How long does chicken salad last?

Checked 25 Oct 20264 official publishers, 5 sources

Store-prepared or homemade: 3-4 days in the fridge and freezing is not recommended.

Official stance

“Avoid Choose these instead ... Premade deli salads, such as coleslaw and potato, tuna, or chicken salad Homemade deli salads” CDC

Storage times for chicken salad by state and place
StateCounterFridge 40 °FFreezer 0 °F
Store-prepared or homemade 2 hours max CDC 3-4 days FoodKeeper Extension Sources disagree: 3-5 days FDA Not recommended FoodKeeper FDA
Times assume continuous refrigeration at 40 °F or below. When in doubt, throw it out. Freezer times are for quality: “Because freezing 0° F (-18° C) keeps food safe indefinitely, the following recommended storage times are for quality only.” FDA

Sources compared

SourceStateCounterFridgeFreezer
USDA FSIS (FoodKeeper) 2018Store-prepared or homemade-3-4 daysNot recommended
FDA 2018Store-prepared or homemade-3-5 daysNot recommended
NDSU ExtensionStore-prepared or homemade-3-4 days-
CDC 2025Store-prepared or homemade2 hours--

A dash means that source gives no time for that place.

What the sources say

FoodKeeper gives chicken salad 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator and lists freezing it as not recommended.1

The FDA storage chart, which groups store-prepared or homemade chicken salad with egg, tuna, ham and macaroni salads, allows 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator and also says not to freeze it.2

The NDSU Extension food storage guide lists that same group of store-prepared or homemade salads, chicken among them, under deli and vacuum-packed products, with 3 to 4 days in a refrigerator at 32 to 40 °F.3

So FoodKeeper and NDSU agree on 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator, while the FDA chart allows up to 5, and the shorter time is shown first.132

CDC lists premade deli salads such as chicken salad among the foods to avoid for people at higher risk of Listeria infection, and names homemade deli salads as the safer choice.5

The groups CDC names are women who are pregnant, newborns, people 65 or older and people with a weakened immune system.5

Rules that apply here

The 2-hour ruleFridge and freezer temperature
Cooked chickenRotisserie chickenDeli meat

Sources

  1. USDA FoodKeeper data v128, product 418: Chicken salad. USDA FSIS (FoodKeeper). Dated 2018-09-06. Checked 2026-10-24. Chicken salad. Refrigerate: 3-4 Days; Freeze: Not Recommended
  2. REFRIGERATOR & FREEZER STORAGE CHART. FDA. Dated 2018-03-01. Checked 2026-10-24. Store-prepared (or homemade) egg, chicken, tuna, ham, macaroni salads 3 - 5 days Don't freeze
  3. 1 • FN579 • Food Storage GuideNDSU Extension. NDSU Extension. No date on the page. Checked 2026-10-25. store-prepared (or homemade) egg, chicken, tuna, ham, macaroni salads * 3 to 4 days *
  4. 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).
  5. Preventing Listeria Infection | Listeria Infection | CDC. CDC. No date on the page. Checked 2026-10-24. Avoid Choose these instead ... Premade deli salads, such as coleslaw and potato, tuna, or chicken salad Homemade deli salads