
Conclusion
Cooked chicken is an absolute delight, but you should know that it should not be allowed to sit put for more than2 hours. Is it safe to eat cooked chicken left out for 4 hours? The answer is NO!
To properly preserve your cooked chicken, you can place it in an airtight container and seal it. After that, you should put the container in the refrigerator.
Cooked chicken stored in the fridge can stay for up to 4 days without going bad. So, if you need your already cooked chicken in 4 days, all you need to do is store it in the refrigerator. Enjoy!
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