How long does chicken broth last?
Store-bought, unopened: 7 days in the fridge, 2-3 months in the freezer for best quality and until the use-by date in the pantry.
| State | Counter / pantry | Fridge 40 °F | Freezer 0 °F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Store-bought, unopened | Until the use-by date FoodKeeper | 7 days FoodKeeper | 2-3 months best quality FoodKeeper |
| Store-bought, opened | 2 hours max CDC | 3-4 days FoodKeeper | Not stated |
| Homemade | 2 hours max CDC | 3 days Extension Sources disagree: 3-4 days FoodKeeper | 2-3 months best quality FoodKeeper |
| Home-canned | 1 year best quality Extension | Not stated | Not stated |
Sources compared
| Source | State | Counter / pantry | Fridge | Freezer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USDA FSIS (FoodKeeper) 2018 | Store-bought, unopened | Until the use-by date | 7 days | 2-3 months |
| USDA FSIS (FoodKeeper) 2018 | Store-bought, opened | - | 3-4 days | - |
| CDC 2025 | Store-bought, opened | 2 hours | - | - |
| CDC 2025 | Homemade | 2 hours | - | - |
| USDA FSIS (FoodKeeper) 2018 | Homemade | - | 3-4 days | 2-3 months |
| Penn State Extension 2026 | Homemade | - | 3 days | - |
| Penn State Extension 2026 | Home-canned | 1 year | - | - |
A dash means that source gives no time for that place.
Handling and freezing notes
- Bouillon cubes will keep their best quality 1 year. The reconstituted broth lasts 3-4 days in the refrigerator. FoodKeeper
- “divide the stock into multiple small containers so that it cools to room temperature within two hours, which is important for food safety.” Extension
- “Leave some space at the top of the container to allow for expansion when frozen.” Extension
- “Thaw the stock in the refrigerator or as part of the cooking process, not on the counter at room temperature.” Extension
- “If any jars are unsealed, store them in the refrigerator for up to three days or freeze them after transferring them to a freezer-safe container.” Extension
What the sources say
FoodKeeper groups commercially produced chicken broth with chicken stock and consommé as one product.1
Penn State Extension notes that, technically speaking, a stock is made from bones and a broth from meat, but that many people use the terms interchangeably.4
Unopened, store-bought broth keeps in the pantry until the package use-by date, and FoodKeeper gives 7 days in the refrigerator and 2 to 3 months in the freezer.1
Once it is opened, its refrigerator time drops to 3 to 4 days.1
Homemade broth gets the same 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator, and 2 to 3 months in the freezer.31
Penn State Extension, writing about homemade chicken or turkey stock, is a little stricter about the refrigerator and says finished stock can be stored there for up to three days.43
Before the stock goes into the refrigerator, Penn State advises dividing it into multiple small containers so it cools to room temperature within two hours, and says setting the pot in a sink of ice water and stirring often also speeds cooling.4
To freeze stock, it suggests a plastic freezer container or a wide-mouth mason jar with some space left at the top for expansion, and thawing it in the refrigerator or as part of cooking rather than on the counter.4
Stock preserved by pressure canning is stored in a cool, dark place without the ring bands, and Penn State says to use it within a year for the best quality.4
A home-canned jar that did not seal goes into the refrigerator for up to three days, or into a freezer-safe container for the freezer.4
FoodKeeper also notes that bouillon cubes keep their best quality for 1 year, and that broth reconstituted from them lasts 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.1
Rules that apply here
Related foods
Sources
- USDA FoodKeeper data v128, product 486: Chicken broth/stock/consommé, commercially produced. USDA FSIS (FoodKeeper). Dated 2018-09-06. Checked 2026-10-24. Chicken broth/stock/consommé, commercially produced. Pantry: Package use-by date (Bouillon cubes will keep their best quality 1 year. The reconstituted broth lasts 3-4 days in the refrigerator.); Refrigerate: 7 Days; Refrigerate_After_Opening: 3-4 Days; Freeze: 2-3 Months
- Preventing Food Poisoning | Food Safety | CDC. CDC. Dated 2025-11-24. Checked 2026-10-24.
Never leave perishable food out for more than 2 hours (or 1 hour if exposed to temperatures above 90°F).
- USDA FoodKeeper data v128, product 484: Broth, homemade. USDA FSIS (FoodKeeper). Dated 2018-09-06. Checked 2026-10-24. Broth, homemade. Refrigerate: 3-4 Days; Freeze: 2-3 Months
- Preparing and Preserving Your Own Chicken or Turkey Stock. Penn State Extension. Dated 2026-07-27. Checked 2026-10-25.
Finished stock can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days.
store them without the ring bands in a cool, dark place. For the best quality stock, use it within a year.
divide the stock into multiple small containers so that it cools to room temperature within two hours, which is important for food safety.
Leave some space at the top of the container to allow for expansion when frozen.
Thaw the stock in the refrigerator or as part of the cooking process, not on the counter at room temperature.
If any jars are unsealed, store them in the refrigerator for up to three days or freeze them after transferring them to a freezer-safe container.
- REFRIGERATOR & FREEZER STORAGE CHART. FDA. Dated 2018-03-01. Checked 2026-10-24.
Because freezing 0° F (-18° C) keeps food safe indefinitely, the following recommended storage times are for quality only.