When you have extra baked chicken on hand, freezing the baked chicken may be a good way to keep the chicken fresh and provide a fast and easy meal in the future. Baked chicken freezes well and defrosts well when you are ready to eat it. They key to successfully freezing baked chicken is to cool the baked chicken completely before you freeze it. If you do not cool the baked chicken completely, it may not freeze properly and it will warm up the temperature inside the freezer.
Allow the baked chicken to cool completely prior to freezing. Either chill the baked chicken in the refrigerator or place the pan of baked chicken over a larger pan filled with ice water. Allow the chicken to cool down completely before proceeding.
Place the individual pieces of baked chicken into the freezer bags. Place as many pieces of baked chicken in one freezer bag as you will use for one meal or at one time.
Remove as much air as possible from the freezer bag as you slide the zipper closed.
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Write the contents on the outside of the bag and the date.
Place the freezer bag(s) full of baked chicken into the freezer in the coldest spot in your freezer. If you have a fast-freeze shelf, place the freezer bag(s) here. Leave the chicken in this location in the freezer until it is solidly frozen.
Move the chicken to another area of the freezer after it freezes completely.
Keep the baked chicken in the freezer for approximately three months.
Thaw the chicken in the refrigerator for at least eight hours prior to reheating it for serving.
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Writer Bio
Kathryn Hatter is a veteran home-school educator, as well as an accomplished gardener, quilter, crocheter, cook, decorator and digital graphics creator. As a regular contributor to Natural News, many of Hatter's Internet publications focus on natural health and parenting. Hatter has also had publication on home improvement websites such as Redbeacon.