How long does thawed chicken last in the fridge?
In this brief article, we will answer the question, “How long does thawed chicken last in the fridge?” and provide information on how to thaw them, how to freeze them, whether you can cook frozen ones as well as how long it can remain in the freezer.
How long does thawed chicken last in the fridge?
Thawed chicken can last for 1-2 days in the fridge. However, the shelf-life of defrosted chicken can vary based on the method of thawing as well.
How can you thaw chicken?
Some methods to thaw chicken are as follows:
- Thawing chicken in the fridge can be the best way to thaw them. You can keep the chicken overnight in the fridge to defrost them. The time taken to defrost chicken would change depending on its size.
Smaller chicken breasts might take a day to defrost. Some chicken pieces containing bones can take around 2 days to defrost.
- The next way to thaw the chicken would be in cold water. Make sure to ensure that the water is ice cold.
It can take around 1-2 hours for the chicken pieces to thaw. If the chicken pieces are bigger, it might take at least 2 hours. Do not use warm water to thaw the chicken. This is because warm water can attract bacteria.
Do not submerge the whole chicken in ice-cold water as it can take a long time to thaw them. Instead, a whole chicken can be thawed in the fridge.
- Thawing in the microwave can be another way to defrost the chicken. This method is quite fast and requires your full attention. If there is a defrost option present in your microwave, make sure to select them and then thaw the chicken pieces.
You can check the manual for the microwave to see whether it can work. Some microwaves have a defrost button and you might need to input the weight of food before thawing them.
If you have defrosted meat in the microwave, make sure to cook them. Do not keep them in raw form back in the fridge.
How can you freeze chicken?
You can use a freezer bag to freeze the chicken. If a freezer bag is not available, using a freezer wrap can be beneficial.
Make sure to label the freezer bag with the date of freezing. Press the freezer bag to remove the air out from them.
Vacuum sealing the freezer bag can be another way to extend the shelf-life of chicken. Once the chicken has been vacuum-sealed, there would be no air present inside them.
Can you cook frozen chicken?
Yes, you can cook frozen chicken. It can take 50 percent more time to cook frozen chicken. The internal temperature of the chicken should be around 160 degrees Fahrenheit. If the chicken is not cooked to that temperature, symptoms of food poisoning can occur.
How long can chicken remain in the freezer?
Chicken can remain in the freezer for 9 months to a year. A whole chicken can last for a year. If the chicken is cooked, it needs to be defrosted within 4 months.
How to know whether the chicken is spoilt?
Some of the tips to know whether the chicken is spoilt are given below:
- Check the best-by date stated on the chicken. Avoid consuming the chicken if there is no best-by date present on the package. If the best-by or use-by date has already passed, do not eat the chicken.
- Smell the chicken. If the chicken does not smell good, avoid buying or eating them. Spoiled chicken can release an ammonia-like smell.
- Check the appearance of the chicken. If there are dark or white spots present in chicken, it is not worth eating them.
- Check the texture of the chicken. If it appears to be slimy or spoilt, do not buy them.
- Check whether there is any mold growing on the chicken. Do not cut off parts of the mold and then consume the rest of the chicken. Instead, discard the entire chicken for your safety.
Can you refreeze thawed chicken?
If the chicken was thawed properly, it can definitely be refrozen. Raw ones can be refrozen for 2 days whereas cooked chicken can be refrozen for 4 days.
The chicken has to be kept at a temperature below 0 degrees Fahrenheit. If the raw chicken has been thawed for more than 2 days, refreezing them will not help. Cooked chicken kept for more than 4 days is not recommended to be refrozen either.
Conclusion
In this brief article, we have answered the question, “How long does thawed chicken last in the fridge?” and provided information on how to thaw them, how to freeze them, whether you can cook frozen ones as well as how long it can remain in the freezer.
