How long does chicken stay fresh in the refrigerator?

Chicken Staying Fresh in the Fridge

Depends. Raw chicken should not be used if it has been in your fridge more than 24 hours. Cooked chicken (regardless of how it is prepared) shouldn't be eaten after 48 hours in the fridge. And in case you're wondering this too, any cooked food should be thrown away if it has been out of the oven and not refrigerated for more than 4 hours. This is a pretty standard rule of thumb that most fast-food restaurants, schools, nursing homes, and similar institutions use.

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I've eaten chicken that has been marinating in the fridge for a week to 10 days, no problem. I've also left pizza out, in the box, on the counter, for longer than 24 hours and still eaten it, unheated. I survived.

Cooked chicken is good for about 5 days. Raw chicken is best used in 5 days (if your frig. is good and cold...) or put in freezer if not used within that time.

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I would say 3-5 days. Better safe then sorry.

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3 days raw or cooked. When in doubt throw it out!

When it starts to stink..

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Health Food Guidelines: Raw chicken 'should never' be left out on a counter and can be cooked frozen for 15 minutes for each pound (frozen chicken cooks faster.)

Soak whole or pieces of chicken in cold water and 1/4 cup of salt. This helps to rid bacteria on the chicken. Then rinse 'very' well and pat dry with a paper towel.

After you take the chicken out of the oven then let stand for 20 minutes (lightly covered with foil) so it's easier to cut. Be sure the extra chicken left is cooled down before putting in the fridge. Don't leave it out on the counter for more than 45 minutes. Once raw chicken is cooked you can refreeze the chicken.

Eating even cooked chicken on the third day is risky so 'when in doubt throw it out!' If you've ever had food poisoning then you'd be happy to not take the risk!

1-2 days

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No more than two days providing your fridge is very cold. When in doubt throw it out! It is NOT TRUE that if you leave the chicken in the fridge for up to three to four days that cooking it will get rid of any bacteria.

Tip: Whenever you are going to cook a chicken or even chicken pieces place the chicken/chicken pieces in cold water and 1/2 cup of salt and leave for 15 minutes, turning chicken and then rinse off very well and pat dry with paper toweling. The salt water will kill off bacteria (this does not mean it will if you have had the chicken in the fridge for over 3 days) and also tenderizes the meat before cooking and it also helps to brown the chicken.

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More specific information would help a lot in answering your question. Your best bet is to look at the expiration date on the label of the package if you bought chicken at a grocery store. Also, ask the butcher. They must keep track of the freshness of all meats and seafoods. The temperature of your refrigerator is also importand as is whether or not you store the chicken in the meat tray or on the top shelf of the fridge.

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Depends .. if there's plenty of food for it to eat and something to drink it can probably live there for weeks maybe months. But considering its pitch black when the door shut it will make an unsightly mess

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As long as your fridge is very cold then no more than 24 hours!

Tips when Thawing and Freshness:

Thaw frozen chicken using one of three methods: in the refrigerator; in a cold water bath, changing the water every 30 minutes; or in the microwave. NEVER thaw chicken at room temperature.

Thawed chicken should be cooked as soon as possible. If not using the chicken immediately, store in the refrigerator and use within 24 hours of thawing.

Read the package label to see what parts are contained in the package, a product description, the total weight, a sell-by date and nutritional information. The "sell-by" date is 7 to 10 days after the chicken was slaughtered and if properly refrigerated it should remain fresh 2 to 3 days after that date. If it is a "used-by" date, the chicken should be cooked or frozen by that date. Choose plump, moist chicken with skin that is not patchy or transparent in appearance. When choosing fresh chicken, avoid meat that show signs of freezing by feeling or looking for ice formation. When choosing frozen chicken, select one that is rock hard and shows no signs of freezer burn. Thawing Tips:

Be sure the chicken, particularly a large whole bird, is defrosted thoroughly to ensure proper cooking. Place a hand inside the cavity of the chicken to check for ice crystals. If any crystals are present, more thawing time is needed. Thawed chicken should be cooked as soon as possible. If not using the chicken immediately, store in the refrigerator and use within 24 hours of thawing. Remove the giblets from the cavity of a whole chicken as soon as thawing allows. While the chicken is thawing, be sure drippings do not contaminate other food or preparation surfaces. Stuffing Tips:

Note: It is recommended that the stuffing be cooked outside of the chicken in a separate dish to reduce the risks of bacterial growth.

If the stuffing will be cooked in the cavity of the chicken, follow these guidelines:

Thoroughly rinse the chicken inside and outside before stuffing. Be sure stuffing is completely cooled before inserting into the cavity of the chicken. Do not over stuff the chicken, the stuffing will expand during cooking. The stuffing should reach an internal temperature of 165�F. Once the chicken and stuffing are done, remove the stuffing from the chicken immediately. Note: NEVER stuff the chicken in advance. Stuffing in advance will increase the risk of bacteria growth. Stuffing can be made in advance and refrigerated separately from the chicken and then inserted in the chicken just before cooking.

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I would not freeze any meat longer than six months for best results. Freezer burn is a result of moisture and slowly dries out the product while accumulating frost in the process. Most forms of home storing unless using "cryovac" or an air tight/vacuum sealed process will result in freezer burn over time. The shorter the time frozen, the fresher it will taste. A suggestion for home freezing is to pre-marinate the meat for a few hours in the refrigerator while in the bag before placing it in the freezer. Don't freeze the product in the package you purchased it in unless it is air tight. The trays and stretch film used is thick but very porous and will induce freezer burn. Rinse all fowl before using.

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If the chicken comes with wrap already I usually cover it in tin foil as well to prevent freezer burn. Freezer burn will show light brown spots on the skin of the chicken. Although it won't hurt you it's best to add something that will give it a kick such as a glaze before taking it out of the oven.

Chickens and other meats can be left in the freezer for up to 1 year. If it's in there 2 years it's still OK to eat, but it may be tasteless.

Also, you can defrost chicken, cook it well and if you have any left over you can re-freeze it. This applies to roasts, and stews.

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1 year

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365 days - white meat 180 days - dark meat

Dark meat has about 5-7% fat content which will turn ( white meat 2-3%)

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The expiration date will say 'best before __________08.' This DOES NOT mean that the chicken or any meat is bad if eaten a day after the expiration time (if correctly stored in a cold fridge) and means it tastes the best for the expiration date.

First answer by Rasputin. Last edit by Rasputin. Contributor trust: 512 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 215 [recommend question]