Suffering from food poisoning can happen to anybody if we are not careful with our food, and this includes chicken. Taking the time to prepare an entire chicken only to find out that raw chicken has gone bad when we are done cooking it is terrible. It means that a lot of food will simply go to waste. Luckily for us, there are many simple ways we can tell if our chicken is still good to eat or not. These include looking for gray spots, paying attention to funky smells, feeling for slimy meat, and remembering when we bought the chicken.
Look for Gray and Yellow Spots
One of the best ways to tell if raw chicken has gone bad is by looking at it and paying attention to the color of the meat. When raw chicken meat is good for consumption, it should be of a light pink color, with the fat parts being white. If we notice that the meat looks gray and the fatty parts display yellow spots, this isn’t good. This coloring means that the chicken is bad, so we should throw it away immediately.
Pay Attention to Funky Smells
When we try to figure out if our food is still good, we need to use our senses to our advantage. Another way to tell if raw chicken has gone bad is by paying attention to the way it smells. If we notice any odors or smells that are out of the ordinary, our meat is probably bad. Pay attention to diluted smells that are slightly sweet, but closer to that of rotten eggs. If this is the case, we need to get rid of our chicken as soon as possible.
Feel for Slimy Meat
The way chicken meat feels to our fingers is another way to tell whether the meat has gone bad or not. If we don’t notice any change of colors or any unusual smells, we need to feel the meat. Raw chicken should always feel moist, and slimy meat means that is no longer good for eating. Even after washing it, if it feels kind of sticky, that chicken has gone bad.
Remember When You Bought It
Last but not least, it is important to remember exactly when we bought the chicken. This is a very simple way to tell if raw chicken has gone bad. Remember that we can leave chicken meat in the fridge for no more than 4 days. Also, we can keep chicken in our freezer for 4 months. If we’ve had the chicken for longer than this, we should throw it away. This will allow us to avoid getting an upset stomach or even food poisoning.