How long does chicken last?
Chicken keeps for 1 to 2 days in the fridge, up to 12 months in the freezer. USDA lists 2 kinds of chicken; the first is shown here and all are in the table below.
whole
No guideline
1 to 2 days
from the package date
12 months
best quality within
All kinds of chicken, side by side
| Kind | Pantry | Fridge | After opening | Freezer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| whole | no guideline | 1 to 2 days | no guideline | 12 months |
| pre-packaged, luncheon/deli meat | no guideline | 2 weeks | 3 to 5 days | Not recommended |
No guideline: USDA gives no time for that place, usually because the food is not stored that way.
- pre-packaged, luncheon/deli meat: Freezing not recommended.
How to tell chicken has gone bad
- Spoiled raw chicken has an off odour, feels sticky or tacky, or is slimy. Any one of these is enough to throw it out.
- Colour alone is not the test. Raw chicken ranges from bluish-white to yellow depending on breed, age and feed, and USDA says all of those shades are normal.
- With spoilage the colour may fade or darken, but the smell and the sticky surface are the signs to trust.
- Raw chicken keeps 1 to 2 days in the fridge and cooked chicken 3 to 4 days. Past that, do not rely on look or smell: the bacteria that cause illness do not always change either.
Sources: The Color of Meat and Poultry (USDA FSIS); Chicken from Farm to Table (USDA FSIS). The times on this page are quality guidelines, not safety limits; food that shows these signs goes out regardless of the date.
Storage habits that make the difference
Keep raw poultry in the coldest part of the fridge on a tray to catch any drips, and cook or freeze it within a day or two of purchase. Freeze in its original packaging or an airtight bag if you cannot use it in time. Thaw in the fridge or in cold water, never on the counter.
More in poultry: fresh
Source: USDA FSIS FoodKeeper dataset (public domain). Times assume a fridge at 40 F (4 C) and a freezer at 0 F (-18 C). How we decode the data.