If you’ve bought home a family-sized bucket and can’t stomach all of the chicken pieces in one sitting, you may be left wondering what to do with all those leftovers!
Can You Freeze KFC?
Yes, you can freeze KFC for up to 3 months. Once cooled fully, it can be bagged up, sealed into those bags and then popped into the freezer.
Do Does KFC freeze well? Yes
Can you refreeze KFC? No
How to Freeze KFC
It’s important to note here that we’re only talking about freezing chicken pieces like breast, wings, or legs.
If you’ve bought a burger from KFC, for instance, you can freeze the chicken burger, but we wouldn’t recommend including the bun, lettuce and sauce in the freezer with it! The result will most likely be a mushy burger, something that we’re sure you will want to avoid.
So, if you have some excess KFC pieces that you want to save for a later date, the following steps talk you through exactly how to freeze them safely:
- Allow to Cool: Before you freeze KFC, you will need to make sure your chicken has cooled to room temperature. The best way to do this is to remove it from the box that it’s served in, and place it in a separate dish while it cools.
- Place Chicken Into Individual Bags: Don’t just load your chicken into the same freezer bag, as you will find it might stick together when frozen. You should place one piece of chicken in a small freezer bag on its own, or individually wrap your pieces in cling film before dropping them in the bag.
- Remove Excess Air and Seal: Remove as much air as possible from the freezer-safe bag/s before sealing them. This will protect your KFC from freezer burn.
- Label and Freeze: Write the date that you purchased your KFC on the front of the freezer-safe bag/s, as well as the date you need to use your chicken by. Remember, you can freeze KFC for around three months.
3 Tips for Freezing KFC
Now you know how to freeze it, we’ve got our 3 top tips which we strongly recommend following when freezing KFC to have the best results:
Freeze as Quick as Possible
It’s important that you don’t leave your KFC lying on the countertop before transferring it to the freezer. When preserving meat, you need to make sure it’s as fresh as possible before placing it in the freezer. As you’re not sure exactly when your KFC was prepared, you should try and get it in the freezer as quickly as you can.
Keep it in the Fridge Instead
If you think you will reheat and enjoy your KFC the day after you have brought it home, you don’t need to freeze it. It will keep well in the fridge for up to 24 hours, providing you cover it appropriately.
Air Fry to Reheat
There are many ways to reheat fried chicken once it has been defrosted, but the best way to ensure it is crispy and delicious is to air fry it.
How Long Can You Freeze KFC?
You can freeze KFC for around three months.
You need to be extra careful when preserving cooked chicken. Make sure you freeze it as soon as you can after buying it and wrap it tightly to prevent any harmful bacteria from growing on the surface.
KFC can be kept in the fridge for 3 to 4 days once it has cooled to room temperature. It should be kept in an airtight container or wrapped in a sheet of foil.
How Do You Defrost KFC?
To defrost KFC, remove it from the freezer and leave it to defrost in the fridge. Chicken usually needs twelve hours to defrost fully, so it’s a good idea to take it out first thing in the morning or even the night before.
When you’re ready to reheat it, we recommend air frying it to ensure it’s crispy. However you reheat it, make sure your chicken is cooked thoroughly before eating.
Can You Refreeze KFC?
Once cooked, you can only reheat fried chicken once. So if you’ve cooked it again and still have leftovers, don’t return it to the freezer.
It’s much better to treat your dog to popcorn chicken than risking food poisoning by putting it back in the freezer for a second time. By wrapping your KFC pieces individually, you only need to take out the chicken that you need from the freezer at one time.
Does KFC Freeze Well?
KFC freezes remarkably well. Much to many people’s surprise, if you reheat it appropriately, previously frozen KFC can taste almost as good as it does when it’s fresh out of the fryer!
So, if you’ve treated yourself to a delicious KFC takeaway, you no longer have to worry about throwing away the leftovers.
Related FAQs
If you’ve still got questions about freezing KFC or KFC in general, then these may help:
Because KFC gravy is made fresh each day, you can actually freeze it safely. Find a container with a tight-fitting lid and then pour in your KFC gravy. Place the pot into the freezer and freeze the KFC gravy with ease.
No, it is not. This might surprise many people but the chicken arrives to KFC fresh and is not frozen.
Can you take frozen chicken in bag and submerge in boiling water?
Defrosting anything in boiling water is never a good idea as you’ll thaw the outside leaving the centre still frozen.