If you prepared a lot of chicken salad for eating for a while, it is best to refrigerate it. But the question is, how long can you keep chicken salad in the refrigerator? And, we are here to provide clear instructions on keeping chicken salad in the refrigerator.
The chicken salad that is stored inside an airtight container will remain fresh and safe to eat for 3 to 5 days. It is the safest option to make the salad for up to 5 days if you’re keeping it in a refrigerator.
However, you must have proper knowledge about the process of storing the salad in the refrigerator. You need to know what you are up to. Let’s discuss all the things you should know about getting your salad stored for long.
How Long Can You Keep Chicken Salad in The Refrigerator?
Chicken items are sensitive to the temperature and humidity when it comes to storing. Therefore, knowledge about the storage process is highly important.
Homemade chicken salad, on the other hand, is mixed with different fresh items, especially veggies. Mayonnaise, hard-boiled egg, avocado, onion, pickles, etc., are the most used chicken salad ingredients.
You cannot risk the quality or safety of chicken salad with poor and delayed storage in the refrigerator. Because it has a high risk of food poisoning. Keeping the chicken salad properly in a container will remain fresh for 3 to 5 days.
The refrigerating process contributes to storing salad in its best condition within 3 to 5 days. Though it will not start smelling or rotting within 3 to 5 days, we recommend eating the salad as soon as possible for the best result.
How Can You Tell If Salad Is Still Good?
Before moving into the topic, it is necessary to determine the dressing of the chicken salad. As we said earlier, there are other items used in chicken salad. And, each of them has a particular role to play in storing the salad in good condition.
Mayo-based dressings will remain as good as the first bit for 5 days at a stretch. In the case of oil-based dressing, the quality and taste will fall after 3 days. You must keep inspecting the quality and taste regularly.
For inspection purposes, we have four benchmarks. If any of these issues are not meeting the standard, you should bring out the chicken salad and dispose of it in the bin.
Inspect The Color
When you prepare salad, the color gives a mouthwatering feeling, right? The first thing that you will need to inspect is whether the salad is discolored or not. Dark chicken salad is a bad sign, and your stomach is not ready to digest it. Keep looking whether your stored salad has turned dark or not. It will indicate that it is time to get rid of the salad. You know there’s a saying, “know before you go.”
Check the Moisture
For a chicken salad lover, it is easy to detect the change in moisture. It is moist by default, but not watery. When you find that the salad is more watery than moisture content, it is not in good shape, and you should avoid consuming it. The easy way to differentiate between moisture and wateriness is to pick a piece of lettuce or onion from the salad. If water keeps dripping from the piece, the salad’s good days are over.
Smell the salad
Of course, a plate of rotten chicken salad will create a bad odor, and it will be enough to detect that the salad is not good. A fresh plate of salad has a tasty smell. When you start missing the freshness of smell from the stored chicken salad, you can tell that it is expired.
Taste it
The last and least option to know if the chicken salad is still good is to taste it. Take a bite, and it will be enough to judge the quality.
How to Store Chicken Salad Perfectly?
Storing chicken salad for the best use requires a little focus and effort from your side. The first thing you will need is an airtight container. A plastic or metal container will do the perfect job in storing the chicken salad perfectly.
However, a few things will need to be understood. The container size should be large enough so that every mixed ingredient gets enough space. The dressing is always vital to store the salad perfectly. In many cases, oil-based dressing in chicken salad lasts less than mayo-based chicken salad.
If you do not want to turn the oil-based chicken salad into a mess, use plastic wrap. Are you ready now? Clean the airtight properly and dry it. The dryness is the key to avoid extra moisture and to get rotten of the chicken salad.
The next thing that the chicken storage process requires is adjusting the temperature of your refrigerator. As bacteria gets a rapid growth under 4 degrees Celsius, it is recommended to keep the refrigerator’s temperature under this parameter. Even if you have a large size refrigerator, the chicken salad will last 3 to 5 days below 3 degrees Celsius.
Are you all set with the wrapping, box, and salad? Now, gently wrap the salad with plastic. Keep enough space in the container. Do not push much. It can hamper the taste and quality drastically.
Extra Tips for Storing Chicken Salad in the Refrigerator
- The earlier you eat; the better chance you will get to retain the quality.
- Plastic wraps and containers should remain cleaned.
- Do not double-dip while serving the chicken salad. It will hamper the taste.
- For store-bought chicken salad, check the expiry date and storage properties properly.
- Avoid leaving chicken salad at room temperature for more than 2 hours. It will start multiplying bacteria growth and may not be safe to eat afterward, as USDA states.
Conclusion
By following the proper guidance in storing chicken salad will ensure a lasting of 3 to 5 days shelf life in the refrigerator. If you have doubts about how long can you keep chicken salad in the refrigerator, we hope this article has got you the guidance you needed.
Remember that the dressings and ingredients of a chicken salad are the determining factors when it comes to storing it. Our tips are based on day-to-day practices and researches to give you the best solution. A refrigerator will be the best companion for enjoying a salad platter for a while.
