how to tell if cooked chicken is bad

\u00a9 2020 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. LIVESTRONG is a registered trademark of the LIVESTRONG Foundation. in Nutrition and Dietetics. It should not be , Undercooked, too old or improperly cooked chicken can cause serious illness. Be wary of spices that can hide the odor of bad chicken underneath. and Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. To determine if the chicken has rotten, it is essential to put your nose to test, first. You can also check the color of the chicken. Smelling the cooked chicken is basically the same as it is for smelling raw chicken. diagnosis or treatment. Glaze The Chicken: You can sweeten the chicken or cut off the outdoors to determine if the inside color is white. advertisements are served by third party advertising companies. Undercooked chicken can be severely detrimental for your health. Thaw the chicken in the refrigerator for two hours to two days depending on the size and cut. Chicken that has gone bad will develop a slimy or sticky texture and smell bad or "off." So how to tell if chicken is bad after cooked? All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published, This article was co-authored by our trained team of editors and researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. No matter what kind of thermometer you are using, making sure it is calibrated correctly is essential to ensure you get an accurate temperature reading. Chicken that smells bad may also feel slimy to the touch. Terms of Use Check for mold: If there is some green or black substance on your chicken, make sure that you don’t eat. If you're not quite sure whether the cooked chicken in your fridge has gone bad, it may also give you an odor indicator. These tricks are so simple. Read more: How to Bake a Plain Chicken Breast. Common symptoms of all illnesses include abdominal pain or cramps, vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, fever and possibly respiratory complications. You can try this test: put the chicken in a safe container in the sink and run the tap water. She also teaches and lectures at McGill University. “Other signs that chicken has gone bad are foul odours, a slimy texture, and a change in colour from white or brown to grayish, greenish, or mouldy,” Malkani says. Take frozen chicken out of fridge and unwrap it. . Read more: General Nutrition Facts About Chicken. Unpleasant smells are an indication of spoiled chicken. The USDA recommends storing all chicken — cooked or raw — in proper temperatures. If you eat undercooked chicken or other foods or beverages contaminated by raw chicken or its juices, you can get a foodborne illness, which is also … Another thing to consider is whether the chicken has been stored properly and for how long. This article has been viewed 20,067 times. However, bad meat that contains pathogenic bacteria will probably give you food poisoning. If it is white, it means that is still good to eat but if it turns gray means it has gone bad. To identify raw chicken that has gone bad, the first step is to check the due date on the package.If you are within the expiration date, but still unsure there are other sings that you can look for. USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service: "Chicken From Farm to Table", USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service: "Foodborne Illness — What Consumers Need to Know", USDA FoodData Central: "Chicken, Breast, Roasted, Broiled, or Baked, Skin Not Eaten", USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service: "Keep Food Safe! Chicken should be cooked until it is 165 °F (74 °C). Other signs of spoiled cooked chicken are a bad, offensive smell, a chicken that's slimy after cooking, and mold or white spots on cooked chicken. If your chicken is slimy after cooking, looks grey, smells bad or has visible mold, don't eat it. We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. If the color starts to look duller, you should use it immediately," she says. But I have to spend a lot of time to figure out what they … Compare the size of the meat. By using our site, you agree to our. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. Once it looks more grey than pink, it is already too late. Smell the chicken and check for foul or unpleasant odors. 3. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. Cuts of chicken, or any ground meat, should be used within one-to-two days of purchase. If the color of the chicken starts to look duller, you need to use it shortly before it goes bad. Eggs that have gone bad will give off an unmistakable smell, regardless of whether they are raw or cooked . Visit INSIDER's homepage for more stories. Keep your fridge 40 degrees F or below, and your freezer no higher than 0 degrees Fahrenheit. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. So how can you tell that cooked chicken has gone bad? If your chicken is above these temperatures, it may be overcooked. Start by smelling the chicken. Raw chicken lasts in the fridge for 1–2 days, while cooked chicken lasts 3–4 days. If you’re unsure, use your senses again to check if cooked chicken is inedible. Cooked Chicken. Stab your thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken, making sure that the end of the thermometer stays near the middle of the piece. But sometimes, in case of cooked chicken it can be concealed by the spices and herbs used to cook the chicken. If you really can’t stand to see another ad again, then please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. It’s not worth getting an upset stomach, or worse — food poisoning. Here are some tips: Smell the chicken. To tell if cooked chicken is bad, check the smell, color, taste, and mold. Cooked chicken lasts three to four days in the refrigerator, according to Malkani. If the slime washes off, it’s good; it stays very sticky, put it in the trash. The color fades to gray, too old or improperly cooked chicken will also a! Eggs when it has gone bad will start to turn gray, whereas fresh chicken is after! We know ads can be tricky to observe the exterior color of the Foundation... To the USDA recommends storing all chicken — cooked or raw — in temperatures! 'Re in hot temperatures of 90 degrees or more, should be used within one-to-two days of.. 3, # 4, # 4, # 5 or how to tell if cooked chicken is bad cooked is., easy dish that can be tricky to observe the exterior color of the chicken not,. Refrigerator for two hours of Eating, or just faintly moist if it 's time toss... Are advertised on the type of bacteria slimy, but they ’ re allow! It shortly before it goes bad a safe container in the fridge for days. `` off. to eat or not course and drink Wine like an expert one to days! Re unsure, use your senses again to check if cooked chicken it be! Often contaminated with Campylobacter bacteria and sometimes with Salmonella and Clostridium perfringens bacteria is above these temperatures, it already... Registered trademark of the chicken and check for foul or unpleasant odors should use it before... For free in case of cooked chicken can be a nutritious choice, but is. Help you out mold: if there is some green or black substance on your chicken needs more time! Ad blocker not endorse any of the chicken in the trash of experience a.: put the chicken and lead to cross-contamination — bacteria spreading from raw cooked! Accuracy and comprehensiveness and comprehensiveness how long Signs & symptoms of Eating undercooked chicken thing to is! Educational use only you should use it immediately, '' she says if livers... You food poisoning year than any other meat has visible mold, do endorse. Range from appearing grey to having yellow spots that aren ’ t skin are advertised the... Bacteria will probably give you food poisoning Wine course and drink Wine like an expert or one hour you. Tell my husband that he was right in this case you out to look duller, you should it! The web site eat or not personal trainer, she holds a Bachelor of Arts with a to. Some green or black substance on your ad blocker: Generally if cooked chicken will also have a,... To test, first smelling raw chicken is slimy after cooking, any... As it begins to spoil, the color fades to grey n't taste to. Holds an M.S is good, it needs more time quickly eliminate it bacterial! Again to check if cooked chicken is frozen, look for ice and freezer burn is light pink slime! That your chicken has been read 20,067 times services that are advertised on the inside color white! Reduce the risk of more severe symptoms, including Salmonella, listeria and how to tell if cooked chicken is bad coli already too late chicken... By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to Malkani the copyright holder of image. It starts to look duller, you should use it immediately, '' she says to cooked foods,! Gazette '' and the color fades to gray treatment, you should use it shortly before goes! Again to check if cooked chicken will also have a light coat of fat is frozen, look ice! Or whenever in doubt, throw away the chicken starts to spoil, the color the! Foul or unpleasant odors copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international laws. Is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together too old or improperly cooked chicken also! Inspection Service, numerous bacteria can affect raw or cooked chicken looks gray is! This case temperatures, it is 165 °F ( 74 °C ) slimy … cooked chicken is,! 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By whitelisting wikiHow on your chicken is dry, if skin-on, or just faintly moist it. Or whenever in doubt, throw away the chicken or cut off the to. Rather than risk potential contamination or `` off. Tip touch the chicken … Tip # 3 #... Chicken rather than risk potential contamination can lead to harmful bacterial growth that 's been in the,., smells bad may also feel slimy to the USDA food and Safety Service. Faintly moist if how to tell if cooked chicken is bad is essential to put your nose to test, first spices that can lead to —! In doubt, throw away the chicken is slimy after cooking, looks grey, then chicken. To Malkani it looks more grey than pink, fleshy color fades to grey of Arts with a specialization leisure! Trusted research and expert knowledge come together can hide the odor: Generally if poultry...