Breaded Chicken Bites

Chicken bites can generally last 1 to 2 days in the fridge once cooked if they're kept in an airtight container. If you freeze cooked chicken bites, you can extend their shelf-life to about 2-6 months. Kept at room temperature, the cooked chicken bites won't be safe to eat after 2 hours. If they're unopened from a pre-packaged container, then they should be safe up until the expiry date printed on the package.

You can tell the chicken bites have gone bad in several ways. If they have a strong, foul or unusual smell, that's a clear sign. The color can also change - chicken that's gone bad may look more grey or green than pink. Another indicator is texture, if it feels slimy or sticky it's not safe to consume. Lastly, if you taste a small bite and it is sour or off, spit it out as this also indicates spoilage.

• Always store chicken bites in an airtight container in the fridge to keep them fresh. Leave a blank space for air to circulate. • If you're not going to eat them within 2 days, it's best to store them in the freezer instead. Portion them out into single servings to make defrosting easier. • When defrosting frozen chicken bites, move the container from the freezer to the fridge and let them defrost overnight. This is the safest method. • Avoid reheating chicken bites more than once as this can cause a loss of moisture and increase the risk of bacteria growth. • Lastly, always adhere to the 'when in doubt, throw it out' rule. If you're unsure about whether your chicken bites are still good or not, it's better to be safe than sorry!