Can You Cook Chicken That Has Been Thawed For A Week?

Completely thawed, raw chicken is considered safe to cook for only about two days. After that point, it should be discarded as unsafe, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service. Note, however, that a frozen, whole bird takes longer to thaw, and chicken thawed in the microwave should be cooked sooner than chicken thawed in the refrigerator. Never thaw chicken at room temperature. If you doubt food's freshness at all, do not eat it.

Poultry Storage

Fresh chicken may be stored in a freezer set to 0 degrees Fahrenheit or colder for nine months to a year before food quality degrades. In a refrigerator set to 40 F or cooler, fresh chicken will last only one or two days before it begins to spoil. Cooked chicken may be stored safely in that same freezer for three to four months; refrigerated leftover cooked chicken must be eaten within three or four days.

Thawing Poultry Safely

The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends thawing frozen chicken in the refrigerator, in cold water or in the microwave -- but never at room temperature. Ideally, thaw chicken in the refrigerator because you can safely refreeze it if you decide not to cook it immediately. This method does take longer, however, sometimes one or two days for a whole fryer chicken. To use the quicker, cold-water method, seal the chicken in an airtight bag and put it in a sink filled with clean, cold water. Replace the water with fresh, cold water every 30 minutes. Chicken will thaw in about one to three hours, depending on volume and bone content. For the quickest thawing method, use your microwave on half-power or the defrost setting. Note, however, that some parts of chicken defrosted in a microwave may be warm and even partially cooked.

Cooking Thawed Poultry

Chicken thawed in the refrigerator must be cooked or refrozen within a day or two. If you thaw the chicken in cold water or in the microwave, it must be cooked immediately or discarded. You can, however, thoroughly cook the chicken and then freeze it. Poultry is considered thoroughly cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of at least 165 F, as measured by a food thermometer.

Contamination and Illness

Also called food-borne illness, food poisoning results from eating food contaminated with bacteria, viruses or parasites; these micro-organisms can multiply rapidly in temperatures between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Bacteria often linked to contaminated poultry include salmonella, campylobacter jejuni, listeria monocytogenes and staphylococcus aureas. Sometimes poultry already contains these micro-organisms; in most cases, however, contamination results from improper handling at the farm, on the truck, at the store -- or in your own kitchen.

Food Poisoning Symptoms

Symptoms of food poisoning vary depending on the source, but common ones include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, cramping and fever. Symptoms may develop hours, days or even weeks after ingesting the contaminant -- and illness may last one to 10 days. See a doctor immediately if you begin vomiting blood, have severe diarrhea lasting longer than three days, experience muscle weakness that progresses downward, find blood in your stool, show signs of dehydration, experience severe pain or cramping, or if you have trouble speaking, swallowing or seeing. Food poisoning poses the most danger to the very young, the very old and those with compromised immune systems.