How long does rotisserie chicken last?

Checked 25 Oct 20263 official publishers, 3 sources

Store-bought: 3-4 days in the fridge and 4 months in the freezer for best quality.

Storage times for rotisserie chicken by state and place
StateCounterFridge 40 °FFreezer 0 °F
Store-bought 2 hours max CDC 3-4 days FoodKeeper Extension 4 months best quality FoodKeeper Extension
Times assume continuous refrigeration at 40 °F or below. When in doubt, throw it out. Freezer times are for quality: “Because freezing 0° F (-18° C) keeps food safe indefinitely, the following recommended storage times are for quality only.” FDA

Sources compared

SourceStateCounterFridgeFreezer
USDA FSIS (FoodKeeper) 2018Store-bought-3-4 days4 months
University of Illinois ExtensionStore-bought-3-4 days4 months
CDC 2025Store-bought2 hours--

A dash means that source gives no time for that place.

What the sources say

FoodKeeper lists rotisserie chicken as a product of its own and counts its times from the day of purchase: 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.1

For a rotisserie chicken going into the freezer, FoodKeeper gives 4 months, also counted from the purchase date.1

The University of Illinois Extension names rotisserie chicken in the leftovers chart of its cooking for one handouts and gives exactly the same two times, 3 to 4 days in the fridge and 4 months in the freezer.21

That chart appears under the advice to freeze or refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking, and to wrap leftovers in airtight packaging such as freezer wrap, heavy-duty aluminum foil, freezer bags or containers with tight fitting lids.2

For reheating these leftovers, the Illinois handout says they must reach an internal temperature of 165 °F, checked with a food thermometer, and suggests covering them to retain moisture and heat them all the way through.2

Rules that apply here

Sources

  1. USDA FoodKeeper data v128, product 141: Rotisserie chicken. USDA FSIS (FoodKeeper). Dated 2018-09-06. Checked 2026-10-24. Rotisserie chicken. DOP_Refrigerate: 3-4 Days; DOP_Freeze: 4 Months
  2. • Make a shopping list, plan. University of Illinois Extension. No date on the page. Checked 2026-10-25. Rotisserie chicken 3-4 days 4 months
  3. Preventing Food Poisoning | Food Safety | CDC. CDC. Dated 2025-11-24. Checked 2026-10-24. Never leave perishable food out for more than 2 hours (or 1 hour if exposed to temperatures above 90°F).
  4. REFRIGERATOR & FREEZER STORAGE CHART. FDA. Dated 2018-03-01. Checked 2026-10-24. Because freezing 0° F (-18° C) keeps food safe indefinitely, the following recommended storage times are for quality only.