How Long Is Thawed Chicken Good For?

The amount of time thawed chicken stays good depends on where it is stored. The chicken is usually stored in the fridge after it has been thawed.

There are varieties by which you can thaw the chicken differently. How you thaw the chicken also impacts the duration of the chicken’s preservation.

The thawed chicken can be kept in the fridge for 1 to 2 days and not more than that. However, you have to make sure that the chicken has been defrosted fully before it is shoved into the fridge.

Half-defrosted chicken in the fridge could get spoiled easily. You can always place the raw or cooked chicken in the freezer if you want to retain it for longer.

Cooked chicken has a different timeline and a different storage procedure that varies from raw chicken. In this article, we will delve deeper into how to preserve a thawed chicken and the duration it is safe.

The timings don’t come off as precise and are tentative, depending on different factors.

How Long Can Thawed Chicken Stay Good?

Thawed chicken is left with some amount of shelf life when it is refrigerated. The duration the chicken stays in the fridge is very subjective as to whether the chicken is raw or cooked.

The timing can vary with different factors and different reasons. Keeping the thawed chicken in the freezer or at room temperature is not recommended, as it may turn bad immediately.

1. Raw Chicken

The raw, thawed chicken will stay in the fridge for 1 or 2 days. You have to be sure that the chicken has been fully defrosted before it is shoved inside the fridge.

The method you have applied to thaw the chicken also plays an important role in keeping its shelf life longer. Thawed chicken tends to go bad sooner than a non-thawed raw chicken.

Keeping the defrosted raw chicken in the fridge retains its shelf life a little longer and makes you not lose the chicken for longer.

2. Cooked Chicken

Cooked chicken lasts a little longer than raw chicken. You can keep the thawed cooked chicken in the fridge for 3 to 4 days maximum. If you are worried that you will lose the cooked chicken, then you can also keep it in the freezer.

Of course, if you keep the cooked chicken in the fridge, ensure it has not spoiled. You have to check its quality time and again constantly.

Signs Of Spoilage Of A Thawed Chicken

There are 4 ways to identify whether the chicken is spoiled. The signs of spoilage apply to all forms of chicken, whether cooked, raw, or even thawed, for that matter.

1. Best-By Date

Always look at the chicken’s best-by date; that will definitely tell whether the chicken has been spoiled or not. If you are past the expiry date of the chicken, please toss it out without any second thought.

2. Smell

The smell of the chicken is a very good indicator to know whether the chicken has been spoiled. You can recognize it by just taking a whiff of the chicken. Sometimes it might radiate a bad smell from miles away.

3. Appearance

The spoiled chicken will have patches of grey, blue, green, and white on the surface. If you see any color patches in the chicken, it has to be discarded immediately.

4. Texture

The texture of the spoiled chicken will be slimy and dry. If that is the case, it is time for the chicken to go.

How To Thaw A Chicken?

There are several ways to thaw a chicken. One of the exclusive ways by which the chicken should not be thawed is by keeping it at room temperature. Keeping the thawed chicken in hot water can be risky and would effectively spoil the chicken.

The dangerous temperature for a thawed chicken is 40 to 140 degrees f. The chicken can be thawed in the refrigerator, in a bowl of cold water, or even in a microwave as per the choice.

1. Refrigerator Thawing

Thawing chicken in the refrigerator means keeping the frozen chicken until it has been fully defrosted. The time it takes for the chicken to be thawed is a full 1 day.

Although, this is the case if you have a smaller chicken breast. If you have a chicken piece with bones, it completely takes around 2 days.

2. Cold Water Thawing

Cold water thawing is when a piece of chicken is placed in cold water until it is fully thawed. After it is completely thawed, it is removed from the cold water and prepared.

Smaller chicken pieces, like breasts, will take 1 to 2 hours to get thawed, whereas larger pieces take about 2 hours. If you have a whole piece of chicken, it has to be submerged in the water for a long and very difficult time.

3. Microwave Thawing

Microwave thawing is the best way to defrost a chicken in the fastest way. If you want the chicken to thaw immediately, as you have many unannounced guests, then microwaving is the right way to go about it.

The microwave has a manual to defrost the chicken. It has a defrost mode which has to be pressed for immediate thawing. You will also require to flip the food item once in a while to have it defrosted completely.

The meat that is thawed using this method has to be cooked instantly. The chicken thawed in this fashion should definitely not be kept in the fridge.

How Do You Freeze The Chicken?

Use a freezer bag or an airtight container to freeze the chicken. Especially when you are freezing the chicken, make sure to date the packet so that you will know when to defrost the chicken.

Suppose you are freezing the chicken; just ensure you press the air out of the plastic bag to seal it with a vacuum. This will evade the air from the plastic bag; hence, the chicken will remain fresh for a longer time.

Can Chicken Be Cooked While Frozen?

Chicken can be cooked while frozen, which is a rarity and slightly skeptical for people to follow it. Frozen chicken can be cooked, but it takes extra time to prepare it. You need to be patient enough to cook the chicken fully.

The chicken has to be cooked until it reaches an internal temperature of around 160 degrees F. Until then, the cooking process has to be continued.

Practices Need To Be Followed To Keep The Thawed Chicken In The Fridge

The frozen chicken can be kept in the fridge for 1 to 2 days until it is fully thawed. Place the chicken in cold water, allow it to thaw for some time, and then keep it in the fridge.

If the meat is thawed, keeping it in the fridge for an additional one or two days should not be an issue. Keeping the thawed chicken in the fridge also depends on what kind of thawing you use.

Microwave-thawed chicken cannot be kept in the fridge and must be cooked immediately.

Conclusion

Defrosting a chicken is a good practice when you are ready to cook it. However, you have to be wary of how long a thawed chicken can stay.

It is usually defrosted in the fridge, and the duration must be carefully followed to avoid any spoilage. This way, the chicken becomes ready to be cooked and included in recipes.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How long can thawed chicken stay?

The raw, thawed chicken will stay in the fridge for 1 or 2 days. You have to be sure that the chicken has been fully defrosted before it is shoved inside the fridge. The method you have applied to thaw the chicken also plays an important role in keeping its shelf life longer. Thawed chicken tends to go bad sooner than a non-thawed raw chicken.

What are the signs of spoilage for a thawed chicken?

The best-by date, smell, appearance, and texture are the indications of a spoiled chicken. Always look at the chicken’s best-by date; that will definitely tell whether the chicken has been spoiled or not. If you are past the expiry date of the chicken, please toss it out without any second thought.

How to thaw a chicken?

There are different ways to thaw a chicken. Refrigerator thawing, cold water thawing, and microwave thawing are some of the methods to thaw a chicken.

How do you freeze the chicken?