How long will my chicken last?

May 14, 2011 12:57 PM

I bought a hot rotisserie chicken from the deli section at the local health food store today. I took it apart and packed the light and dark meat and some of the skin into glass mason jars. I am storing these jars in my fridge. How long can I expect them to last? Can I eat the chicken from the jars 3 to 4 days from now? If I had just put the whole chicken in the fridge, would it have lasted longer? Thank you so much!
posted by skjønn to Food & Drink (9 answers total)

Can I eat the chicken from the jars 3 to 4 days from now?

Yes.
posted by phunniemee at 1:00 PM on May 14, 2011

I would eat 3 day old chicken. In general, the less food is handled, the lower the risk of contamination from the bacteria on our hands (like staph. aureus) and the air. So, an unmolested chicken would probably last longer, but if you washed your hands before taking it apart the risk of significant contamination is low.
posted by abirae at 1:04 PM on May 14, 2011

I roasted a chicken on Sunday and had the last of it for lunch on Thursday (and made stock from the carcass that night). Keep it properly refrigerated and you should be fine.
posted by rtha at 1:30 PM on May 14, 2011

I just finished eating a rotisserie chicken that I bought from a store 2 weeks ago, without any ill effects. I do not expect you to be as brave/foolish, but 3-4 days is perfectly fine.
posted by puritycontrol at 1:33 PM on May 14, 2011

We buy about three rotisserie chickens a month, and keep them up to a week before freezing the carcasse for later chicken stock projects.
posted by furtive at 2:42 PM on May 14, 2011

One thing that will affect your chicken is the jar. Make sure it is really clean. Covered food will last longer than uncovered, but the vessel must be clean. For this reason, keeping leftover canned food in its original can (covered) is a good idea, since the can was originally sterilized. I know people think it is better to put the food in another container, but only if the new container is very very clean.
posted by fifilaru at 2:58 PM on May 14, 2011

Also, the bottom shelves of fridge are cooler, and food keeps better there.
posted by theora55 at 6:35 PM on May 14, 2011

I won't double dip in chip dip even if I'm the only one eating it, so I am a bit of a nut, but there's a mnemonic that has kept me alive for 40+ years, "Day four and out the door." I'm pretty adamant about this. "Fowl that doesn't smell foul is edible" is probably also an acceptable mnemonic, but that can take some time. Week old chicken from a jar? No way.
posted by cjorgensen at 7:18 PM on May 14, 2011

theora55: "Also, the bottom shelves of fridge are cooler, and food keeps better there"

Not true. Many many fridges - especially those with freezer compartments on top or salad trays at the bottom are coldest at the top.
posted by turkeyphant at 7:35 AM on May 15, 2011