How long does chicken stay fresh out of the refrigerator?

Answer 1

Cooked chicken could be good up to 4 days. Raw chicken is best used within 1 or 2 days. You should store the chicken in the coldest part of the refrigerator for best shelf life or put it in freezer if not used within that time frame.

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. 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. If using one of the last two quick-thaw methods, cook the chicken immediately. NEVER thaw chicken at room temperature. USDA recommends 1-2 days of refrigerated storage (40°F).

Depending upon the packaging of the chicken, how it was handled in-transit, and the temperature in the refrigerator, the chicken could last longer. For example, some refrigerators have a special meat storage drawer where the temperature is just under 32°F which will allow more shelf life.

Uncooked fresh chicken: less than 2-4 days in sealed package

Cooked chicken: less than 5 days in sealed bag or Tupperware

Answer 2

If you are talking about raw chicken - not for very long. Raw chicken is teeming with bacteria and should be unrefrigerated only for the short trip home from the store and the amount of time it takes to prep it for cooking.

If you are talking about cooked chicken - two hours at the most. Less time is better.

Answer 3

It depends what you mean by "fresh". If you just butchered it, it can stay fresh for up to two weeks, but if you mean from the store that is a little harder to say. When chicken is received at a store it either comes in fresh packed in ice or it comes in frozen. Let's say a store gets in a case of fresh chickens on Monday, they package up six of them and their scale prints out a label with a "use by" date of 4-6 days out. Then on Wednesday they package some more and then finish up the case on Friday, each time giving the "use by" date 4-6 days out. The rule of thumb in the meat/grocery business is that people expect a fresh meat item to last at least 3 days in their home fridge. If the store gets their chicken in frozen, it is better for the consumer because it was flash frozen at the processing plant within hours of being butchered. With fresh, it has to be shipped to the supplier and then to the store, so it may have a week of age on it before the store even gets it. Best to go by the date on the label, but you can't always tell.

Answer 4

I for one, do not enjoy eating any meat when it's not freshly fried. But I wouldn't touch if after the first day of it being in the fridge.