Ever stared at that package of chicken in your fridge, squinting at the sell-by date that passed a couple days ago, and wondered if it’s still safe to cook? You’re definitely not alone! This is one of the most common kitchen dilemmas we all face, and I’m here to help clear up the confusion about chicken shelf life beyond those sometimes mysterious package dates
The Quick Answer
According to the USDA, raw chicken is typically safe to eat 1-2 days past the sell-by date if stored properly in your refrigerator at 40°F or below. However, this timeline isn’t a guarantee of safety – you should always check for signs of spoilage regardless of the date.
Understanding Food Dating Labels on Chicken
Let’s start by clearing up what those different dates on your chicken packaging actually mean:
Sell-By Date
- Purpose: Tells the store how long to display the product for inventory management
- For: Retailers, not consumers
- Safety implications: Not a safety date or expiration date
- Example: If your chicken has a sell-by date of October 10, it’s typically safe to cook and eat until October 11-12 (when properly stored)
Use-By Date
- Purpose: Indicates when to consume the product for best quality
- For: Consumers
- Safety implications: More directly related to food safety than sell-by dates
- Timeline: Typically 3-5 days after packaging
Best-By Date
- Purpose: Indicates when quality may begin to decline
- For: Consumers
- Safety implications: Not a safety issue, but a quality indicator
It’s important to remember that except for infant formula dating is voluntary and not federally required. These dates refer to quality not safety – they tell you when the chicken will be at its peak freshness, not when it becomes dangerous to eat.
How Long Can You Safely Keep Raw Chicken?
Here’s a handy reference chart for raw chicken freshness:
| Storage Method | Storage Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Refrigerator (40°F or below) | 1-2 days past sell-by date | Must be properly stored |
| Freezer (0°F or below) | Up to 9 months | Quality may decline but remains safe |
The USDA consistently recommends cooking or freezing chicken within 1-2 days of purchase, regardless of the sell-by date. This timeline starts from when you purchase the chicken, not from the date on the package.
Is Chicken Safe 3-4 Days After the Sell-By Date?
While the USDA guideline is 1-2 days some sources suggest that chicken might still be safe at 3-4 days past the sell-by date if it shows no signs of spoilage and has been stored properly. However this falls into a gray area where the risk increases significantly.
I personally wouldn’t recommend pushing it this far unless you’re very confident in your storage methods and ability to detect spoilage. By day 4, bacteria levels have likely increased to potentially unsafe levels, even if visible signs aren’t obvious yet.
How to Tell If Chicken Has Gone Bad
No matter what the date says, your senses are your best tools for determining if chicken is still good. Here’s what to check:
Visual Inspection
- Fresh chicken: Light pink color with white fatty portions
- Spoiled chicken: Gray, yellow, or green discoloration
Texture Test
- Fresh chicken: Slightly glossy, moist but not sticky
- Spoiled chicken: Slimy or sticky texture
Smell Test
- Fresh chicken: Very mild smell or no odor at all
- Spoiled chicken: Foul, sour, or unpleasant smell (trust your nose – if it smells off, throw it out!)
Remember: You can’t see, smell, or taste some harmful bacteria like Salmonella. So while these signs help identify spoilage, they don’t guarantee safety.
Storage Tips to Extend Chicken’s Shelf Life
The way you store your chicken has a huge impact on how long it stays fresh:
Refrigeration Best Practices
- Keep your fridge at 40°F or below
- Store chicken in the coldest part of your refrigerator
- Keep raw chicken in its original packaging until ready to use
- If repackaging, use airtight containers to prevent exposure to air and moisture
- Place chicken on a plate or in a container to prevent any juices from contaminating other foods
Freezing Chicken
If you can’t use chicken before it spoils, freezing is a great option:
- Raw chicken can be frozen for up to 9 months
- Use airtight packaging to prevent freezer burn
- Vacuum-sealed chicken lasts even longer
- Label packages with the freeze date
- Once thawed, cook within 1-2 days
What About Cooked Chicken?
Cooked chicken follows different rules:
- Refrigerated: Safe for 3-4 days
- Frozen: Good for 4-6 months
- Storage: Keep in airtight containers
- Signs of spoilage: Sour smell, slimy texture, or mold growth
When to Throw Chicken Out
Be ruthless about food safety! Throw chicken out if:
- It’s been in the fridge more than 2 days past the sell-by date
- It shows ANY signs of spoilage
- It’s been at room temperature for more than 2 hours
- You’re uncertain about its freshness (when in doubt, throw it out!)
Safety Tips for Handling and Cooking Chicken
Even if your chicken is still good according to the timeline, proper handling is crucial:
- Wash hands thoroughly before and after handling raw chicken
- Use separate cutting boards and utensils for raw chicken
- Cook chicken to an internal temperature of 165°F (use a meat thermometer!)
- Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking
- Never thaw chicken at room temperature (use refrigerator, cold water, or microwave)
Common Questions About Chicken Safety
Can I eat chicken 5 days after the sell-by date?
In most cases, no. Chicken that is 5 days past the sell-by date should be tossed, even with proper refrigeration. The risk of harmful bacteria growth is too high at this point.
What happens if I eat spoiled chicken?
Eating spoiled chicken can cause food poisoning from bacteria like Salmonella or Campylobacter. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, and abdominal pain. These can begin within hours of consumption and may last several days.
Can I freeze chicken after its sell-by date?
Yes, but only if the chicken still seems fresh and has been properly stored in the refrigerator. Freezing will stop bacteria growth but won’t kill bacteria already present.
Does cooking kill all bacteria in chicken?
Cooking to the proper temperature (165°F) will kill most harmful bacteria, but it won’t eliminate toxins that some bacteria produce. That’s why it’s important to start with fresh chicken.
Conclusion
Understanding how long chicken is good after the sell-by date can help you make informed decisions about food safety while reducing waste. The general guideline is 1-2 days past the sell-by date when properly refrigerated, but always use your senses to check for spoilage.
Remember, these dates are primarily about quality, not safety. When it comes to chicken, it’s always better to err on the side of caution. If you’re unsure, throw it out – the cost of replacing chicken is far less than dealing with a foodborne illness!
How long does raw chicken last in the fridge?
The USDA recommends cooking chicken one or two days after you buy it. If that seems conservative and sooner than the sell-by date on the package, thats because it is — but theres a reason for that. The sell-by, use-by or freeze-by date may be as long as a week from when you bought it, but thats just the chicken producers guess as to how long the chicken will be at optimal taste before it starts deteriorating in quality.
As many in this Reddit thread and others assert, you can probably split the difference without serious ramifications, but you should never eat chicken thats been in the fridge for more than three or four days. The reason why chicken isnt necessarily safe to eat until that sell-by date is two-fold:
For one, that date isnt issued by a regulating body, but rather by the brand. While poultry brands do have to consider consumer safety, their chief goal is enticing retailers to buy their product. The longer its “good for,” the better chance theyll have of making a larger sale.
The other reason is that grocery store meat fridges and coolers are usually colder than your average home refrigerators. A normal fridge has to keep meat cold without freezing delicate vegetables and other groceries. Supermarket meat coolers only need to keep meat cold, so they can be at lower resting temperatures. Chicken kept at a colder temperature is naturally going to last longer.
How long is cooked chicken good for in the fridge?
Cooked chicken has a far lower likelihood of developing bacteria but it can still make you sick if you wait too long to eat it, even if it has been stored in the fridge. The USDA recommends you eat chicken within four days of cooking it. Like raw chicken, it should also be stored at under 40 degrees F to avoid rapid spoiling.