Hi

Think this will be okay but just want another opinion. Completely cooking novice here so rather ask and be safe

I bought a packet of 4 pepper chicken breasts a few day ago and put them in the fridge (use by date is 07-01-2014)

I cooked 2 of them this evening for dinner, so still got 2 left in the fridge.

Was thinking of cooking the other 2 later this evening, putting in sandwiches for lunch and in fridge until tomorrow.

Will the chicken be okay to eat if I do this?

Thanks

Yes they'll be fine - if they have been kept at low temperature.

But why didn't you cook them all together and save on fuel by having to cook them a second time? Also food keeps longer after being cooked.

Curious as to why you bought 4 pepper chicken breasts rather than 4 chicken breasts and sprinkled pepper on top?

They'll be fine. You could also freeze them .

But chicken, even cooked chicken, does go off and one can get very ill as I have been on off chicken.

Also chicken needs defrosting thoroughly before cooking - for some reason.

I cook chicken from frozen all the time, I never have a problem with it. I'm talking about oven cooking though, not stove-top.

To the OP: I wouldn't keep the cooked chicken in the fridge too long, if you're not planning on using it within a couple of days, may be best to freeze it. Slice it first if you're freezing then you can defrost only as much as you need at a time.

Give it a sniff, if it's on the turn, it'll whiff a bit - fresh chicken has very little smell to it.

As already said, it depends on the temperature it's been stored at, and also how long it was hanging around when you were shopping.

Personally, I wouldn't freeze chicken that is close to its use-by date.

No smell from it and its being oven cooked. It didn't occur to me to cook the other two until afterwards. Its not being frozen either

It was a small shop and they didn't appear to have any normal chicken breasts hence the pepper chicken breasts.

Nice one - get it into the fridge as soon as it's cool enough.

Why does it need defrosting? Lots of places sell chicken you can cook from frozen.

Don't know. I wrote "for some reason". If you google there are articles for and against defrosting.

One view which makes sense to me is that if cooked from frozen then the outside will be fully cooked before the core has been able to defrost and the core may be still frozen or perhaps raw on serving. If defrosted cooking will be more even from the surface to the core.

Basically it is down to the temperature and speed of cooking. Grilling and frying and 250ºC high heat definitely defrost. 150ºC "perhaps" not necessary.

Here is one article in favour of defrosting [I have seen others saying it doesn't much matter]

http://www.livescience.com/40376-sal...king-tips.html

You stated it as a fact, that it needs to be done, when clearly it doesn't.

If a "Completely cooking novice" asks again I'd repeat it again as a fact. But I won't get into an argument over it with proficient cooks - each to their own.

Good, don't get into an argument you can't win is my motto.

Yes once you cook it, it gives it an extra day or two so will be fine tomorrow.

You could always chicken out is my motto.

Chill out mate, it's only chicken!

Once upon a time it was....
We had the horsemeat controversy.
The current controversy in China is that they've discovered their beloved donkey meat has been found to contain fox.
Cultural relativity.

On a related note...... I put a chicken in the freezer last night. how long will it last for?

It'll probably be dead by now

Made me chuckle.

That was the joke lol

why do people worry about use by dates so much

I always assume food isn't OK one day, and deadly the instant it goes out of date. I expect generally you probably have a good few days before any concern.

eg yesterday I got a stilton in a pot from aldi down to 99p, dated 8th Jan. No over-ripe ness problems at all.