You’ve come to the right place if you’re unsure if the chicken in your refrigerator is still edible.
A lot of people love to eat poultry. One of our favorite types of meat, whether it’s roasted, grilled, or fried, is chicken. But how long can you keep it in your fridge before it spoils?
Even when placed in your refrigerator with other foods, chicken meat is susceptible to spoiled food.
We advise continuing to read this thorough guide if you want to prevent eating spoiled chicken.
How Long Will Raw Chicken Stay Good in the Fridge?
According to the USDA and U.S. Food and Drug Administration, raw chicken (regardless of if it’s whole; in pieces such as breasts, thighs, drumsticks, and wings; or ground) should be stored for no longer than one to two days in the refrigerator. If the chicken was previously frozen, this timeline goes into effect after the meat is fully defrosted.
In the fridge, raw chicken only lasts one to two days.
The best course of action is to freeze that raw chicken if you don’t know if you’ll cook it before this deadline expires.
In some cases, severe food poisoning can require hospitalization and even lead to death (10, 11).
There is a chance that chicken that has been in the refrigerator for more than a few days has gone bad.
Raw chicken pieces can be stored in the freezer for up to 9 months, while a whole chicken can be frozen for up to one year. Cooked chicken can be stored in the freezer for 2–6 months (1, 2).
Do not eat your chicken if you suspect it may be spoiled. It’s best to always throw away chicken you think has gone bad.
However, you still need to avoid cooking and eating spoiled chicken. Although re-heating or cooking can kill surface bacteria, it won’t eliminate some of the toxins produced by bacteria, which can give you food poisoning if you eat them (8).
Why You Should Store Chicken In The Fridge
Chicken can only be kept at room temperature for a maximum of two hours. After this period of time has passed, your chicken will begin to spoil if you are unsure that you can begin cooking.
Regarding cooked chicken, the length of time you can leave it outside determines why you should keep it in the refrigerator. You may be aware that between 40°F and 140°F, bacteria can grow quickly.
Despite the fact that the bacteria in the chicken are killed by high cooking temperatures, they can reappear when the meat cools. Given that, you should not leave chickens out overnight. Refrigeration slows the growth of bacteria and safeguards the meat.
However, this method only lasts for a short term. Chicken would be susceptible to bacteria after a short period of refrigeration if you didn’t cook it. To extend the storage time, it’s advisable to freeze chicken.
FAQ
Is raw chicken OK in the fridge for 5 days?
In the refrigerator, raw chicken lasts for 1-2 days while cooked chicken lasts for 3–4 days. Check the “best if used by” date and check for signs of spoilage like changes in smell, texture, and color to determine if chicken has gone bad. Even if you thoroughly cook the chicken, you should avoid eating spoiled chicken because it can make you sick.
How many days can you keep raw chicken in the fridge?
Keeping Chicken in the Fridge You don’t need to keep raw chicken in the freezer; you can keep it there for 1-2 days. If you have cooked chicken leftovers, you can anticipate that they will keep in the refrigerator for 3–4 days.
Can I eat chicken 7 days in fridge?
Cooked chicken can keep in the refrigerator for three to four days if properly stored (in a ziplock bag or other sealed container). And that holds true for any type of cooked chicken, whether it be prepared at home or leftovers from a restaurant.
Can I leave chicken breast in the fridge for a week?
According to the USDA and U. S. According to the Food and Drug Administration, raw chicken should be kept in the refrigerator for no more than one to two days, whether it is whole, cut into pieces like breasts, thighs, drumsticks, and wings, or ground.
