Raw chicken, whole or in parts, keeps 1–2 days in the refrigerator after you buy it. USDA says to use or freeze chicken with a sell-by date within 1 to 2 days of purchase, so the sell-by date itself isn't your deadline; the day you bought it is.
Frozen at 0°F (-18°C), it stays safe indefinitely and keeps its best quality for 12 months whole or 9 months in pieces. Cooked chicken keeps 3–4 days in the fridge.
Storage Facts
Chicken, fridge at 40°F (4°C), freezer at 0°F (-18°C)
- Raw whole chicken, fridge from purchase
- 1–2 days
- Whole chicken, freezer
- 12 months
- Raw breasts, legs or thighs, fridge from purchase
- 1–2 days
- Parts, freezer
- 9 months
- Raw ground chicken, fridge from purchase
- 1–2 days
- Ground chicken, freezer
- 3–4 months
- Cooked chicken dishes, fridge
- 3–4 days
- Store rotisserie chicken, fridge from purchase
- 3–4 days
- Cooked chicken dishes, freezer
- 4–6 months
Reading the date on a chicken package
USDA's consumer advice says product dating isn't required by federal regulation, and that's true of the dates you'd read as an expiry. Poultry does have one requirement, though: under 9 CFR 381.126 it must be marked with its date of packing. The rule lets that be a code, and lets it go on the shipping box instead of the package you take home, and FSIS has allowed a sell-by or use-by date in place of it. The result, on a supermarket tray, is usually one of these:
| If the label says | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Sell by | How long the store may display it | Cook or freeze within 1–2 days of buying it |
| Use by / use or freeze by | The packer's last day for peak quality | Cook or freeze by that day; frozen before it, it's fine later |
| Packed on / PKG | When it was packed, not an expiry | Count 1–2 days from the day you bought it |
USDA requires a calendar date on poultry to have a phrase next to it that explains it, like “sell by” or “use before.” A bare number such as 267 is a code, possibly a day-of-year pack date, not an expiry. More on telling these apart: packed-on dates vs the expiration date.
One more reason not to stretch it: USDA's timing is from purchase, and it assumes the chicken went from the store's cold case to your fridge promptly. Pick up chicken last, bag it separately so juices can't drip on other food, and get it home cold.
Chicken for later in the week? Scan the pack date when you unpack groceries. FreshScan reminds you two days ahead, in time to cook it or freeze it. If a label shows both a packed-on date and a use-by date, it asks which one to track.
Free on theApp StoreSigns raw chicken has gone bad
FSIS says a change in color alone doesn't mean poultry is spoiled. Raw chicken can range from bluish-white to yellow depending on the bird's breed, age and feed, and the pink liquid in the tray is mostly water absorbed during chilling. Spoilage shows up as:
- an off or sour odor,
- a surface that feels sticky or tacky,
- sliminess,
- usually together with fading or darkening color.
If you notice any of those, throw it out. If it's past the 1–2 day window, don't use it even if it seems fine; the time limit is the rule, not the smell. Never taste raw or undercooked chicken. When in doubt, throw it out.
Freezing and thawing chicken
- Freeze it in the store package if you'll use it within 2 months. For longer, overwrap the tray in heavy-duty foil, plastic wrap or freezer paper, or put it inside a freezer bag, to prevent freezer burn.
- Split family packs into meal-sized bags before freezing, and write the date on each.
- Thaw in the refrigerator. Boneless breasts, bone-in parts and whole birds can take 1 to 2 days or longer. Once thawed, you have another 1 to 2 days to cook it, and you can refreeze it uncooked during that time.
- Chicken thawed in cold water or the microwave should be cooked immediately. Never thaw it on the counter.
- Grayish-brown leathery spots are freezer burn. They're safe; cut them away if they're dry.
Cooked and rotisserie chicken
Leftover cooked chicken keeps 3–4 days in the fridge. A store rotisserie chicken should be hot when you buy it; USDA says to refrigerate it within 2 hours, cut into pieces in shallow covered containers, and eat it within 3 to 4 days, cold or reheated to 165°F. For other foods, use the shelf life chart or get dates counted out with the food expiration calculator.
Questions people ask
Is chicken good 2 days after the sell-by date?
USDA's advice is to cook or freeze raw chicken within 1 to 2 days of buying it, whatever the sell-by date says. If you bought it the day before the sell-by date and it has been at 40°F or below, day 2 after purchase is the limit. Don't hold it longer and don't use it if it smells off or feels sticky or slimy.
Can I freeze chicken on the use-by date?
Yes. Freezing on or before the use-by date keeps it at its best. USDA notes that if a use-by date passes while the chicken is frozen, it can still be used, because food kept frozen continuously is safe indefinitely.
How long does thawed chicken last in the fridge?
Chicken thawed in the refrigerator can stay there another 1 to 2 days before cooking, and can be refrozen uncooked in that time. Chicken thawed in cold water or the microwave should be cooked right away.
Should I rinse raw chicken before cooking it?
No. USDA advises against washing raw poultry. Rinsing doesn't destroy bacteria, and it splashes raw juices onto the sink, counters and nearby food. Cooking to 165°F is what makes it safe.
Sources
- Chicken from Farm to Table — USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service
- FSIS FoodKeeper Data — USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (data.gov, public domain)
- Refrigerator & Freezer Storage Chart — U.S. Food and Drug Administration
- How long is meat or poultry safe to use after the sell-by date? — Ask USDA (USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service)
- 9 CFR 381.126: Date of packing and date of processing — Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
- Regulations for Package Dating — USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service
- The Color of Meat and Poultry — USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service
- Food Product Dating fact sheet revision (Federal Register notice, April 9, 2019) — USDA FSIS