How long can you freeze cooked chicken curry?

In this brief guide, we will answer the question “How long can you freeze cooked chicken curry?”, mention how to properly store spoiled curry and how to spot spoiled curry. We will also tell you what happens if you eat spoiled curry.

How long can you freeze cooked chicken curry?

You can freeze cooked chicken curry for about 3 months. You should consume it within 3 months while it will not go bad or spoil after 3 months, but it will start to lose its taste and texture. 

Since curries have a lot of wet components, it protects the meat and vegetables added to it (if any) from freezer burn.

Freezer burn is when the food dries out from the edges.

Curries with heavy cream used in the base sauce freeze well and are good to consume once thawed or reheated. Curries made with low fat cream freezes well but it may split up when you are trying to reheat it or thaw it because it is less stable than heavy cream due to less fats.

It is the same with curries made with coconut milk. While coconut milk can be frozen well without any issues, it will split up when it is reheated. Coconut milk also has very less fat content so it tends to curdle when it is exposed to high heat.

One way to go about it is to cook the curry without coconut milk, cream, or yogurt and freeze it. These things can be added once you are reheating the frozen curry.

This way the curry will be as good as new.

However, do not leave the curry out for longer than two hours after cooking it to avoid its spillage. Bacteria grow really fast on food at room temperature. Spoiled food after being frozen will still be spoiled so it can cause food poisoning. 

How to safely store chicken curry after cooking?

Hot food should not be left out for longer than 2 hours. It should be refrigerated within 2 hours. If, due to any reason, you are short on time, you can use the following tips to store your food.

  • If you made a large portion of curry, split it up and place it in several shallow bowls to allow faster cooling. Small portions also allow even and thorough cooling.
  • Place the curry container in a safe and clean spot for it to cool and to protect it from getting contaminated.
  • If you have any commitments and do not have enough time to let it sit at room temperature for it to cool down, fill your sink with water and ice and place your container(s) in it to allow for even faster cooling.
  • Do not leave the curry out for more than 2 hours.
  • Once the curry has cooled down, cover the container with foil or an airtight cover to ensure no contamination occurs. It also helps to keep odors of different food items in the fridge from getting mixed up.
  • Place the curry in a tightly sealed airtight container or a heavy duty freezer bag if you wish to freeze it.
  • Do not leave the freezer door open for longer periods of time to avoid temperature fluctuations.
  • Keep curry away from the freezer from the freezer door as this is where the most temperature fluctuations occur and may cause the chicken in curry to spoil.

How to spot spoiled curry?

Spoiled curry is easy to spot as it may have a weird texture. The curry sauce may not look the same. It may be too grainy or too watery. The color may also change.

If the curry is spoiled, it will also give off a bad smell. Since it has wet components in it, it may even catch mold.

Learn more about spotting spoiled curry here.

What happens if you eat spoiled curry?

Eating spoiled curry can lead to food poisoning especially if the curry contains chicken. The symptoms of food poisoning are nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headaches, and loss of appetite. Sometimes it may even be accompanied by headaches and a failure to keep food down.

Mild cases of food poisoning can be managed at home by eating a high fiber, low fat diet. Severe cases however, require a visit to the hospital. Profuse vomiting can lead to dehydration which is why it is important to increase water intake during a food poisoning episode.

Other FAQs about Curry that you may be interested in.

How to freeze curry leaves?

How long can curry last in the fridge?

What can I substitute for curry powder?

Conclusion

In this brief guide, we answered the question “How long can you freeze cooked chicken curry?”, mentioned how to properly store spoiled curry and how to spot spoiled curry. We also told you what happens if you eat spoiled curry.

Citations 

https://food.ndtv.com/food-drinks/never-put-hot-food-in-the-fridge-heres-why-1773749
https://www.nigella.com/ask/freezing-curry#:~:text=Generally%20stew%2Dtype%20dishes%20such,based%20curries%20freeze%20particularly%20well.&text=Freeze%20the%20curries%20in%20appropriate%20portions%20in%20airtight%20boxes.

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