Shelf Life Tips
- How long do cooked chicken nuggets or chicken fingers last in the fridge? The precise answer to that question depends to a large extent on storage conditions - refrigerate chicken nuggets within two hours of cooking or purchasing.
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To maximize the shelf life of cooked chicken nuggets for safety and quality, refrigerate the chicken nuggets in shallow airtight containers or wrap tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil or plastic wrap.
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Properly stored, cooked chicken nuggets will last for 1 to 2 days in the refrigerator.
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How long can cooked chicken nuggets be left at room temperature? Bacteria grow rapidly at temperatures between 40 °F and 140 °F; cooked chicken nuggets should be discarded if left out for more than 2 hours at room temperature.
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To further extend the shelf life of cooked chicken nuggets, freeze them; freeze in covered airtight containers or heavy-duty freezer bags, or wrap tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil or freezer wrap.
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How long do cooked chicken nuggets last in the freezer? Properly stored, they will maintain best quality for 2 to 3 months, but will remain safe beyond that time.
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The freezer time shown is for best quality only - cooked chicken nuggets that have been kept constantly frozen at 0°F will keep safe indefinitely.
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How long do cooked chicken nuggets last after being frozen and thawed? Cooked chicken nuggets that has been thawed in the fridge can be kept for an additional 1 to 2 days in the refrigerator before cooking; chicken nuggets that were thawed in the microwave or in cold water should be eaten immediately.
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How to tell if cooked chicken nuggets are bad? The best way is to smell and look at the chicken nuggets: discard any chicken nuggets with an off smell or appearance, do not taste first.
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Sources: For details about data sources used for food storage information, please click here
