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Is it okay to eat chicken that smells bad, but is not past its expiration date?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

The expiration date is a good guideline, but it’s not a guarantee that the chicken is good to eat. If your chicken smells spoiled, it’s better not to eat it, even if it hasn’t reached the expiration date on the package.

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Question

How can you tell if ground chicken has gone bad?

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This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

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The chicken might smell sour or be slimy to the touch. You might also notice that it has a dull or greyish color.

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Question

What does it mean if raw chicken smells like eggs?

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Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

The eggy smell is sulfur, which can be released by some types of bacteria. If your chicken smells eggy and it came out of a cling-wrapped or regular plastic package, it’s probably best not to eat it. On the other hand, sometimes an egg smell can be a result of the cryovac packaging process. If your chicken was cryovac packaged, let it sit for a few minutes to see if the smell dissipates. If it does, it is likely safe to eat if you cook it thoroughly.

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Question

I cooked four breasts from the same package. All looked the same prior to cooking. One of the four glistened and had a clear stickiness to the inside of the meat when cut into. It wasn't until I put in my mouth that I realized it tasted a little off. I didn't get sick. What was that?

Community Answer

That was bad chicken. Good thing you noticed and did not eat a lot of it, or you likely would have been quite ill.

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Question

If chicken drumsticks are starting to smell, but the color is good after being frozen and thawed for four or five days in a refrigerator, are they safe to cook?

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No.

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Question

What happens if you eat spoiled chicken

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You run a very high risk of contracting food poisoning, which is a miserable experience.

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Question

What can I do if I won chicken at a meat raffle and it is bad?

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Throw it away.

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Question

I left packaged raw chicken on the counter one hour and 45 minutes. The package is sealed, and it still feels cold. Is it ok?

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Yes. It should be fine.

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Question

The color of my chicken is good, but it smells faintly sour. Is it okay?

Community Answer

Chicken shouldn't be sour-smelling. This indicates that the chicken has spoiled.

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Question

Can I cook chicken one day past the sell-by date?

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Yes, you can still use it. The sell-by date is only there for the seller. When in doubt, follow the steps in the article.

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Question

Is it safe to cook raw chicken that has been on the counter for a week?

Community Answer

No. After a couple hours of sitting out, it's bad. Anything more should thrown out.

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Question

What if takeaway chicken has pink lines?

Community Answer

That typically means that the chicken was frozen before cooking and is not uncommon.

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Question

Can I cook my raw chicken if it has been in the fridge for a week? It has no stinky smell or gray color, and it isn't sticky or slimy.

Community Answer

Normally a week is too long for chicken to be in the fridge, however if it meets the criteria, it is possible that the chicken is still safe to eat. The safety isn't guaranteed at this point, though.

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Question

Can I cook chicken that has been in the freezer for 5 years?

Community Answer

No.

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Question

If I defrosted chicken on the lower shelf of the refrigerator but didn't have a chance to cook it for a week, will it still be good?

Community Answer

No, be on the safe side and throw it out. Two to three days is the maximum time you can wait to cook chicken after it has thawed in the fridge.

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Question

The electricity was off for about 4 hours. I had raw chicken breast in the refrigerator. Is it still good?

Community Answer

I work at a grocery store and have attained my food handler's card. With that being said, anything that has been left out for more than 4 hours is considered bad. Anywhere from 1-3 still really isn't advisable to eat, but after 4 hours I am required to throw it away as I can no longer sell it.

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Question

Can I cook a prepped whole chicken that sat out for an unknown amount of time?

Community Answer

Absolutely not.

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Question

If chicken has a bad smell after thawing, but no change in color, texture or taste, is it bad if the smell remains after cooking it in boiling water?

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Yes.

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Question

My raw chicken has no kind of smell, not even the normal raw smell. I was about to cook it but since I cannot get a smell, I'm not sure it's safe. What do you think?

Community Answer

Congratulations! It means your chicken is very fresh, the less the chicken smells the fresher it is.

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Question

I had vacuum-sealed, refrigerated whole chickens delivered in EPS boxes with freezer packs at 2:00 PM on Friday. Will the chicken still be good to use at 8:00 AM the next day?

Community Answer

Yes. It is actually advisable to use it in a very short period of time as you're doing.

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Question

I put my chicken in the fridge for a couple hours and then put it back in the freezer - it was still pretty frozen. Is the chicken bad?

Tameeka Chang

Community Answer

No, as long as it was fresh to begin with.

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Question

If boiling chicken has a smell, does that mean it's spoiled?

Tameeka Chang

Community Answer

If it's rancid or smells like rotting flesh or a carcass, yes. If it just smells like chicken, no.

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Question

How long can I have cooked chicken in a normal food box before it goes bad?

Community Answer

Cooked meat will keep for up to 5 days if refrigerated, but be sure to reheat it to 350 degrees Fahrenheit before consuming to kill any bacteria.

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Question

I got a chicken breast with blood stains on it. The blood won't wash off. Is it bad?

Community Answer

I wouldn't eat it. Blood stains in meat usually means that the animals were stressed before being slaughtered. It can affect the quality of the meat.

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Question

If I had frozen chicken in the sink with cold water and forgot about it for about three hours, would it still be good?

Community Answer

Yes, it should be fine. It takes a while for chicken to thaw.

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Question

What if the chicken smelled absolutely horrible and sour when first being opened from the plastic wrapped package, but smells fine after being out for about 5 minutes?

Community Answer

I would not take a chance with it. If it has a bad odor, then it is bad. The smell either dissipated in the five minutes or you got used to it, but it is likely still as odorous as before.

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Question

How can I tell if seasoned chicken has gone bad?

Community Answer

You can smell it, or look to see if it is looking grey. If it has a funny smell or looks to be a funny color, you should toss it just to be safe.

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Question

Will spoiled chicken contaminate other foods in the freezer?

Community Answer

No it won't contaminate the rest of the food as long as they're not in the same container. If it drips anywhere, you should wipe it up so that the contaminated juices do not sit near other food.

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Question

Can I eat marinated chicken breasts that have been thawed overnight, but have a strong smell when taken out of the plastic bag?

Community Answer

No, if the chicken smells you shouldn't eat it.

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Question

If pre-packed chicken from the supermarket has a faint smell, is it still safe to eat?

Community Answer

If it smells sour or ammonia-ish, it is not safe to eat. If it smells like chicken, it is.

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