How long does chicken last in the refrigerator and freezer?

Refrigerated chicken storage temperature

Store refrigerated chicken at 0 to -4 degrees relative humidity around 80-90%. Creating such conditions will allow the meat product to be cooled efficiently, freezing it a little, without forming an ice crust.

Storing boneless meat is preferable as it increases the shelf life of the product and helps in maintaining its freshness.

Chicken can be stored for a long time at low temperatures from -18 degrees. In this case, the vital activity of pathogenic microorganisms inside the product stops. Moreover, complete destruction does not occur; their further reproduction and development are temporarily suspended.

Methods of use

Chicken is a popular product that can be an ingredient:

industrially produced meat products,
dishes in catering establishments of various ranks,
regular food and home-cooked holiday treats.

Undoubtedly: the best taste has a dish in the preparation of which a freshly processed chilled carcass is used. When choosing, it is important to know the distinctive features of fresh products, how they differ from frozen and then thawed.

How long can you store chicken in the refrigerator?

The shelf life of chicken on the refrigerator shelf depends on the temperature maintained inside, as well as the freshness of the original product.

Temperature standards and shelf life:

7–10 degrees – up to 24 hours;
4–7 degrees – up to 48 hours;
0–4 degrees – 72 hours;
from -2 to 0 degrees – no more than 4 days.

Overall

According to experts, it is necessary to store and prepare only high-quality, fresh products. If you purchased more meat than you need for cooking, freeze it immediately, because chilled chicken on the refrigerator shelf can be stored for a maximum of 4 days.

When you need to store a whole carcass, choose the right container. This can be a substrate covered with cling film on top, a glass container with an airtight lid, a durable plastic bag, or a plastic food container.

Tips for extending shelf life:

soak a cotton cloth in vinegar, wrap it around the carcass, place it inside a plastic bag (the period will last up to 6 days);
to preserve the meat for 5 days, rub the carcass with a mixture of salt and ground black pepper (this will be a marinade that requires further preparation of a hot dish);
keep the meat inside an enamel container, pre-treating its walls with vinegar.

In the butchered

Store the cut carcass according to the same rules as the whole product. Experts say that cut boneless chicken stores better and longer.

Meat should not come into contact with other food products.

After defrosting

The shelf life of chicken meat will be extended if the following conditions are met:

cut the meat into small pieces;
Place each piece inside a container or a separate bag, cover with a lid, fill the empty spaces with ice cubes;
store for up to 4 days at temperatures from -2 to 0 degrees;
at a temperature of 7–10 degrees, the shelf life will be 1–2 days.

Cut out bones increase the shelf life of chicken meat and improve the taste of the finished product.

Chicken fillet

Poultry should only be stored inside a refrigerator or freezer. As noted above, removing bones from the carcass, which involves creating fillets, extends the shelf life of this product.

Storing raw meat at room temperature is strictly prohibited: bacteria begin to multiply inside, making the product potentially hazardous to health.

Chilled chicken fillet can be stored on the refrigerator shelf for up to 3 days. Helpful Tips:

if you do not plan to cook the dish soon, put the chicken in the freezer;
Store by placing the product inside a container with a sealed lid or a tight plastic bag;
Perform long-term storage after cutting the carcass into pieces packaged separately.

What foods are best not to freeze?

What foods should not be frozen

Liquid in a closed glass container or jar...
Whole eggs...
Green salads...
Fresh vegetables and fruits...
Thawed meat, fish or poultry...
Fried foods...
Milk, sour cream, yogurt...
Raw potatoes

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How long can you store cooked chicken in the refrigerator?

The finished product cannot be stored for long periods of time. Bacteria quickly begin to multiply here, which can cause serious harm to health. Following a number of tricks will extend the shelf life of chicken meat.

Boiled chicken

Boiled chicken is not the best product for long-term storage. Boiled chicken can be stored at room temperature for no more than three hours. Put it on the refrigerator shelf, and it will remain suitable for eating for 3 days (at a temperature of 4 degrees).

To prevent the product from absorbing foreign odors, store it with a lid, after wrapping it in food foil. Polyethylene is not very suitable for storage; here the meat will quickly become sticky. After three days of storage, pre-fry the product to destroy the developed pathogenic bacteria.

Do not place chicken meat near strong-smelling foods; it will easily absorb their odors.

Boiled chicken in broth

Boiled meat, along with the broth, is stored on the refrigerator shelf for up to 48 hours. Provided that the temperature inside the device is maintained not exceeding 5 degrees. It is allowed to freeze the broth in portions, defrosting it as needed.

If there is foam on the surface of the broth, pour it out immediately. This is the first sign of spoilage of the dish.

Shelf life of chicken soup

Aromatic, tasty broth often becomes the basis for preparing all kinds of soups. Ready chicken soup can be stored for no more than 48 hours. Provided that the pan is tightly closed with a lid.

How long does fried chicken last?

Eat the fried product immediately after cooking, while it has the best taste. When, after eating, there are uneaten pieces left, put them in a plastic container and in the refrigerator.

Store the dish here for up to 12 hours. Freezing chicken is allowed, but after defrosting the meat will become tough.

Baked chicken

Store baked poultry according to the same rules as fried poultry. On the refrigerator shelf - up to 12 hours.

Smoked chicken

Cook smoked chicken especially carefully. If the technology is violated, the carcass inside will not warm up to the required degree, this will affect the possibility of its consumption as food. It is better to eat small parts, for example, wings.

The presence of microscopic white spots on the surface of a product is a sign of spoilage; avoid purchasing and eating such a product.

Store smoked chicken on the refrigerator shelf for no more than a day.

Commercially produced smoked chicken is usually vacuum packed, which increases its shelf life. Eat it based on the expiration dates indicated by the manufacturer.

Sometimes unscrupulous sellers try to sell clearly damaged goods. To avoid poisoning, the chicken is carefully inspected before purchasing.

Store the product in the refrigerator for a week, provided that the temperature inside is maintained at 6 degrees. After defrosting the finished product, eat it immediately, because bacteria actively multiply inside.

Grilled chicken

Grilled chicken prepared in street fast food establishments is loved by many. It is advisable to eat all the chicken at once, without leaving it for later.

Buy such a product from a reputable place; often stale chicken meat is disguised with spices and seasonings, this is fraught with serious intestinal poisoning.

If not all the pieces have been eaten, they are stored for up to two days, at a temperature of up to 6 degrees.

Marinated chicken

Sometimes it becomes necessary to store already marinated meat in the refrigerator. For example, when plans change and going on a picnic is postponed for some time.

Is it possible to store meat in marinade? This storage option is allowed, the main thing is to put the container in the refrigerator and keep it there for no more than a day.

Stewed chicken

Store the stewed product for no more than two days. It is important to boil it before serving after storage.

Pilaf with chicken

Pilaf with chicken meat can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours. The main thing is to tightly cover the pan with a lid or wrap it in plastic wrap.

How long does KFC chicken last?

Chicken wings or thighs purchased from the KFC fast food chain should be eaten immediately. Fresh product has the best taste.

If the food was not eaten immediately, wrap it in food foil, put it on the refrigerator shelf, and store it for up to 24 hours.

Useful properties of chicken meat

Chicken meat is called dietary for a reason. It contains no carbohydrates, contains a minimal amount of fat, and chicken protein is digested much better than pork or beef. In terms of the content of nutrients, chicken is a record holder among poultry: its meat contains vitamins A, B, C and E, iron, calcium, potassium, sodium, phosphorus and magnesium, as well as more than eight amino acids important for humans.

Eating chicken meat contributes to:

improving the functioning of digestion, liver and gall bladder;
normalization of metabolism;
strengthening joints, muscles, hair, nails and teeth;
replenishing energy reserves;
protecting the body from depression, anxiety, insomnia and stress;
normalization of blood pressure;
increasing the level of hemoglobin in the blood;
strengthening the immune system;
increased tissue regeneration;
reducing the risk of heart and vision diseases.

Note! Arginine contained in chicken breast is especially useful for men, as it stimulates reproductive abilities and improves the properties of reproductive material.

Weak chicken broth is a very good restorative remedy that helps after serious illnesses.

Terms and features of storing chicken in the freezer

The freezer will help extend the shelf life of chicken meat. By putting a fresh product there, you don’t have to worry about it going bad quickly.

Temperature

The freezer allows you to store poultry meat for up to a year, the main thing is to maintain the correct temperature.

Features of storing poultry in the freezer:

temperature from -19 to -26 degrees – year;
temperature -15 degrees – 6 months;
about -10 degrees – 5 months;
up to -7 degrees – 2 months.

Rules for freezing the product:

Do not wash chicken before freezing;
store tightly closed with a lid and wrapped in polyethylene;
Meat that has lain for more than two days on the refrigerator shelf or longer than 4 hours at room temperature is prohibited from freezing.

In a plastic bag

Cellophane bags, despite varying opinions, are acceptable for wrapping meat before storing in the freezer.

Option for freezing meat in a bag:

portion cutting of the carcass and packaging it in separate bags;
freezing the whole carcass;
removal of bone mass and freezing of fillets;
processing into minced meat, forming semi-finished products from it and freezing them;
molding the minced meat into a rectangular layer, divided into squares, with small notches (this makes it easier to further divide the layer into separate pieces).

An excellent storage option is to pack the meat product in bags equipped with a zip fastener. They are convenient, airtight, and allow you to freeze small portions that easily thaw to the desired temperature.

In a plastic container

This packaging method is convenient for storing broth or individual chicken parts.

Place chicken parts in the container, pre-cut into pieces necessary for preparing certain dishes.
Cover the container with a lid to prevent the meat from airing.
Place a small sticker on each container indicating the date the product was frozen, this will help monitor the expiration date of the meat.

Long-term storage in the freezer will lead to the dish losing its taste and changing its structure towards porosity.

In a glass container

When choosing this container for storing chicken, remember to follow the established sequence of defrosting the product. Glass does not accept the use of hot water for thawing contained inside the raw material, this will cause a violation of its integrity.

Features of freezing inside glass containers:

do not fill the container to the very top, leave a small space free;
do not cover with a lid, cover the top with cling film;
Do not allow the contents to defrost quickly.

In a vacuum

Vacuum packaging involves placing raw materials without air entering inside. The approach allows you to prevent microbes from penetrating inside by creating a special gas environment inside, without moisture. Naturally, it is difficult to fulfill such conditions at home. For this purpose, bags equipped with a zip fastener have been created.

Sequence of using the zip package:

Place the meat in a plastic bag.
Close the bag not all the way, leave a millimeter gap.
Squeeze the bag to remove any air from it.
Hold the bag and slowly lower it into the container with water.
Make sure that water does not penetrate inside the bag.
Close the clasp completely.
Place the bag inside the freezer.

Is it possible to freeze chilled chicken?

Chilled chicken should be frozen immediately after purchase. The expiration date indicated on the package should not expire on this or the next day.

When a product has been chilled on the top shelf of the refrigerator for two days, it is prohibited to freeze it.

Is it possible to freeze smoked chicken?

Any food tastes better when freshly prepared, so freezing is a process that should be avoided at all costs. If you need to stock up on a delicious dish for future use, store it on the freezer shelf.

Features of freezing smoked chicken:

cut the carcass into pieces;
wrap each of them in food paper;
store for up to a month (if deep frozen at -26 degrees) or up to two weeks (at -16 degrees);
defrost on the refrigerator shelf.

Is it possible to freeze boiled chicken?

An already cooked product, when there is no guarantee that it will be eaten in 2-3 days, must be frozen. This type of storage cannot be called ideal; it leads to a partial loss of taste in the dish. But it preserves its usability, which a refrigerator cannot do.

Freezing boiled chicken:

cut the product into slices;
wrap each of them with cling film, parchment, foil;
put small elements in zip bags, they will help preserve the juices inside the meat;
place in the freezer compartment;
Store meat for up to three months.

Rules for freezing chicken

Purchasing chicken before it needs to be cooked requires freezing the product. To get high-quality meat at the end, follow a number of rules:

Choose durable, hermetically sealed packaging (plastic, glass, zip bag) that does not allow moisture to enter.
If you plan to cook individual parts of the carcass, cut it before freezing.
Do not wash the product beforehand.

Is it possible to refreeze chicken?

Many housewives wonder what to do when the meat is already defrosted, but its preparation is delayed in time?

There is a rule that requires strict adherence: meat that has been outside the freezer for more than 4 hours is prohibited from being re-frozen. The same rule applies to a product that has been defrosted on the refrigerator shelf for 48 hours.

In other cases, adhere to these rules:

Wipe the piece with paper towels to dry its surface;
place in a clean plastic bag;
remove excess air from the bag;
seal it tightly;
put in the freezer.

After such manipulations, store the package for up to two months, at an average temperature of -8 degrees.

Do not wash the carcass before re-freezing; excess moisture will ruin the taste of the finished product.

Right choice

Of no small importance for purchasing quality products is choosing a retail outlet with a positive reputation, where they do not repackage expired products.

The products of poultry farms are supplied with labels that contain information about GOST, a mark from the State Veterinary Supervision Authority, a production date and a sell-by date, which inspires buyer confidence.

A market trader has the right to sell only branded carcasses (an oval brand is placed on the neck or outer surface of the thigh). The veterinary service issues a certificate to the seller indicating the deadline for the sale of the product.

Still, it’s a good idea to use your own eyes and nose when choosing a product. It is better to inspect unpackaged chicken or specimens in transparent containers.

The packaging must be without any damage, without pink ice crystals inside, the presence of which indicates repeated freezing and defrosting.

The breast is the best and most expensive part of the chicken.
A high-quality carcass has dry, thin, clean pink skin without damage to its integrity (scratches, needle punctures) or bruises. The same marks should not be on semi-finished chicken products.

If the skin is sticky and slippery, the specimen is not the first freshness.

If possible, smell the meat. Fresh has a pleasant smell, spoiled gives off a “fragrant” smell.

After pressing the soft part with your finger, the fresh meat quickly expands and restores its shape. The product is not fresh if the dent remains.

Carcasses should only be frozen once. A thick crust of ice on them indicates that the product was subjected to thawing and subsequent freezing. It happens that in order to gain weight, carcasses are poured and then thoroughly frozen. In this case, an ice crust forms not only on top, but also inside, the meat also absorbs water and the product becomes heavier by 10-20 percent (the icing rate is 4%).

It is better not to buy chicken with a “frozen reputation” - dishes made from such meat are tasteless and of little use.

How long does chicken last without refrigeration?

Chicken should not be stored without refrigeration. At room temperature above 25 degrees Celsius, after 2 hours the active process of reproduction of pathogenic microflora will begin inside the meat.

How can carcasses be stored?

Cellophane bag: allowed, but not recommended. Outside the refrigerator, chicken inside plastic will spoil quickly.
Foil: protects the contents from the penetration of foreign odors, allows moisture to pass through and does not absorb fat.
Vacuum container: protects products from oxygen exposure, preventing the growth of bacteria.
Cooler bag: an ideal option for storing chicken carcass without a stationary device.

Fried

Storing a fried product without a refrigerator, when the room temperature is maintained at more than 18 degrees, quickly leads to spoilage of the bird. Therefore, fried chicken must be served and then eaten.

As a last resort, you can wrap the dish in food foil and store it for up to 12 hours. Provided that the ambient temperature does not exceed 23 degrees.

Boiled

Store the cooked product for no more than a day, provided it is sealed. If mucus appears on top, the skin takes on a grayish tint, such a bird should not be eaten.

Baked

Wrap the baked bird in foil and store in this way for up to 12 hours. This method is allowed when the room temperature is no more than 25 degrees Celsius.

Smoked

Smoked poultry can be stored for a long time, subject to a number of rules.

No dampness or humidity.
Store in a basement or other dry, clean, constantly ventilated area.
Wrap the smoked product in linen bags and place them in a wooden box in one row.
Experts allow such storage for six months.

Grilled chicken

Grilled chicken, especially those prepared in fast food establishments, should not be stored outside the refrigerator. You cannot be sure that the product was originally completely fresh, so it is consumed hot.

Conclusion

Chicken meat contains many useful substances, which is why it is the most popular. You can store it raw or cooked in the refrigerator or freezer, since at room temperature it begins to quickly deteriorate. In order for the use of a product to benefit the body, you need to know its shelf life at different temperatures.

Video: how and how long you can store chicken in the refrigerator

How and How long can you store chicken in the refrigerator?

Watch this video on YouTube

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What GOST and SanPiN say

Industrially produced products are divided into types:

Cooled down to 5 degrees.
Chilled – within the range from -2 to 4 degrees.
Frozen to -12 degrees.
Deep frozen to -18 degrees.

Shelf life according to GOST:

temperature from -2 to 2 degrees: 5 days chilled carcasses, 2 days parts of carcasses;
frozen (-12 degrees): whole – up to 8 months, parts – up to a month;
frozen poultry (-18 degrees): whole up to a year, cut up to three months;
Frozen poultry (-25 degrees) can be stored for up to 14 months.

SanPiN recommendations for storage in the refrigerator at a temperature of 2–6 degrees:

raw whole, cut carcasses, tobacco chickens – 48 hours;
semi-finished products processed with breading – 18 hours;
minced chicken – 12 hours;
soup set – 12 hours;
baked carcasses and their parts, smoked and boiled – 72 hours;
dishes including sauces – 12 hours;
pies and dumplings with minced chicken – 24 hours;
jellies, brawns – 12 hours;
pates – 24 hours.

How to tell if chicken has gone bad

Characteristic signs will help you identify a spoiled product:

the appearance of gray-green color of meat;
the presence of gray-green mold on the surface;
the presence of a sour aroma reminiscent of ammonia;
slimy texture.

Eating or heat-treating chicken meat that shows signs of spoilage is hazardous to health. This product must be disposed of immediately.

Proper storage of poultry meat guarantees its safety. It is important to cook and eat the purchased chicken in a timely manner, without leaving it for later.