Uncooked

If you have just purchased fresh chicken cutlets from the store and you are not going to eat them right away, the freezer is the perfect place to store them. According to the Ohio State University Extension website, whole chicken and chicken cuts -- such as cutlets -- can be safely stored in your home freezer for as long as 12 months, as long as the freezer temperature is set to 0 degrees Fahrenheit or below.

Cooked

Store leftover chicken cutlets, no matter how they are cooked, in the freezer if you do not plan to consume them in the near future. The U.S. Department of Agriculture states that cooked poultry will keep in your home freezer, set at 0 degrees F or below, for four to six months. So if you look in the freezer and see cooked chicken cutlets that are more than six months old, throw them away.

Proper Wrapping

Check the store wrapping of the chicken cutlets before you purchase them. If ripped or torn, choose another package. When you get home, freeze the chicken cutlets in this original packaging. The Ohio State University Extension website explains that it is safe for the chicken to remain in the original wrapping for up to two weeks in the freezer. If you plan to freeze the chicken cutlets longer, wrap them tightly in freezer wrap, which can go right over the original packaging. Write the date on the packaging with a permanent marker so that you can refer to it at a later time.

Safe Thawing

If you check the dates on the chicken in your freezer and they are within the safe-to-eat time frame, thaw them safely. Leaving chicken cutlets out on the counter all day to thaw is asking for trouble. Chicken thawing at room temperature becomes a breeding ground for bacteria. The safest way to thaw poultry is in the refrigerator. Move the chicken cutlets from the freezer to the refrigerator the night before cooking to ensure that they are ready for cooking by dinnertime the next day.