Raw chicken is only good for two days according to the USDA. Heres what you need to know.
Im a big fan of using meat delivery services to have the fixings for dinner delivered right to my door. Getting fresh chicken has made figuring out what to cook up on week nights easier, but I dont always eat everything, and often use the leftovers for lunches. However, I know chicken doesnt have a long shelf life, even after cooking. I just recently realized that eating chicken that had started to turn brown could have put me at risk of getting food poisoning.
This is especially important because summer is almost here, and poultry is a higher-risk meat than beef due to its propensity to develop E. coli and other food-borne illnesses. Thats why you never want to eat bad chicken, and storing it properly is key to avoiding sickness.
The USDA gives chicken just 48 hours to be cooked and consumed after purchase, but that timeframe errs on the safe side and isnt the final word on when bird goes bad.
If youre wondering whether or not your chicken is bad or how long it is good for in the fridge, we have answers. Here, we explain how long chicken typically lasts in the fridge and freezer — both cooked and uncooked — and how to know when its time to put that poultry out to pasture.
Chicken is a dietary staple for many. It’s versatile, nutritious, and relatively inexpensive compared to other meats. But like all raw meats, chicken is highly perishable and must be stored properly to avoid spoilage and foodborne illness. So how long can you actually keep raw chicken in the fridge before it goes bad?
The Short Answer
The USDA says that raw chicken can be kept in the fridge for one to two days. It’s best to cook or freeze chicken within this time frame to keep it fresh and safe. After two days, you can’t be sure that raw chicken is safe or of good quality.
The Long Answer
Let’s dive deeper into specifics on storing raw chicken:
Factors That Impact Raw Chicken’s Fridge Life
Several key factors determine how long raw chicken lasts in refrigeration:
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Storage temperature – Chicken stored at 40°F or below will last longer than chicken left above 40°F.
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Packaging – Chicken stored in airtight packaging or bags with all air pressed out will maintain quality longer
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Chicken part – Whole chickens last longer than chicken parts like breasts or thighs
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Freshness when purchased – The fresher chicken is when bought, the longer it will last in the fridge.
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Freezer burn or thawing and refreezing—Chicken that has freezer burn or has been thawed and frozen again won’t last as long.
USDA Recommendations
The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) provides these raw chicken fridge life guidelines:
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1-2 days for raw chicken parts like breasts, thighs, drumsticks etc.
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1-2 days for giblets like livers, hearts, gizzards, necks
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1-2 days for ground chicken and chicken patties
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1-2 days for marinated raw chicken
Signs Chicken Has Gone Bad
Watch for these signs that indicate raw chicken has spoiled and should be discarded:
- Unpleasant sour, ammonia-like smell
- Grayish, greenish, or yellowish discoloration
- Slimy or sticky texture
- Dull, tacky flesh rather than glossy and firm
Don’t risk eating chicken with those characteristics – safety comes first!
Proper Raw Chicken Fridge Storage
Follow these tips to help raw chicken last as long as possible in the fridge:
- Refrigerate chicken in original packaging/wrapping
- If repackaging, use air-tight containers or bags
- Store chicken on bottom shelf to contain leaks/juices
- Place chicken on plate/tray to catch leaks
- Keep chicken furthest away from ready-to-eat foods
- Ensure fridge temperature is 40°F or below
The Takeaway
The USDA recommends using raw chicken within 1-2 days for food safety and quality. Monitor chicken for signs of spoilage like smell and sliminess. With proper refrigeration and storage, raw chicken can stay fresh for the recommended timeframe before cooking or freezing is required. Trust your senses – when in doubt, throw it out!
How long does raw chicken last in the fridge?
The USDA recommends cooking chicken one or two days after you buy it. If that seems conservative and sooner than the sell-by date on the package, thats because it is — but theres a reason for that. The sell-by, use-by or freeze-by date may be as long as a week from when you bought it, but thats just the chicken producers guess as to how long the chicken will be at optimal taste before it starts deteriorating in quality.
As many in this Reddit thread and others assert, you can probably split the difference without serious ramifications, but you should never eat chicken thats been in the fridge for more than three or four days. The reason why chicken isnt necessarily safe to eat until that sell-by date is two-fold:
For one, that date isnt issued by a regulating body, but rather by the brand. Even though chicken brands have to think about safety for customers, their main goal is to get stores to buy their product. The longer its “good for,” the better chance theyll have of making a larger sale.
The other reason is that grocery store meat fridges and coolers are usually colder than your average home refrigerators. A normal fridge has to keep meat cold without freezing delicate vegetables and other groceries. Supermarket meat coolers only need to keep meat cold, so they can be at lower resting temperatures. Chicken kept at a colder temperature is naturally going to last longer.
Can I eat chicken that’s been in the fridge for more than two days?
The USDA recommends not storing raw chicken in the fridge for more than two days. From our experience, three to four days should be OK, provided youre within the use-by or sell-by date. Beyond this, avoid consuming the chicken.
How long can you keep raw chicken in the fridge?
FAQ
Is raw chicken ok in the fridge for 5 days?
No, raw chicken is generally not safe to eat after being refrigerated for 5 days. The USDA recommends refrigerating raw chicken for only 1-2 days.
Is 3 days too long for raw chicken?
Key Points: Raw chicken can stay in the fridge for one to two days, but cooked chicken can stay there for three to four days. Freezer Storage: Raw chicken pieces last up to 9 months in the freezer; whole chickens up to 1 year.
Can I eat chicken after 7 days in the fridge?
It’s generally not recommended to eat cooked chicken that has been stored in the refrigerator for more than 3 to 4 days. After this time, the risk of foodborne illness increases due to the growth of bacteria.
How long will it take for raw chicken to spoil?
Fresh, whole chicken or chicken parts will last for 1 to 2 days when stored in the refrigerator, according to FDA guidelines. “Once you cook chicken or chicken dishes, your food should not sit out at room temperature for over 2 hours—or over 1 hour if the temperature is 90 degrees F or above,” Amidor says.
How long can you keep raw chicken in the fridge?
Note that the USDA recommends using raw chicken within 1 to 2 days of purchase. “I always store uncooked chicken on the bottom shelf in the refrigerator,” says First for Women test kitchen manager Susan Chiusano. “That’s the coldest spot in the fridge, which helps the meat stay fresh longer. “.
How long does chicken last in the fridge?
You should store it in an airtight container in a fridge that’s set at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below. When the chicken is refrigerated in the proper conditions, it can last for three to four days, according to the U. S. Department of Agriculture.
Can you eat raw chicken after 3 days in the fridge?
Unfortunately, the answer isn’t straightforward. How safe raw chicken is after three days in the fridge depends on a number of things, such as the temperature at which it was stored, how it was when it was bought, and how fresh it is overall. Generally, raw chicken is safe to consume within 1-2 days of refrigeration.