It’s sometimes impossible to have healthy lunch with your kids especially when you work all day and you have to prepare it from the scratch. This always leads many of us to end up with unhealthy meals and snacks.
But not more! Say goodbye to unhealthy meals. Freeze your mouth-watering chicken salad and give your body a healthy treat.
You may wonder can you freeze chicken salad?
Yes, you can, if you do it properly. As chicken salad is not one of those food items that you can prepare in the quickest way but you can prepare the salad in bulk and can freeze chicken salad to use for later.
Chicken salads are full of wholesome nutrition and healthy flavors. You can make your chicken salad with endless combinations of fruits, vegetables, and sauces – whatever you prefer.
In the next portion of the article today, you will get to know some tips and tricks to freeze your chicken salad efficiently. Plus, what factors you should consider before freezing are also covered.
Can you freeze chicken salad?
As we said, the one-word answer is ‘Yes’. The quality might be compromised a little when it is thawed. How long you would be able to freeze your chicken salad depends on what ingredients you have used in making your salad. Many people find it delicious the next day when all the ingredients and flavors melt together to form a uniform taste.
The freshness of your chicken salad is based on how well you have packed your chicken salad. If it is done properly, then it can last up to 3 months in your freezer.
How to freeze your chicken salad?
You can follow these simple steps to freeze your chicken to keep it fresh for a longer period:
- Use plastic containers or freezer-safe bags
- When using plastic bags, remove air by pressing to eliminate the chances of oxidation.
- Place your salad inside the bag and seal it air-tight.
- Store your chicken salad only in the freezer.
- Write the date when you put your salad into the freezer or paste a date labeling sticker for your ease.
- Unless you added hard-boiled eggs in your chicken salad you can use it for 3 months, if your salad has boiled eggs, use it within one month.
- Avoid leaving your chicken salad for hours at room temperature before freezing. This will boost the contamination process.
How to identify if the chicken salad has gone bad?
It is a no-brainer to identify either your chicken salad is good to eat. In case your salad gives odor, got discolored, tastes foul, or has a moist texture – it probably has gone bad. For example, when green lettuce becomes yellow and celery gets discolored.
How longer chicken salad can stay in the freezer?
If the chicken salad has been left for hours at room temperature, it becomes prone to contamination and bacterial invasion is more likely to happen. If the salad is properly stored in the container or the plastic bag, it can stay good for more than two months.
On the contrary, if the chicken salad is kept in the fridge, it cannot last up to more than five days even. It’s better to store it in the freezer when you want it to stay for a longer time.
How to properly thaw frozen chicken salad?
Defrosting chicken salad is a crucial part for those who keep frozen items on the counter to thaw completely. When you repeat this process in the case of chicken salad, there are more chances that your chicken gets soft and attracts bacteria from the counter.
To make your chicken salad completely edible, you have to take it out from the freezer and keep it in the fridge for several hours until it gets defrost without losing the whole cold temperatures.
Speeding up the freezing process of chicken salad
Just in the time of festivals or a barbeque night when you are hosting gatherings, you don’t want your tasty chicken salad to be messed up if you prepare it in a hurry. To freeze your salad would be a better way in these situations. As part of your cuisine, it will be helpful in a way if this recipe does not need freshly prepared ingredients when it needs to be served.
To efficiently serve the portion of your salad servings, freeze them in separate bags. Just add butter or mayonnaise at the top in order to avoid softening.
Haste makes waste
Avoid putting your chicken salad bag into the warm water to defrost quickly. It will not only ruin your frozen salad but also makes the cabbage and other vegetables soggy. Plus, rapid defrosting will also be the reason for foodborne illness. When it is needed to be consumed, defrost it the whole night.
Is it possible to freeze mayonnaise chicken salad?
Mayonnaise is not an ideal combination with chicken salad to freeze. The bonding agent of mayonnaise doesn’t really match with other ingredients of chicken salad so it doesn’t completely freeze. Your salad may turn into an oily texture as mayonnaise lose its oily ingredients which are not suitable for freezing.
In cases, when it is compulsory to freeze mayo and chicken salad, some precautions are there that you need to consider before freezing.
For this, first, use mayonnaise alternatives like whipped creams and Greek yogurt that have better freezing agents than mayonnaise. If you don’t want to compromise the taste, then prepare the liquid dressings of your chicken salad separately and store them individually without mixing the mayonnaise dressing and chicken salad together.
When you want to serve them, thaw them properly and mix them nicely and serve them as they should. For lengthening the freshness store the salad and dressing in an air-tight jar or container to avoid oxidation.
Is it possible to freeze chicken salad with fruits?
Can you freeze grapes and other fruits with chicken salad and mayonnaise? Yes, but you have to follow the same step mentioned above to store them individually.
On mixing mayonnaise with grapes, there are chances that your salad can rot easily before its time. You can cut chicken cubes and add diced celery and minced drills with other fruits before freezing.
How can you freeze chicken salad for a longer period?
Depending on the steps you followed to store your chicken salad in the freezer. If air-tight containers and plastic bags are used properly as mentioned above, then your chicken salad can last for two months with its best qualities. It can even take more than that in the freezer, but a little compromised taste will be seen once thawed.
Bottom line
Hope you can answer if someone asks can you freeze chicken salad.
Freezing your mouth-watering chicken salad is possible and fairly easy. On following the tips properly, you are all set up to enjoy your salad even after a good time. You need to be mindful while adding ingredients into salad either they are suitable for freezing or not.
Complete thawing of the ingredients and the chicken is necessary to avoid foodborne illness. Your delicious chicken salad complements as a side dish to many other cuisines, so freezing a chicken salad is an amazing idea when you want to add one more dish to your table.
Stick to the instructions and suggestions given above and you are all good to go.