How long does chicken salad last in the fridge?
Chicken salad keeps 3 to 4 days in the fridge, per USDA FoodKeeper.
Updated
| Food | Fridge | Freezer |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken salad | 3 to 4 days | Not recommended |
Can you freeze chicken salad?
USDA FoodKeeper does not recommend freezing chicken salad. Mayonnaise separates once thawed, and celery goes limp.
How to store chicken salad
Make it with chicken that went into the fridge within 2 hours of cooking. The safest count starts from when the chicken was cooked, not from when you made the salad.
How long can chicken salad sit out?
No more than 2 hours at room temperature, or 1 hour when it is above 90°F, such as at a summer picnic. After that, USDA says to throw it out.
How to tell if chicken salad has gone bad
Go by the days, not by the smell. The germs that cause food poisoning usually do not change how food looks, smells or tastes, so food past its time can seem fine and still make you sick. Mold, a sour smell or a slimy feel mean it has spoiled, but food without them is not safe just because it seems fine. Never taste food to check it. When in doubt, throw it out.
Times from USDA FoodKeeper, the storage data from USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service: data version 128, last changed September 6, 2018, still the current version. Public domain. The handling rules are from USDA's Leftovers and Food Safety.