How Long Is Chicken Good After Sell By Date? GUIDE

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Chicken is known to be a little bit of a fickly meat to know how to handle when cooking and storing for safety reasons. Knowing how long is chicken good after sell by date can be handy. You’ll make sure you do not waste any leftovers that could make another dish.

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In this article we will explore how long you can keep chicken for after its sell by date.

Table of Contents

Is It Safe To Eat Chicken Past The Sell By Date?

This is a very controversial topic. Normally we would never recommend eating any food that has passed its sell by date due to food safety.

Chicken is one of the most dangerous foods to eat if you are unsure if it has turned bad. It can cause you to have severe symptoms of food poisoning and make you very unwell.

However, raw chicken meat can still be safe to cook and consume 1 to 2 days after the sell by date that is stated on the packet. This is only correct if the raw chicken has been stored properly in the fridge or freezer. Also, there should be no signs of spoilage.

Cooked chicken #2

Can You Cook Chicken 3 Days Out Of Date?

If you are wanting to cook or eat chicken that has passed its date by three days, we would recommend only using the chicken if it has been stored properly. It should also show no signs that it has turned bad.

The best way to store raw chicken is to place it in the fridge in an airtight container close to when you originally purchased it. Aim to never leave your raw chicken on the side of the counter or in any place that has room temperature . This will allow bacteria to rapidly grow on the raw chicken.

Is chicken good 4 days after sell by date? We would recommend that the latest date you cook and eat chicken is three days after the sell-by date. The chicken may have turned bad by the fourth day.

How Long After The Sell By Date Is Chicken Breast Good?

The general rule is if the chicken breast still smells like it did when you first purchased it and the texture is not slimy, you could still eat the chicken breast within three days of the sell by date passing. This is a personal choice as there are risks that come along with eating chicken that has passed its sell by date.

The FDA states that fresh poultry should be refrigerated and will remain good for 1 to 2 days after the sell by date or nine months if it is frozen.

Can You Eat Chicken After Use-By Date

If your chicken shows no sign of turning bad then you can eat chicken a day or two past the sell by date on the packaging. The best thing to do when looking to see if you can eat chicken after the use by date is to look to see what the raw chicken looks like and smells like.

raw chicken

Is Chicken Still Good 5 Days After Sell By Date?

We would not recommend eating chicken if it has been left raw for five days after its sell by date. Although, sell by dates are mainly to provide a guide of when the product will turn bad. For products that are protein they tend to have a sell by date rather than a use by date on their packaging. This is because it’s hard to distinguish when a product will turn bad if it is fresh.

If you have purchased your chicken from a shop we would advise that you either cook or freeze the chicken within two days of purchasing it.

Can I Cook Chicken 2 Days After Use-By Date?

As long as your raw chicken has been property stored and it shows no signs of turning bad. Generally, you can still consume your raw chicken even if it is two days past the use by date.

Whenever you are cooking chicken, always make sure to cook it to a high enough temperature. This makes sure that the chicken is safe to consume. Otherwise you could get food poisoning if your chicken has not been cooked thoroughly.

A great tip is to check if all the chicken has turned white. If there are any areas of pink meat, cook the chicken for longer.

Can You Cook Chicken 1 Day Past Use-By Date?

If your chicken shows no sign of turning bad then you can eat chicken a day or two past the sell by date stated on the packaging.

The best thing to do when looking to see if you can eat chicken after the use by date is to look to see what the raw chicken looks like and smells like.

FAQs

How Can You Tell If Chicken Is Bad?

Your chicken may change in smell, color and texture which is a sign that your chicken has turned bad. The top layer of your skin can be slimy if it has turned bad and the chicken will start to smell very strong and rancid. The color of chicken may turn a yellow, gray or green shade if the chicken has spoiled.  If your chicken shows any signs of spoilage it is best to chuck it away rather than risk it.

What Happens If You Eat Expired Chicken?

There are huge risks which come along with eating spoiled chicken. If you eat chicken that has gone bad then you might experience food poisoning due to the dangerous bacteria that grow on raw chicken. The bacteria that grows on chicken is called campylobacter and salmonella. If you think your chicken has gone bad it is best to throw it away.

Always Check Your Raw Chicken Before Using After The Sell By Date

It is best as a general rule to always check your raw chicken for signs of spoilage if you are considering on using it past its sell by date. The maximum recommended days you can use raw chicken after its sell by date is 1 to 2 days after. We would not recommend cooking or consuming your raw chicken beyond the two day period of the chicken being out of date.

How long would you cook and consume your raw chicken after its sell by date had expired?

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By Anna

Anna Brooks, the voice behind CooksDream.com, is a seasoned writer and editor with an insatiable love for food. While not a professional chef, her culinary adventures and unique insights have captivated readers for years. Anna believes in the transformative power of food, stating it "feeds the soul." Dive into her writings for a mix of inspiration, entertainment, and culinary wisdom. Author Pinterest Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube Tumblr Reddit Quora

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