What do food waste and foodborne illness have in common? They’re both preventable. Still, you might find yourself tossing out meat you just bought a few days ago. Or, you take your chances and end up with a stomach ache shortly after. Eating questionable produce is one thing, but you don’t want to mess around with poultry.
Equally, you don't want to waste food if you can preserve it. So, how long can raw chicken stay in the fridge, and can you freeze raw or cooked chicken so it lasts longer? Here are some food storage and preserving tips for raw and cooked chicken.
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How Long Raw Chicken Lasts in the Fridge
Raw chicken's shelf life in the fridge depends on its condition when you buy it. Unfortunately, raw chicken is highly perishable, even in the refrigerator. In most cases, you can keep raw chicken in the fridge for one to two days at most. The “best if used by” date printed on the package is for quality assurance purposes, so you should only eat raw chicken within a day or two, even if its printed expiration date hasn’t passed yet.
If you buy fresh raw chicken at the supermarket, plan on cooking it that night or the next day. This applies to whole chicken or various cuts like chicken breast, thighs, and drumsticks. It also applies to raw turkey. Once two days have passed, the USDA would recommend throwing it out to be on the safe side.
When buying raw poultry, look for plump, springy chicken. It should feel firm and be free of any cosmetic flaws. Fresh chicken will have pink flesh with white or yellow fat. (If it looks pale or gray, that’s a hard pass.) Inspect the packaging while you’re at it. You don’t want it to be filled with air (aka bloated packaging), and you don’t want to choose the package closest to its expiration date. Store chicken wrapped in a plastic bag or in an air-tight container on the bottom shelf of your fridge in case it leaks.
Cooked Chicken Shelf Life
The guidelines are different when storing chicken that has already been cooked. In fact, if you cooked your raw chicken within the recommended two-day window, a new countdown begins. Cooked chicken stays fresh in the refrigerator for up to four days.
If raw chicken is at risk of going bad, assess the condition of it to decide whether or not you should eat it right away or toss it. If the chicken is not yet showing any signs of spoilage (poor smell, slime, or discoloration), you may still be able to eat it or freeze it to preserve it longer.
If it hasn't yet gone bad, thoroughly cook the chicken to an internal temperature of 165°F in order to make sure that it's safe to eat. If you plan on leaving any leftovers in the fridge, allow the chicken to cool before refrigerating it. This can help prevent the growth of bacteria.
You can identify spoiled chicken by smelling and looking at it. Spoiled chicken will have a noticeable and unpleasant smell, and it may appear slimy. Color changes, such as turning gray or green, are also signs that chicken has gone bad. When in doubt, throw it out.
How Long Raw Chicken Lasts in the Freezer
If you’re afraid your chicken will go bad before you get the chance to use it, freezing it is an option. Raw chicken can be stored in the freezer longer than you can store it in the fridge. Frozen chicken cuts or pieces that are raw last for about nine months. Just be sure to freeze chicken within a day or two of bringing it home.
It's important to properly package it to maintain the quality. Store chicken in the freezer in an air-tight container or vacuum-sealed bag to prevent air exposure and freezer burn. It's worth labeling the chicken with the date of freezing to be mindful of how long it has been left.
Unlike raw chicken, you can keep cooked chicken in the freezer indefinitely (though it may lose its freshness as time goes on).
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