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Can I cook raw chicken that has been in the fridge for a week?

Author

Rachel Ellis

Published Jan 19, 2026

Raw chicken lasts in the fridge for 1–2 days, while cooked chicken lasts 3–4 days. To detect if 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 eating spoiled chicken, as it can cause food poisoning — even if you cook it thoroughly.

Can I cook raw chicken after 7 days?

Raw chicken: You'll need to either cook or freeze it fast. According to recommendations from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, raw chicken will only keep in the refrigerator for about 1-2 days. (Same goes for turkey and other poultry.)

What happens if you cook chicken that's been in the fridge for a week?

According to the USDA, cooked chicken will last three to four days in the refrigerator, and two to three months in the freezer. Eating cooked chicken after this point can result in foodborne illness — even at refrigerated temperatures, bacteria can still grow.

How long does raw chicken last in the fridge sell by date?

Use or freeze beef, veal, pork, and lamb products with a "Sell-By" date within 3 to 5 days of purchase. Fresh chicken, turkey, ground meat, and ground poultry should be cooked or frozen within 1 to 2 days of purchase.

Is raw chicken OK in the fridge for 5 days?

According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), raw chicken can be kept in your fridge approximately 1–2 days. The same applies to raw turkey and other poultry (1). Meanwhile, cooked chicken can last in the refrigerator approximately 3–4 days (1).

24 related questions found

Can I cook chicken after sell by date?

If it's passed the expiry date for two-plus days, you'd better throw it away. In case you store the food in a fridge, it's possible to eat or cook it for over two days after that date. That said, a tip for freshly storing your chicken for an extended period is to keep it in a freezer.

How can you tell if raw chicken is off?

Fresh raw chicken is usually a light pink color with white pieces of fat, has little to no odor, and is soft and moist. If your chicken is slimy, has a foul smell, or has changed to a yellow, green, or gray color, these are signs that your chicken has gone bad.

How long can thawed chicken stay in the fridge?

A good rule of thumb is that thawed chicken that is raw will last between one to two days in your fridge. However, this timeline begins once the meat has been fully defrosted.

Is it safe to eat cold cooked chicken?

But you might be wondering whether you can eat cold chicken once it has been cooked. The answer is yes, you can absolutely eat cold cooked chicken. When chicken has been cooked and chilled, it actually has a great texture and flavor.

Can you cook raw chicken after 6 days?

According to the USDA and U.S. Food and Drug Administration, raw chicken (regardless of if it's whole; in pieces such as breasts, thighs, drumsticks, and wings; or ground) should be stored for no longer than one to two days in the refrigerator.

Can you eat cooked chicken after 8 days?

According to the USDA, you should eat cooked chicken within 3 to 4 days.

How long is raw chicken breast good in the refrigerator?

Chicken Breast: A cooked chicken breast can last around three to four days in the fridge, and a raw chicken breast can last up to two days. In both cases, it's better to store chicken breasts in the freezer whenever possible.

How long does chicken last in the fridge?

Storing Chicken in the Fridge

No need to stash it in the freezer — it's OK to store raw chicken (whole or in pieces) for 1–2 days in the fridge. If you have leftovers that include cooked chicken, you can expect those to last in the refrigerator for 3–4 days.

Can you get salmonella from cold chicken?

It can cause diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, cramps and fever. People often get salmonella when they consume meat or poultry that hasn't been cooked to a high enough temperature or raw eggs or unpasteurized milk. However, it is also possible to get this type of food poisoning from cooked meat under certain circumstances.

Why are you not supposed to reheat chicken?

Chicken is a rich source of protein, however, reheating causes a change in composition of protein. You shouldn't reheat it because: This protein-rich food when reheated can give you digestive troubles. That's because the protein-rich foods get denatured or broken down when cooked.

Can I cook defrosted chicken after 3 days?

Answer: If you thawed the chicken in the refrigerator, you don't have to cook it right away. Poultry that's been defrosted in the fridge can be safely kept for an additional one to two days in the refrigerator before cooking, says the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Can I put defrosted meat back in the fridge?

Once meat has been frozen and thawed, it will deteriorate more rapidly than if it had never been frozen. Whole meat cuts (chops, roasts) will remain useable for another 3-5 days in the refrigerator before cooking. Meat defrosted in the refrigerator can be re-frozen without cooking, although some quality may be lost.

Can you refreeze chicken after thawing on counter?

When handled properly, raw chicken can be refrozen within 2 days after thawing, while cooked chicken can be refrozen within 4 days. For quality purposes, the sooner you refreeze chicken, the better. Only refreeze raw chicken that has been thawed in the refrigerator.

What happens if you cook spoiled chicken?

Dangers of cooking spoiled chicken

While cooking spoiled chicken can destroy Salmonella and E-coli, toxins will remain in the meat making bad chicken unsafe to eat. There are many diseases that you may get if you eat spoiled chicken. You can suffer from cramps and fever. You may also experience intestinal problems.

Is it OK to cook chicken that smells a little?

Some good news: If you eat chicken that smells a little bit off, you're most likely going to be OK. Pathogenic bacteria like salmonella, listeria, and E. coli are your biggest risks with raw chicken, and cooking it to a proper 165 degrees Fahrenheit will render those harmless.

Is slimy chicken safe to eat?

Feel for Slimy Meat

Raw chicken should always feel moist, and slimy meat means that is no longer good for eating. Even after washing it, if it feels kind of sticky, that chicken has gone bad.

How do you store raw chicken in the refrigerator?

Store raw chicken or turkey in its original packaging, on the bottom shelf of your fridge. Just make sure the packaging is well-sealed and away from other foods and cooked meats. Double check that your fridge is set to 0-5°C. This keeps your chicken – and all the food in your fridge – fresher for longer.

Can you eat 7 day old chicken?

You shouldn't eat any leftovers that have been sitting around longer than 7 days. Chicken should be consumed even sooner — within 1 to 4 days, depending on the preparation. Leftover chicken nuggets or patties stay safe to eat longer than a whole roast chicken, or roast chicken pieces.

Can you eat cooked chicken after 7 days in the fridge?

If stored properly (in a ziplock storage bag or sealed container), the USDA says that cooked chicken can last three to four days in the refrigerator. And that goes for any type of cooked chicken—store-bought, homemade, or restaurant leftovers.

Can you eat two week old chicken?

Generally, if the meat smells and looks good it's probably okay to eat — but I'd suggest you stick to health guidelines to stay on the safe side. When stored between 0 and 3 degrees Celsius, you're supposed to eat leftover chicken within 3-5 days.