Exactly How long can uncooked chicken be left out before it goes bad?

According to the USDA, you can safely leave uncooked chicken out for up to *2 hours* at room temperature. After 2 hours, bacteria can start to grow rapidly and the chicken is no longer safe to eat.

If you are not going to cook the chicken within 2 hours, you should refrigerate it or freeze it. Chicken can be refrigerated for up to 5 days and frozen for up to 1 year.

When thawing frozen chicken, you can either thaw it in the refrigerator overnight or in a bowl of cold water for about 30 minutes. Do not thaw chicken on the counter at room temperature.

Once the chicken is thawed, it is important to cook it immediately. If you do not plan to cook it immediately, you can refrigerate it for up to 1 day or freeze it again.

To cook chicken safely, make sure the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. You can use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature.