How long does chicken last in the fridge, freezer and pantry
Last checked
FoodKeeper lists chicken, whole as keeping for 1 to 2 days in the fridge (from purchase) and 12 months in the freezer (from purchase). These are estimates for food stored as described. We have not yet confirmed whether USDA has published newer FoodKeeper data since this release.
| Food | Pantry | Fridge | Freezer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken, whole | Not listed | 1 to 2 days, from purchase | 12 months, from purchase |
| Chicken parts, breast halves, boneless | Not listed | 1 to 2 days, from purchase | 9 months, from purchase |
| Chicken parts, legs or thighs | Not listed | 1 to 2 days, from purchase | 9 months, from purchase |
Source: USDA FoodKeeper, data release 2018-09-06, foodkeeper.json
Move it to the freezer by Sunday
Say you bring home chicken on a Saturday. For chicken, whole, FoodKeeper lists 1 to 2 days in the fridge (from purchase), so move it to the freezer by Sunday, the early end of that range. It keeps for 12 months there (from purchase). The Pantry shows how long each food has, and a Use first card offers Freeze (Pantry dates in Help).
Frozen already?
How long it takes to thaw in the fridge is on the thaw times page.