Unless the cooked chicken is kept warm, above 140°F, the general rule of thumb for cooked chicken is that it should not sit out on your kitchen table or buffet for more than two hours. Any cooked chicken left at room temperature for more than two hours should probably be thrown out.
You should not eat fried chicken from KFC or any food that has been in the fridge for a week. Chicken should be consumed within 3-4 days of being stored in the fridge. If you plan to keep KFC food leftovers for more than four days or later date, then freeze them in the freezer right away.
No, it is not safe to leave raw chicken out overnight. Raw chicken should always be stored in the refrigerator or freezer to prevent bacterial growth and foodborne illness. Bacteria such as Salmonella and Campylobacter can multiply rapidly at room temperature and make you sick if consumed.
Therefore it's advisable to not sit out your fried cooked chicken at room temperature, instead, it should be kept in the refrigerator. According to guidance from the United States Department of Agriculture, it's suggested to safely leave your cooked chicken out at room temperature for up to two hours.
It is not safe to eat raw or cooked chicken that has been sitting out at room temperature for more than two hours. Instead, you should discard it because otherwise, you're putting yourself at risk for food poisoning.
Unless the cooked chicken is kept warm, above 140°F, the general rule of thumb for cooked chicken is that it should not sit out on your kitchen table or buffet for more than two hours. Any cooked chicken left at room temperature for more than two hours should probably be thrown out.
The Two-Hour Rule
Havern explains: "The maximum amount of time perishable foods can [spend] in the danger zone is two hours. At two hours, the food must be consumed, stored correctly, or thrown away. This includes all cooked leftovers, [chopped] fruits and vegetables, meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy products."
Temperature plays a critical role in holding meat safely. The Danger Zone is the temperature range that is ideal for bacterial growth--between 40 °F and 140°F. Bacteria grow readily between the temperature range of 70°F and 120°F. Therefore, meat must pass through this temperature range quickly.
Poultry is notorious for spoiling after only a few hours, so eating poultry that's been left-out for a whole day is just asking for trouble. It is not recommended to eat fried chicken that has been left unrefrigerated for 24 hours. Bacteria can grow rapidly at room temperature, potentially leading to food poisoning.
Myth: Washing or rinsing raw chicken or turkey before cooking removes harmful bacteria. Fact: Thoroughly cooking chicken and turkey to 165°F is the best way to kill harmful bacteria such as Campylobacter and Salmonella.
No, it is unsafe to eat chicken left out overnight. According to the USDA, eating chicken left at room temperature for longer than two hours is unsafe. Cooked chicken should be consumed or refrigerated within two hours after cooking to prevent bacteria growth.
Cooked chicken that has been sitting out for longer than 2 hours (or 1 hour above 90° F) should be discarded. The reason is that bacteria grow rapidly when cooked chicken is kept at temperatures between 40° F and 140° F. To prevent foodborne illness, try to refrigerate the cooked chicken as soon as you can.
In short, yes. Reheating leftover fried chicken is safe, provided that it was fully cooked the first time and was well wrapped and refrigerated promptly (within a couple hours) after it was originally cooked.
KFC chicken has a shelf life of around 2 hours at room temperature. If stored properly in the refrigerator, it can last up to 4 days. Freeze for up to 4 months for best taste and quality.
You can keep leftover KFC chicken in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. For the best texture, I don't recommend freezing fried chicken. Chicken is a perishable food, so for food safety, don't leave it out at room temperature for more than 1-2 hours.
40-140-4 Rule for Meat
If you are planning to smoke or grill meat, you should know about the 40-140-4 rule; The idea behind this rule is that meat should increase the temperature from 40°F to 140°F within 4 hours. It will reduce the bacteria growth to a great extent.
Old oil is often full of particulate matter, which lends the chicken a darker color and, worse, a rancid flavor. The best way to tell if your oil is too old is to give it a big sniff before you pour it into your pot.
Any poultry such as chicken, ducks or turkey (including their livers) will also be contaminated throughout whether they are whole or minced so they must be cooked to 75°C in the thickest part near the centre. Leftovers should be reheated to 75°C in the centre and make sure they are stirred to ensure an even temperature.
USDA recommends using cooked chicken within three to four days, kept refrigerated (40°F or less). Refrigeration slows but does not stop bacterial growth. USDA recommends using cooked leftovers within three to four days.
According to the USDA, cooked chicken will last three to four days in the refrigerator, and two to three months in the freezer. Eating cooked chicken after this point can result in foodborne illness — even at refrigerated temperatures, bacteria can still grow.
TWO HOURS is the MAXIMUM time perishable foods should be at room temperature (ONE HOUR at temperatures 90 degrees F and higher). This INCLUDES the time they're on the table during your meal. Just ONE bacterium, doubling every 20 minutes, can grow to over 2,097,152 bacteria in 7 hours!
Never leave food out of refrigeration over 2 hours. If the temperature is above 90 °F, food should not be left out more than 1 hour.
According to the USDA, food that has been left out of the fridge for more than two hours should be thrown away. That's because between 40° F and 140° F (what the USDA calls the "Danger Zone"), bacteria grows incredibly fast and can make you sick.