How Long Is Chicken Good In The Refrigerator? - In-depth Refrigerators Reviews

Chicken is a delicious and healthy source of animal protein. So, if you love chicken or it is a staple meal in your home, then at some point you may have pondered on this all-important question – How long is chicken good in the refrigerator?

As with most high-risk foods like chicken, poor food storage increases the chance of food-borne illness and should be avoided.

This is why food experts and agencies have put safe cold storage temperatures at 40 degrees Fahrenheit for refrigerators and 0 degrees Fahrenheit for freezers.

So, while it is easy to relax with the convenience that refrigerating chicken offers (because, oh well, it’s in cold storage), information on how long chicken should keep in the refrigerator is quite important.

What’s more? It is vital to note that the duration for keeping chicken in your refrigerator varies with whether it is raw, cooked, or if it is some leftover chicken from Thanksgiving.

All that said, this article will help you understand how long chicken lasts in your refrigerator within these different scenarios. It will also help you to know when raw or cooked chicken has gone bad.

Table of Contents

How Long is Chicken Good in The Refrigerator? – Raw Chicken

Raw chicken – as a whole or in pieces like wings, drumsticks, thighs, and breasts – is only safe in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days (source).

This time frame also applies to frozen chicken (or parts) left in the refrigerator to thaw. It takes effect as soon as the chicken is completely thawed.

Meanwhile, to avoid missing the 2-day timeline, it is good practice to freeze raw chicken immediately you buy it while you decide on the appropriate time to use it.

Raw, whole chicken is good in the freezer for up to 12 months, while pieces/parts of the chicken are good in the freezer for up to 9 months (source).

How Long is Chicken Good in The Refrigerator? – Cooked Chicken

You’ve just ordered cooked chicken or you’ve cooked some for yourself and won’t be eating it immediately.

First of all, if you ordered takeout, it is advisable to order it when it is piping hot. That way, you can be sure that it has been within the safe temperature zone and it is safe for eating till you get home or wherever you have a refrigerator installed.

By the way, it is good practice to refrigerate the cooked chicken within 2 hours after purchase.

Now that that’s out of the way, how long is cooked chicken good in the refrigerator?

Cooked chicken is good in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.

But if you still think you won’t be eating it within 3 to 4 days then it is advisable to freeze it.

If you decide to freeze the chicken, then we should let you know that cooked chicken is good in the freezer for 2 to 6 months.

How Long is Chicken Good in The Refrigerator? – Leftover Chicken

Thanksgiving dinner was a huge success and filled with moments shared with loved ones. But, as expected, there are some leftovers from the dinner.

Also, being a common source of protein, it is very likely that that dinner had some chicken in the mix.

So, how do you store leftover chicken safely? Well, that depends on when you plan to use it.

For instance, casseroles that have cooked chicken or pieces of chicken in them are good in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.

Chicken patties and nuggets, on the other hand, are only good in the fridge for 1 to 2 days.

That being said, leftover chicken and meals with chicken in them last longer in the freezer.

Casseroles, for example, are good in the freezer for 4 to 6 months while nuggets and patties last in the freezer for 1 to 3 months.

Meanwhile, leftover pieces of fried chicken will last in the freezer for 4 months, whereas chicken in gravy or broth is good in the freezer for 6 months (source)

Have you been having trouble with how to store leftover chicken? Not only does the video below offer tips on how long leftover chicken lasts in the fridge, but it also provides options on how to solve your constant leftover chicken dilemma.

How to Tell If Chicken Has Gone Bad

Chicken – whether it is raw or cooked – can get spoilt after a few days in your refrigerator.

However, there are a few ways to tell when the chicken has gone bad and needs to be tossed in the trash can.

Here they are:

Smell

Chicken that has gone bad often gives off a pungent acidic smell that is similar to ammonia. Unfortunately, one may not be able to perceive this smell distinctly if the chicken was already marinated with spices and herbs or sauces.

‘Use By’ or ‘Best By’ Date

There’s a high chance that if the date on raw chicken has passed then it has gone bad.

Color

If the chicken shows a grayish-green color then it has gone bad. Streaks of gray or green mold are also indications of bacterial growth.

Texture

Noticed a slimy texture on the chicken? Yes? The only thing you should do with it is to throw it away. And in case you think rinsing off the slimy texture will do anything to make it safe, we hate to burst your bubble – But, it won’t. Rather, rinsing will only spread the bacteria to other foods around it, as well as to surfaces and utensils (source).

Chef Curtis Stone was on the Rachel Ray Show a while ago and he showed what color fresh chicken should look like. Find out what color he referred to in this short video:

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How Long Is Chicken Good In The Refrigerator? A Quick Recap…

Raw Chicken is good for 1 to 2 days in a fridge but will last for as long as 9 to 12 months in a freezer. Leftover chicken, on the other hand, will last for 3 to 4 days in the fridge and will last for 2 to 6 months in the freezer; with chicken patties and nuggets lasting for a shorter period of 2 to 3 months in the freezer.

Meanwhile, always remember that the safe temperature zone for storing chicken is 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below in a fridge and 0 degrees Fahrenheit or below in a freezer.

Thinking of getting a new refrigerator soon? We have reviewed some good refrigerators already. You may want to take advantage of these reviews here to find a suitable fridge for you.