Kentucky Fried Chicken is a very popular takeaway. However, sometimes your eyes may be bigger than your stomach and the big bucket of chicken is still half-full while you and your family are all full up.
What do you do? You can put it in the fridge but it only lasts for about a day and you might not fancy KFC two days in a row. However, there is a solution and that is to freeze your leftovers. Surprisingly, KFC freezes well, and this includes all the chicken pieces including the breast, wings, and legs.
However, don’t freeze a chicken burger in a bun with lettuce (see also How To Freeze Iceberg Lettuce) and sauce as it will be mushy when defrosted. You can take the burger out of the bun and freeze that but it might still turn out mushy if the sauce has seeped into it. In this article, we will tell you how to freeze KFC and how to defrost it.
How To Freeze KFC
1.Cool down the chicken.
Transfer the chicken that you want to freeze into a cold bowl to speed up the cooling process. You don’t want to leave the chicken out at room temperature for longer than two hours as after this time, bacteria can start to form and when you come to defrost it and eat it, you could become sick.
2. Wrap the chicken individually in cling film.
Doing this means that the chicken shouldn’t stick together, and you can just defrost as much as you think you can eat in one sitting. Make sure that the chicken is tightly wrapped so that freezer burn doesn’t occur. Freezer burn will alter the taste and texture of the chicken and it won’t be nearly as tasty.
3. Put the chicken pieces in freezer bags.
Squeeze out the air from the bags to stop freezer burn from happening. Put a label on each bag with the contents and the date frozen.
4. Put the bags in the freezer.
Tips For Freezing KFC
- Put the chicken into the freezer within two hours. This includes the time taken to bring the takeaway home. If you don’t, the chicken can start to spoil.
- Squeeze out as much air as possible from the freezer bags to stop freezer burn from occurring.
- If you think you will eat the leftover chicken within 24 hours, put it in the fridge instead of freezing it.
- Don’t freeze the bun if you want to freeze a chicken burger (see also Freezing McDonalds).
- The best way of getting crispy chicken after you have defrosted it, is to air fry it.
For How Long Can You Freeze KFC?
You can freeze KFC for around three months although, as always, the sooner you eat it, the better the taste will be. Remember to get the chicken in the freezer as soon as possible but don’t put it in while itx is still warm. This could bring the temperature up in the freezer and other food may start to defrost. When this food starts to freeze again, bacteria can develop.
How Do You Defrost KFC?
The best way to defrost KFC is to put it in the fridge for a minimum of 12 hours. Defrosting slowly helps stop bacteria from developing. Don’t put it on your countertop to defrost as this will encourage bacteria to form.
The best way to reheat it is to cook it in an air fryer. This makes the chicken crispy. If you fry it in oil, the chicken can go soggy.
It is important that the chicken is cooked all the way through otherwise you could get food poisoning. It’s a good idea to invest in a meat thermometer.
Can You Refreeze KFC?
We don’t recommend that you refreeze KFC. Once your food has been cooked, you can only reheat it once. If you refreeze it, the chances of bacteria forming is high and you could then get sick when you come to reheat it again. This problem shouldn’t occur if you wrap your pieces of chicken separately. Then you can take out only as many pieces as you think you are going to eat and there won’t be any need to refreeze. If you do have any pieces leftover, you should throw them away.
Is It a Good Idea to Freeze KFC?
Yes, it is a good idea to freeze KFC. It actually tastes just as good when you come to defrost and reheat it. So, if you have any leftovers, freeze them and enjoy them at a later date.
Frequently Asked Questions
Hopefully, you now know all there is to know about freezing KFC but in case you would like to know more, we have answered a few questions here.
Can you freeze KFC gravy?
KFC gravy is made freshly each day so that means you can freeze it. Get an airtight container and put in the gravy. It is better to use a container rather than a freezer bag as it may split and make a mess in your freezer. Don’t fill the container up to the top as the gravy will expand when it is put in the freezer. Put a label on the container with the date frozen and the contents. The gravy can be frozen for up to four months.
Can you freeze KFC mashed potatoes?
Yes, you can freeze KFC mashed potatoes. It is a good idea to divide it into meal-size portions and put these on a baking tray and flash freeze. This stops the portions from sticking together when you put them in a freezer bag. You can then take out just as much as you need without wasting any. KFC mashed potato will last for up to six months in the freezer.
Can you freeze KFC coleslaw?
KFC coleslaw is a delicious side dish made with cabbage, carrots, and onions. The vegetables are covered with spices, vinegar, mayonnaise, buttermilk, and lemon juice. Unfortunately, it isn’t a good idea to freeze this coleslaw as it contains mayonnaise and buttermilk and neither freezes well.
