Is that chicken in your fridge okay to cook?
Here are four things that’ll tell you if the chicken is past its prime.
Bacteria causes spoilage, as Im sure you know.
Elise Bauer
Were programmed to worry about salmonella, since salmonella can be present on chicken that looks totally fine.
But if you cook chicken to 165F, its safe to eat.
So, this isnt about salmonella, per se.
It’s significantly past the best-by date.
If youre unsure if chicken is still okay, the best-by date is a good first place to look.
Its merely a tool.
How the chicken was stored at the store and how youve stored it at home also comes into play.
Chicken past the best-by date can be perfectly fine, and chicken thats not yet there might be suspect.
However, its definitely a solid place to start.
The flesh is grey-ish, not pink.
Fresh chicken should have pinkish flesh.
The intensity of the pinkness can vary, which is okay.
Toss it if its grey.
Some color changes are normal for raw chicken.
But fading to grey, or darkening of some spots, indicate spoilage.
Woody white patches on raw chicken thats been frozen and thawed are signs of freezer burn.
It smells rotten or just … off.
Lets face it, raw chicken does not smell lovely.
No one is making raw chicken-scented candles.
But raw chicken should not smell repulsive.
A sharp smell of ammonia or a strong rotten egg odor indicate chicken thats gone off.
Get it into the bin!
Is it normal for chicken to feel slimy?
No, its not.
If you touch the chicken and its abnormally slimy, sticky, or tacky, get rid of it.
Then wash your hands well.
