It’s happened to the best of us. You look in the fridge, grab that raw chicken you meant to cook a few days ago and doubt creeps in.
If you’ve wondered how long you can keep raw chicken in the fridge before it goes bad, this post is for you.
USDA recommends using cooked chicken within three to four days, kept refrigerated (40°F or less). Refrigeration slows but does not stop bacterial growth. USDA recommends using cooked leftovers within three to four days.
How to Make Chicken Last Longer in the Fridge
As someone who purchases chicken weekly and lives in a hot-weathered area, I also want my chicken to last longer in the fridge after I get home. I’m going to assume you went home straight from the grocery and that your chicken did not hang out in a hot car for an extended period of time.
Insulate during transport I recommend keeping one or two insulated zippered bags in the trunk of your car so you can keep the chicken (and other chilled foods) cooler on your way home. During hot days, consider keeping your groceries inside the car instead of the trunk, since the main part of the car will be temperature-controlled (AC).
Store Immediately The first thing to do is refrigerate your chicken, as is, as soon as you get home. After you put away the rest of your groceries, you can decide whether you divide your chicken and marinate it, freeze the chicken for later, or turn it into an epic chicken meal for dinner.
Don’t leave it out for long Even if you’re planning on cooking the chicken pieces in a pan later for dinner and need to prep it first, it’s likely you’ll get distracted and the chicken might sit out for too long. Refrigerate it, then focus on the chicken.
Store it in an airtight bag If the chicken isn’t already in a sealed bag, say, you purchased it behind the meat counter of your store, and they wrapped it in paper, I recommend placing it in a zip bag or air-tight container for proper storage.
Line the shelf If you don’t have a meat drawer, consider storing raw proteins inside a protein tray and then placing the tray inside the fridge to prevent any possible leaks of chicken juices from contaminating the rest of the fridge. While this won’t extend the life of your chicken, it will keep your fridge mess-free!
Where in the Fridge Should Raw Chicken be Stored?
If your refrigerator only has shelves, raw chicken should be stored at the bottom shelf and towards the back of the refrigerator. This tends to be the coolest area. If you have a protein or meat drawer, store it there.
Can I eat cooked chicken after 5 days?
FAQ
Can I eat chicken after 5 days in the fridge?
Can raw chicken last 5 days in the fridge?
Can I eat chicken 5 days after use by?
Can chicken be in the fridge for a week?
How long does cooked chicken last after opening?
There are exceptions to this 3 to 4 day rule, including chicken salad (5 days), chicken hot dogs (2 weeks unopened, 1 week after opening), and packaged chicken lunch meat (2 weeks unopened, 3 to 5 days after opening), and deli chicken lunchmeat (3 to 5 days). How Do I Know When Cooked Chicken Has Gone Bad?
Is chicken good for health?
Yes, chicken is good for health. Chicken is filled with high quality proteins and does not contain much fat – especially if you eat lean cuts. Beyond its rich protein content, chicken also contains vitamin B12, tryptophan, choline, zinc, iron and copper. Chicken is rich in a variety of important nutrients including niacin, selenium and phosphorus. Adding chicken to your diet may help support weight loss, muscle growth and bone health. Selenium is a trace mineral that’s necessary for proper immune function, thyroid health and fertility.
Can you eat cooked chicken if it expires?
If you have already cooked the chicken, you need to eat it within 3-4 days, and you should always store it in the refrigerator. Look for chicken with an expiry date that’s at least a few days later than the purchase date. Be sure to store it in the refrigerator or freezer within 2 hours to prevent spoilage.
Does chicken go bad?
Chicken is a versatile, nutritious food that’s a diet staple for many households. However, like many poultry and meat products, chicken can spoil. This can affect its taste and texture — and in some cases, make you ill. That’s why it’s important to know how to tell whether chicken has gone bad.