Storing Cooked Rotisserie Chicken to Keep it Moist?

[brak86]

Hello,

I like to buy cooked whole Rotisserie chicken at the grocery store, eat some of it when I get home, then store the rest in my fridge for the next couple days. As you all probably know, the problem is that chicken is notorious for getting dry. I know that certain reheating methods are better to prevent over-drying, but I have a specific question about storing the chicken:

If I poured a lot of liquid (chicken stock or brine, for example) in the tupperware so that the cooked chicken was bathing in the liquid while in the fridge, would that keep the chicken moist? I know something like that is common for uncooked chicken (like a marinade), but I was wondering if that was helpful to keep cooked chicken moist? Also, maybe a silly question, but would it be safe, or is there any risk of illness for cooked meat sitting in liquid in the fridge?

Thank you,

 

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

When I buy a rotisserie chicken, I cut it in half down the middle, place onehalf in a zipper bag and freeze it. The other half I keep in the refrigerator in a plastic zipper bag and make two meals out of it, one with the leg and thigh, and one with the breast and wing. Or sometimes I eat the wing with the leg and thigh. The zipper bag wil retain the correct amount of moisture. Submersing in liquid isn't going to keep it moist, it is going to turn it into chicken flavoured Jell-O.

 

[taxlady]

I also find that storing cooked chicken, even store bought rotisserie chicken in a zipper bag keeps the chicken from drying out. If the chicken was already dry, it won't fix that.

 

[pictonguy]

Well, if it's dry from being overcooked to begin with then there's no liquid that will save it, it will be dry. if it's still moist and succulent then I would remove all the meat from the carcass and Ideally vac pack it but at least put in a zip lock and remove as much air as possible. Generally that meat is for other purposes like sandwiches, soup, curries etc and generally just a little moisture under a low heat will bring it back, mostly.

 

[dragnlaw]

I agree with the others. Don't use the container it originally came in, whether foiled paper or not. Use a plastic zip bag, trying to get as much air out as possible.

BTW, Welcome to DC brak86! Hope you stick around. Got more questions? Got handy tips you'd like to share?

 

[CharlieD]

Never had this problem. I cut the chicken in the have, or quarters. and put in a Ziplock bag/bags. Refrigerate, without any problem.

 

[dragnlaw]

I'm guessing it has been stored in it's original container, hence the drying out.

 

[brak86]

Thank you all very much.

 

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

 

[dragnlaw]

Disclaimer: This is not carte blanche for everyone. If you are in the "at risk" population, perhaps you should not.
But, that being said... LOL, that's how I've done it for years. I've had/got several vacuum sealers but sometimes it is just faster to do 3 chicken breasts or just one bag like that.
I did my cooked stuffed mushrooms from the other day like that.

And yes, I do chicken and raw meats. And no, I don't suck in the juices. And no, I've never suffered from salmonella poisoning, I don't inhale the air I've sucked out. And I'm half-way thru my 80th year.

Either I've got a very good constitution and ate lots of dirt in my youth or perhaps it is simply a case of "Should any get into my mouth my wine seems to take care of it".

 

[taxlady]

I usually just lay the bag on a flat surface and squish out as much air as I can. That might include scrunching some of the empty areas. Once it is sealed, I hold it up and if the bag is clinging tightly to the food and to itself in the empty areas, I call it good enough. I do that with food I'm storing in the fridge too. It lets me know right away if I didn't get the entire zipper closure closed.

 

[dragnlaw]

When I first got my 'Food Saver' vacuum sealer, I did everything I could get my hand on. One was some Smarties - worked well!
Another was some Provolone cheese.. oops..
when I opened the package all the slices had 'melded' together. LOL, now you know why many things have a thin piece of parchment paper between the slices. LOL