Chicken is considered a slice of staple meat in many households. Though, this healthful and delicious source of protein has a high chance of getting bacterial contamination. That’s why preparing, storing, and cooking it properly is important otherwise it would become a source of foodborne illness. Preserving chicken in your fridge is advantageous but many people are unaware of how long they can safely refrigerate chicken. This article helps you understand just how long does Cooked Chicken last in the Fridge.
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Let’s know how long does chicken last in the Fridge:
According to the United States Department of Agriculture, USDA, fresh chicken can be preserved in your fridge for basically one to two days. The same applies to raw turkey and other poultry meanwhile cooked chicken can last in the refrigerator for approximately three to four days. Storing chicken in the refrigerator helps slow bacterial growth as bacteria tend to grow slower in temperatures below 40 degrees Fahrenheit or 4 degrees Celsius.
Besides, raw chicken is best packed in a leak-proof container to avoid its juices from leaking and contaminating other foods. Cooked Chicken should be refrigerated in an airtight container. If you need to store the chicken for longer than a few days, it’s best to store it in your freezer. Fresh chicken slices can be preserved in the freezer for up to nine months while a whole chicken can be frozen for up to one year. Cooked Chicken can be stored in the freezer for two to six months.
Let’s have a look at how long does Cooked Chicken Last in the Fridge:
Cooked chicken isn’t all that similar to what we think. Grilled chicken will remain good for longer than the deep-fried ones, while the ground pieces last longer than both grilled and fried chicken. Just have a look at different cuts of cooked chicken and how long this chicken lasts in the fridge.
1. Chicken Breast
A cooked chicken breast usually lasts for 3–4 days in the freezer. Meanwhile, a fresh breast will only remain good for 1–2 days. In both cases either in the fridge or in the freezer, but it would be better to leave the breast in the freezer.
2. Whole Chicken
While a whole cooked chicken seems different than the breasts or ground chicken, it’ll last for almost the same period in the fridge. It may even survive a bit longer since the bigger quantity will take more time to refrigerate. Therefore, it’ll protect its taste for longer.
A whole chicken is more likely to be contaminated than smaller pieces. So, you may need to cut it into smaller slices before preserving it in the fridge.
3. Vacuum Sealed Cooked Chicken
Some vacuum-sealed foods can remain good for up to three months if they’re put in a freezer. The sealing avoids any bacteria or pathogens from entering in, which normally enhances the food’s lifespan. But, they can only last for two weeks if they’re kept in the fridge.
The same thing happens if the cooked chicken is kept in the vacuum-sealed packet. The cooked chicken kept in the vacuum sealing and then kept in the fridge will keep it nutritious for 1–2 weeks.
4. Ground Chicken
If you properly cover it before preserving it, the ground chicken will keep up well for 3–4 days in the fridge. Meanwhile, if you put it in the freezer, it’ll protect its taste for 2–3 months, and it’ll remain nutritious beyond that.
If you wish to make sure that your ground chicken lasts for as long as possible, you can put it in airtight containers. Otherwise, you can cover it in alum aluminum or plastic wrap. Both procedures will allow it to protect its best quality for a longer period.
5. Chicken Liver
Cooked chicken liver remains good in the fridge for 1–2 days utmost. It’s taste changes much faster than normal chicken meat. Despite that, you’ll reveal that chicken liver at shops is tagged for three weeks of usage.
It’ll remain healthy after that time, but it won’t taste favorable. Moreover, if you haven’t preserved it properly, there’s a chance it’ll have gone bad before that time.
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How can you let out if the chicken has gone bad?
If you have left the chicken in the fridge for more than a few days, there is a chance it has gone bad. Below are a few ways to say if the chicken in your fridge has gone bad:
It’s past the best by date:
Chicken either cooked or raw that has passed its best if used before date is more likely to have gone bad. Changes in the color of either raw or cooked chicken that’s starting to turn a gray-green color have gone bad. You can recognize the spots of gray to green mold indicating bacterial growth.
Smell:
Both fresh and cooked chicken emit an acidic odor that resembles ammonia as it goes awful. However, this odor can be hard to smell if the chicken has been marinated with sauces, seasonings, or flavors.
Texture:
Chicken that has a sticky texture has gone wrong. Washing out the chicken will not destroy bacteria. Rather doing so can spread the bacteria from poultry to other foods, utensils, and other surfaces causing cross-contamination.
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Risks of Eating Spoiled Chicken:
Consuming spoiled chicken can result in foodborne illness, also known as food poisoning. Chicken has a high stake resulting in food poisoning. As it may be spoiled with bacteria like campylobacter salmonella. And more commonly these bacteria are destroyed when you cook fresh chicken thoroughly. However, you still have to stop cooking and consuming spoiled chicken. Although reheating or cooking can kill surface bacteria. It won’t remove some of the toxins yielded by bacteria which can offer you food poisoning if you consume them.
Food poisoning can cause uncomfortable and sometimes dangerous symptoms including a high fever above 101.5 degrees Fahrenheit or 38.6 degrees Celsius, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, bloody stools, and dehydration. In some cases, overwhelming food poisoning can compel hospitalization and even direct to death. If you suspect that your chicken is spoiled, do not eat it.
It’s always favorable to dispose of chicken that you doubt has gone bad. Raw chicken lasts in the fridge for one to two days while cooked chicken lasts three to four days. To detect if the chicken has gone bad, check the best if used by date and look for signs of spoilage like changes in smell, texture, and color. Avoid consuming spoiled chicken as it can result in food poisoning even if you boil it thoroughly.
How to Freeze and Thaw Cooked Chicken?
If you don’t guess you’ll fetch your chicken within three to four days, the best alternative is to freeze it. To refrigerate the cooked chicken, you need to transfer it to a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag, label it with the date, and freeze it for up to three months. You should never freeze chicken that has been removed out at room temperature for more than two hours, or stocked in the fridge for more than four days.
To thaw, you need to transfer the chicken in its storage container to the refrigerator and enable it to soften overnight. You can also utilize the defrost fixing on your microwave.
