How to Handle Chicken Safely
Safe Cooking
FSIS recommends cooking whole chicken to a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F as measured using a food thermometer. Check the internal temperature in the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast. For reasons of personal preference, consumers may choose to cook poultry to higher temperatures.
For approximate cooking times to use in meal planning, see the following chart compiled from various resources.
| Approximate Chicken Cooking Times |
| Type of Chicken |
Weight |
Roasting
350 °F |
Simmering |
Grilling |
| Whole broiler fryer+ |
3 to 4 lbs. |
1 1/4 - 1 1/2 hrs. |
60 to 75 min. |
60 to 75 min* |
| Whole roasting hen+ |
5 to 7 lbs. |
2 to 2 1/4 hrs. |
1 3/4 to 2 hrs. |
18-25 min/lb* |
| Whole capon+ |
4 to 8 lbs. |
2 to 3 hrs |
Not suitable |
15-20 min/lb* |
| Whole Cornish hens+ |
18-24 oz. |
50 to 60 min. |
35 to 40 min. |
45 to 55 min* |
| Breast halves, bone-in |
6 to 8 oz. |
30 to 40 min. |
35 to 45 min. |
10 - 15 min/side |
| Breast half, boneless |
4 ounces |
20 to 30 min. |
25 to 30 min. |
6 to 8 min/side |
| Legs or thighs |
8 or 4 oz. |
40 to 50 min. |
40 to 50 min. |
10 - 15 min/side |
| Drumsticks |
4 ounces |
35 to 45 min. |
40 to 50 min. |
8 to 12 min/side |
| Wings or wingettes |
2 to 3 oz. |
30 to 40 min. |
35 to 45 min. |
8 to 12 min/side |
+ Unstuffed. If stuffed, add 15 to 30 minutes additional time.
* Indirect method using drip pan.
Storage Times
Since product dates aren't a guide for safe use of a product, how long can the consumer store the food and still use it at top quality? Follow these tips:
- Purchase the product before the date expires.
- Follow handling recommendations on product.
- Keep chicken in its package until using.
| Refrigerator Home Storage (at 40° F or below) of Chicken Products |
| Product |
Refrigerator Storage Times |
| Fresh Chicken, Giblets or Ground Chicken |
1 to 2 days |
| Cooked Chicken, Leftover |
3 to 4 days |
| Chicken Broth or Gravy |
1 to 2 days |
| Cooked Chicken Casseroles, Dishes or Soup |
3 to 4 days |
| Cooked Chicken Pieces, covered with broth or gravy |
1 to 2 days |
| Cooked Chicken Nuggets, Patties |
1 to 2 days |
| Fried Chicken |
3 to 4 days |
| Take-Out Convenience Chicken (Rotisserie, Fried, etc.) |
3 to 4 days |
| Restaurant Chicken Leftovers, brought immediately home in a "Doggy Bag" |
3 to 4 days |
| Store-cooked Chicken Dinner including gravy |
1 to 2 days |
| Chicken Salad |
3 to 5 days |
| Deli-sliced Chicken Luncheon Meat |
3 to 5 days |
| Chicken Luncheon Meat, sealed in package |
2 weeks (but no longer than 1 week after a "sell-by" date) |
| Chicken Luncheon Meat, after opening |
3 to 5 days |
| Vacuum-packed Dinners, Commercial brand with USDA seal |
Unopened 2 weeks
Opened 3 to 4 days |
| Chicken Hotdogs, unopened |
2 weeks (but no longer than 1 week after a "sell-by" date) |
| Chicken Hotdogs, after opening |
7 days |
| |
- Fresh Chicken:
At home, immediately place chicken in a refrigerator that maintains 40 °F, and use within 1 or 2 days, or freeze at 0 °F. If kept frozen continuously, it will be safe indefinitely.
Chicken may be frozen in its original packaging or repackaged. If freezing longer than two months, over wrap the porous store plastic packages with airtight heavy-duty foil, plastic wrap or freezer paper, or place the package inside a freezer bag. Use these materials or airtight freezer containers to repackage family packs into smaller amounts or freeze the chicken from opened packages.
Proper wrapping prevents "freezer burn," which appears as grayish-brown leathery spots and is caused by air reaching the surface of food. Cut freezer-burned portions away either before or after cooking the chicken. Heavily freezer-burned products may have to be discarded because they might be too dry or tasteless.
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