Can chicken cook halfway stay in warm oven and finished later?

It's not recommended to cook chicken halfway and then leave it in a warm oven to finish later. Here's why:

* Food Safety: Leaving cooked chicken at temperatures between 40°F and 140°F (4°C and 60°C) is known as the "danger zone" where bacteria can multiply rapidly. This can make you sick.

* Uneven Cooking: If you remove the chicken before it's fully cooked and leave it in a warm oven, the center might not reach a safe internal temperature. The outside might dry out while the inside remains undercooked.

* Quality: Chicken cooked in this way might become dry and tough.

What to do instead:

* Cook the chicken fully: Ensure your chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) before you remove it from the oven.

* Keep it hot: If you need to keep cooked chicken warm for a short time, use a warming oven or a slow cooker set on low.

* Chill it quickly: If you're not serving the chicken immediately, cool it quickly in an ice bath and refrigerate within two hours.

Remember, food safety is crucial. It's always better to err on the side of caution when cooking chicken.