Finding spoiled food is a surefire way to put a damper on any enthusiasm you may have had for cooking dinner, but is smell enough of a clue to let you know that your chicken has turned from fresh to faulty? As a professional chef, I’ve found that it is a good indicator, but there are plenty of other ways to tell if food is spoiled.
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wikiHow Staff Editor Staff Answer This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. wikiHow Staff Editor Staff Answer The expiration date is a good guideline, but it’s not a guarantee that the chicken is good to eat. If your chicken smells spoiled, it’s better not to eat it, even if it hasn’t reached the expiration date on the package. wikiHow Staff Editor Staff Answer This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. wikiHow Staff Editor Staff Answer The chicken might smell sour or be slimy to the touch. You might also notice that it has a dull or greyish color. wikiHow Staff Editor Staff Answer This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. wikiHow Staff Editor Staff Answer The eggy smell is sulfur, which can be released by some types of bacteria. If your chicken smells eggy and it came out of a cling-wrapped or regular plastic package, it’s probably best not to eat it. On the other hand, sometimes an egg smell can be a result of the cryovac packaging process. If your chicken was cryovac packaged, let it sit for a few minutes to see if the smell dissipates. If it does, it is likely safe to eat if you cook it thoroughly. How To Tell If Cooked Chicken Is Bad
Moldy leftover chicken Shutterstock / Boontoom Sae-Kor
Just as there are easy ways to determine when frozen chicken is past its prime, there are reliable ways to determine whether cooked chicken should be discarded or if it’s still safe to eat. In fact, many of the tips are very similar.
Depending on how your leftovers were packaged, chicken left in the fridge has a higher chance of drying out, going bad faster, and absorbing flavors from other foods.
Finding spoiled food is a surefire way to put a damper on any enthusiasm you may have had for cooking dinner, but is smell enough of a clue to let you know that your chicken has turned from fresh to faulty? As a professional chef, I’ve found that it is a good indicator, but there are plenty of other ways to tell if food is spoiled.
FAQ
Can chicken breast go bad in the freezer?
A whole chicken can be frozen for up to a year, but raw chicken pieces can be kept there for up to nine months. For two to six months, cooked chicken can be kept in the freezer (1, 2). While cooked chicken can keep for three to four days in the refrigerator, raw chicken can only keep for one to two days.
How do you know if your chicken is bad in the freezer?
It’s time to part ways if it appears and smells okay but feels particularly slimy, sticky, or dry due to freezer burn. “Raw chicken can feel a little slimy, but if it still feels slimy after being rinsed and dried with a towel, it’s no longer good,” Danielson said.
How can you tell if frozen chicken breast is freezer burnt?
When meat develops freezer burn, its surface loses moisture and turns gray, brown, or gray-brown in color. Foods with freezer burn may develop a grainy texture or appear dry and tough. Additionally, you might discover that freezer burn produces odd flavors.
