In this brief article, we will answer the question, “How long does uncooked chicken last in the fridge?” and provide information on tips to store chicken as well as tips to detect spoilage in chicken.
How long does uncooked chicken last in the fridge?
Uncooked chicken can last for 1-2 days in the fridge. If the chicken is cooked, the shelf-life would extend to 3-4 days.
If you wish to keep the chicken for a long time, it would be better to place them in the freezer.
How to store uncooked chicken?
- If you wish to store the uncooked chicken in the freezer, you can wrap the individual chicken pieces using freezer wrap. After wrapping the chicken in a freezer wrap, store the chicken pieces in an airtight bag in the freezer.
Frozen chicken would last for 8-9 months whereas if the cooked chicken is frozen, it can last for 2-3 months.
- Remove the air from the airtight bag by squeezing the bag before placing the chicken in the freezer.
- Label the frozen chicken before placing them in the freezer. This would help you to remember the date of when you had kept the chicken in the freezer. Place the chicken in the freezer at a temperature below 0 degrees Fahrenheit.
- When you are handling the raw chicken, it is important to wash your hands before touching them.
- If you are placing the chicken in the fridge, it would be better to place them in the lowest region of the fridge. This would prevent the chicken from dripping juices and contaminating other foods.
Place the chicken in a leak-proof container to further reduce the occurrence of spoilage of chicken.
- Place the chicken at a temperature below 40 degrees Fahrenheit in the fridge.
Also, make sure to keep the chicken away from other foods to reduce the occurrence of cross-contamination.
- Avoid placing chicken at room temperature for more than two hours.
How to thaw the chicken?
If you wish to thaw the chicken, it is better to place them in the fridge overnight. Avoid thawing the chicken at the kitchen counter because room temperature can attract the microbes and spoil the chicken.
Avoid thawing the chicken at high temperatures, for instance, in the hot water or the microwave. If chicken is thawed in the microwave or hot water, the high temperature can also increase the risk of spoilage caused by microbes.
For thawing chicken in cold water, cover the chicken with a plastic bag and submerge the chicken into the water for 30 minutes. Keep changing the water to thaw quickly.
If the chicken is thawed in cold water, the moisture can also increase the risk of spoilage of chicken.
If you are planning to thaw chicken in the microwave or cold water, it is better to immediately cook the chicken.
If the chicken is thawed in the fridge, defrosted chicken can last in the fridge for 1-2 days.
How to detect spoilage in chicken?
- Look whether the chicken has gone past its use-by date. The use-by date is an indicator of the safety of the chicken. If the chicken has gone past its use-by date, avoid consuming it even though you might not notice apparent signs of spoilage.
- If the chicken appears to be discolored, it is likely to be spoilt. A grayish-green discoloration would indicate that the chicken is spoilt.
- The formation of mold is another indicator of the chicken being spoilt.
- Smell the chicken to check if it has been spoilt. If the chicken gives off an acidic smell, it indicates that the chicken has been spoilt. Detecting spoilage of chicken through smell would be difficult if sauces had been added to the chicken.
- If the chicken appears to be slimy, it would be another cue to throw them away. Avoid rinsing the chicken with the water as this would not make the chicken safer to consume.
Other FAQs on chicken that you might be interested in.
What would occur if you consume spoilt chicken?
Consuming spoilt chicken can increase the risk of developing food poisoning. Spoilt chicken is likely to contain bacteria that include Salmonella or campylobacter.
The symptoms associated with food poisoning would include diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, dehydration, and blood in the urine. High fever is also associated with food poisoning. Severe food poisoning can result in hospitalization as well.
As a result, it would be better to throw away the chicken if you suspect it to be spoilt.
Conclusion
In this brief article, we have answered the question, “How long does uncooked chicken last in the fridge?” and provided information on tips to store chicken as well as tips to detect spoilage in chicken.