# Cooling down a whole rotisserie chicken?



## person54321 (Aug 2, 2016)

I bought a hot rotisserie chicken at lunchtime today (around 12:30) and stuck it in my work fridge then brought it home and put it back in the fridge. At 6:30 I went in to "disassemble" the chicken and the inside was still slightly warm. Is the chicken still safe? I know I should have broken it down into pieces before cooling but I didn't have a space to do it.


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## koukouvagia (Apr 3, 2008)

It's never a good idea to place a hot dish in the refrigerator.  A rotisserie chicken is tender and can easily be broken apart with your hands.  Even splitting the chicken down the middle lengthwise first would have been a good way to make it cool down quickly before placing in the fridge.  I do usually allow the chicken to come down to room temp before putting in the fridge.


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## phatch (Mar 29, 2002)

You're likely OK.


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## zagut (Dec 30, 2013)

I'll agree with phatch.

I often buy a rotisserie chicken because I can't buy and roast a chicken for $5.00.

Economy means a lot.

I bring it home and toss it in the fridge.

It's good for several meals and I've never had a problem doing this for years.


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## jay lancaster (Aug 26, 2016)

Several options.  As suggested above...split, room temp for +/- an hour, refrigerate...or, if you can't split it, put it in the freezer for an hour and then in the fridge.  

With that said, I bet you didn't die.


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## chrislehrer (Oct 9, 2008)

If it was cooked through when you bought it, the majority of the really nasty stuff was already dead (salmonella, etc.). At that point the concern is a warm, fertile environment for new cultures.

Sticking a hot dish into a fridge is a bad idea mostly because the fridge interior gets warm, endangering everything else.

In short, don't worry about it, but try not to do it again.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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