The Safest Way to Store Raw Chicken, According To Experts

The safest way to store raw chicken is cold, contained and low: in a refrigerator at 40°F or below, in a sealed container or wrapped securely on the bottom shelf, away from anything you will eat without cooking. Raw chicken can carry Salmonella, and the CDC’s chicken-safety page reports that about 1 in 25 packages at the grocery store is contaminated, so storage is mostly about slowing bacterial growth and keeping juices off everything else. Below is the full routine, including how long it keeps, what to do if a package leaks, and how to freeze and thaw it safely.

The short answer: do not leave raw chicken at room temperature for more than 2 hours (1 hour if the air is above 90°F), and throw it out if it has been. Keep the fridge at 40°F or below, store the chicken on the bottom shelf in a sealed container or wrapped securely, away from ready-to-eat food, and do not wash it. Cook or freeze it within 1 to 2 days. Freeze at 0°F or below, thaw in the refrigerator, and cook to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer.

How to store raw chicken in the refrigerator

1. Get it cold fast, and keep it cold. The FDA says to refrigerate or freeze meat and poultry within 2 hours of cooking or purchasing, and within 1 hour when the air temperature is above 90°F. Time spent unrefrigerated counts, including in a warm car on the way home. It also says to keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below and the freezer at 0°F, and recommends a freestanding appliance thermometer in each, checked often.
2. Put it on the bottom shelf, sealed or wrapped. The CDC says to keep chicken on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator in a sealed container or wrapped securely, and to keep raw chicken and its juices away from ready-to-eat foods.
3. Add a second barrier if you can. Our practical tip: set the package inside a lidded container or on a rimmed plate or tray. If the package leaks, the mess stays in one place and off your produce and leftovers.
4. Do not wash it. The CDC says raw chicken is ready to cook and does not need to be washed first, and reports that 1 in 7 people who cleaned their sink after washing chicken still had germs in it. A USDA observational study found that 60% of participants who washed poultry had bacteria in the sink afterward and 26% transferred bacteria to salad lettuce. If you need to remove something from the chicken, USDA says to pat the area with a damp paper towel, throw the towel away and wash your hands right away. Skipping the rinse does not replace handwashing, separating raw chicken from other foods and cleaning surfaces.
5. Cook it or freeze it within 1 to 2 days. See the storage times below.

How long does raw chicken last in the fridge?

The most common answer online is two days. The University of Delaware Cooperative Extension food storage chart, which draws on foodsafety.gov, gives a range: 1 to 2 days in the refrigerator for whole chicken, chicken pieces and ground chicken. Planning around the shorter end is the safer habit. The freezer times are for best quality: Clemson University Extension says wholesome food stored constantly at 0°F will always be safe, and its chart lists the same 9 months for chicken pieces and 1 year for whole chicken. The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service says a sell-by date tells the store how long to display the product and is not a safety date, so do not treat it as permission to keep raw chicken longer. Our practical tip: count the 1 to 2 days from when you bring it home.

Cooked chicken keeps for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator according to the same chart. See our leftovers guide for more.

What to do if the package leaks or tears

If the package tears or leaks while the chicken is otherwise safely stored, put it in a fresh, sealed container or bag that will not leak, and keep it on the bottom shelf. That step is our practical advice. Then clean up. The CDC says to wash cutting boards, utensils, dishes and countertops with hot, soapy water, and USDA adds that surfaces which touched raw poultry or its juices should be cleaned with hot soapy water and then a sanitizer. Use a sanitizer suitable for food-contact surfaces and follow its label. Wash your hands with soap for 20 seconds right after handling the chicken or the package. Our practical caution: if juices touched food you will eat without cooking, such as salad greens or deli meat, throw that food out rather than trying to rinse it.

How to freeze raw chicken

Freeze chicken at 0°F or below, per the FDA. The sources agree that supermarket tray wrap is not ideal for the freezer and differ mainly in how strongly they say so. The University of Illinois Extension says it is safe to freeze meat or poultry in its supermarket wrapping, but the wrapping is permeable to air, so use it within about two months or overwrap it with heavy-duty foil, freezer wrap or a freezer zip-lock bag. The National Center for Home Food Preservation says store-bought poultry needs to be over-wrapped before freezing because its clear wrap is not moisture-vapor resistant. Clemson University Extension likewise says to overwrap store packages for storage longer than a month or two. These choices protect quality by guarding against drying and freezer burn, which Illinois explains happens when the surface of the meat dehydrates and the fat oxidizes. They do not change the safety of chicken that stays frozen. Seal and freeze immediately.

If you buy a family pack, our practical tip is to portion it into meal-size amounts before freezing, so you thaw only what you will cook. See our guides to foods you should never freeze and foods you should never store together for more.

How to thaw chicken safely

• In the refrigerator. The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service says allow about a full day for a pound of boneless chicken breasts to thaw this way, and that thawed poultry stays safe for about one to two more days before cooking. Chicken thawed in the refrigerator can be refrozen without cooking, though quality may decline, as long as it stayed cold. The National Center for Home Food Preservation says to thaw in the original wrappings. Our practical tip: thaw on a tray on the bottom shelf, because thawing chicken can leak.
• In cold water. USDA says the chicken must be in a leak-proof package or plastic bag, the water changed every 30 minutes, and thawed food cooked immediately.
• In the microwave. USDA says to plan to cook right away, since parts of the food may begin to warm into the danger zone.
• Never on the counter. USDA says perishable food should not be thawed on the counter or in hot water. Cold-water and microwave-thawed chicken should be cooked before refreezing.
• Or skip thawing for some methods. USDA says it is safe to cook from frozen, which takes about 50% longer than cooking thawed or fresh chicken, so use the oven or stove and check the temperature with a food thermometer. For a slow cooker, the USDA slow cooker guidance says all ingredients should be thawed first. Follow package directions for prepared frozen products.

Cook it to 165°F

Refrigeration and containment slow bacterial growth and limit cross-contamination, but they do not sterilize raw chicken, and cooking cannot be counted on to rescue chicken that was left out or stored unsafely. Cook properly handled chicken to an internal temperature of 165°F, and check it with a food thermometer, as USDA advises. The CDC says to cook chicken to a safe internal temperature of 165°F. Refrigerate or freeze leftovers within 2 hours, or within 1 hour if the air is above 90°F. For ideas, try our different ways to do chicken, Chinese chicken lettuce wraps, basil kumquat chicken kabobs or chicken enchilada boats.

Raw chicken storage questions, answered

Where should raw chicken go in the fridge?

On the bottom shelf, in a sealed container or wrapped securely, says the CDC. Keep it away from ready-to-eat foods.

How many days is raw chicken good in the fridge?

One to two days, per the University of Delaware Cooperative Extension chart. If you will not cook it in that time, freeze it.

Should you wash raw chicken before storing or cooking it?

No. The CDC says raw chicken does not need to be washed first, and USDA says washing does not destroy bacteria.

Can you store raw chicken above vegetables?

We advise against it. The CDC says to keep raw chicken and its juices away from ready-to-eat foods, which is why the bottom shelf is the standard spot.

Can you leave raw chicken in the store package?

Many people do. The CDC says to keep chicken in a sealed container or wrapped securely, so our advice is to keep the package intact and set it in a lidded container or on a rimmed tray. For the freezer, overwrap it or use it within about two months, per University of Illinois Extension.

How long can frozen chicken stay in the freezer?

The University of Delaware Cooperative Extension chart lists 1 year for whole chicken, 9 months for pieces and 3 to 4 months for ground chicken at 0°F or below. These are best-quality times, not safety deadlines: Clemson University Extension says wholesome food stored constantly at 0°F will always be safe.

See also

Can you refreeze chicken that has thawed?

Yes, if it was thawed in the refrigerator. USDA says refrigerator-thawed food can be refrozen without cooking, though quality may decline. Chicken thawed in cold water or the microwave should be cooked first.

Is it safe to thaw chicken on the counter?

No. USDA says perishable food should not be thawed on the counter or in hot water.

How long can raw chicken sit out?

Refrigerate it within 2 hours, or within 1 hour if the air is above 90°F, which can include a hot car. The FDA says perishables left out for 2 hours or more allow bacteria to multiply rapidly. If raw chicken has been out longer than that, throw it out. Refrigerating or freezing it later does not make it safe, and the FDA’s rule is when in doubt, throw it out.

How can you tell if raw chicken has gone bad?

The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service says spoiled foods develop an off odor, flavor or texture because of naturally occurring spoilage bacteria. Our practical note: do not rely on smell to judge safety. Go by the clock (1 to 2 days), the fridge temperature (40°F or below) and how it was handled, and throw it out if you are unsure.

Can you marinate chicken in the fridge for two days?

Yes. Marinate it in the refrigerator, not on the counter, as the FDA advises, and cook it within two days, per USDA. USDA also says not to use marinade that touched raw poultry as a sauce unless it is boiled first to destroy bacteria.

What temperature should the refrigerator be?

40°F or below, per the FDA, which recommends an appliance thermometer to check it.

The bottom line

Keep raw chicken cold, sealed and on the bottom shelf, skip the rinse, and cook or freeze it within 1 to 2 days. Thaw it in the refrigerator, and cook it to 165°F.