Cooked chicken should be used within two to three days, or one day for minced chicken. 

From a safety point of view, you can store frozen meats for years; however, with time there will be a loss in nutrient value and quality. It is best to discard if you are unsure about the safety or quality of the product.  

Follow any cooking instructions on packaging. To check that chicken meat is properly cooked, ensure all internal and external parts of the chicken reach 75°C, and the juices run clear, not pink. A meat thermometer will enable you to check the temperature or use a skewer to pierce deeply through the thickest part of the meat and allow the juices to run so you can check the colour is clear.

Yes. You can re-freeze chicken. Just make sure it was properly defrosted in the fridge (not the bench), and it hasn’t been longer than 24 hours since you defrosted it.

No. Do not wash raw chicken. Washing raw chicken before cooking it is likely to splash raw meat juices and any bacteria that may be present around the kitchen sink, bench top and utensils, and other raw foods, increasing the chance that you might get sick.

Yes. You can re-heat chicken leftovers to at least 70°C for a minimum of 2 minutes ensuring that it is steaming hot all the way through. Stirring or turning chicken during reheating can help it heat evenly. Only reheat chicken once and consume immediately. If you are pregnant, immunocompromised or elderly take extra care when reheating chicken. 

Select perishable foods at the end of your shop or if you’re not going straight home, keep meat in a chilled esky in the car. Check packaging for tears or broken seals, and don’t buy products that have been opened or damaged. Always check expiry dates and instructions before preparing and discard the product if you are unsure about its quality of safety. 

Raw meat juices may contain bacteria, so use different utensils and chopping boards for preparing raw meat than those used for preparing other foods, and wash hands between handling raw and cooked foods.

After preparing raw meat, wash utensils, containers, cutting boards and kitchen surfaces with hot soapy water.

Change your sponge regularly and wash well after each use, or preferably use disposable paper towels for clean up.

Do not wash raw chicken.

Thaw frozen chicken meat completely prior to cooking by placing in the refrigerator or defrosting in a microwave oven. Do not thaw chicken at room temperature, such as on the kitchen benchtop, as this will allow bacteria to multiply, and this could make you sick.

Salmonella and Campylobacter are bacteria that are part of the normal microflora of the chicken gut, where they can live without affecting the chicken. However, some strains of Salmonella and Campylobacter can cause illness in humans.

Any risk from bacteria is eliminated if meat is cooked, stored and handled properly and care is taken not to contaminate surfaces, utensils or other foods. 

Both raw and cooked chicken should be used within two to three days (minced chicken within one day). If the chicken looks, smells or feels unusual, throw it out. Always check the expiry date and discard if expired.