How to Store Cooked Chicken and Turkey, and Can You Freeze Them?

To store cooked chicken and turkey safely, refrigerate the food in a closed container no later than 2 hours after cooking. Unlike raw meat, cooked meat has already been heat-treated, but if it is left at room temperature for longer, bacteria can start growing again during that time. Cooked chicken and turkey kept in a closed container in the refrigerator can be stored safely for 3–4 days. Cooling a large pot of chicken dish in several shallow, wide containers rather than one container prevents the center from staying warm for a long time and shortens the time before it can be refrigerated.

Can cooked chicken and turkey be frozen?
Cooked chicken and turkey can be stored in the freezer and maintain their quality for about 2–3 months in a closed container or bag. Rather than freezing a large piece of turkey whole, slicing it into small portions helps it freeze faster and makes it easier to thaw only as much as needed. Freezing the meat with its sauce or cooking liquid prevents it from drying out as it thaws and reduces texture loss. If freezing only the meat without sauce, press as much air as possible out of the bag.

What should you keep in mind when reheating?
When reheating cooked chicken and turkey, the meat’s internal temperature must reach at least 75°C / 167°F; this neutralizes most bacteria that may have developed during storage. When reheating in a microwave, pieces should be small and uniform in size so the center does not remain cold. Covering a large piece of turkey reheated in the oven with foil helps heat the inside without drying out the outside; uncovering it during the final few minutes lightly browns the surface.

Why is the two-hour rule so strict?
When cooked meat is left at room temperature for more than 2 hours, it enters the risk temperature range of 5–60°C / 41–140°F; bacteria can multiply quickly within this range. On a hot day or in settings such as a buffet, this period can be shortened to 1 hour. A large piece of turkey cooled whole in a pot risks staying in this range much longer; therefore, slicing large pieces and transferring them to shallow containers shortens cooling time and reduces the risk.

Can cooked meat be frozen again after being thawed once?
Cooked chicken or turkey thawed in the refrigerator can be refrozen safely because the meat has already been cooked. However, each cycle dries out the texture a little more, so a refrozen piece is better used in a sauce or a moist dish such as a stew. Do not thaw cooked meat on the counter; thaw it in the refrigerator, in cold water changed every 30 minutes, or in the microwave. Reheat and eat a piece thawed in cold water or the microwave right away, and discard any piece left at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Quick summary
Refrigerate cooked chicken and turkey within 2 hours, consume them within 3–4 days, or freeze them and use them within a few months. When reheating, the internal temperature must reach 75°C / 167°F, regardless of how short the storage period was. Dividing large pieces into small portions makes both cooling and later use easier.