Raw chicken may be unsafe even if it doesn't smell bad. To avoid getting sick, take a few factors into consideration. Refrigerated chicken shouldn't be eaten more than two days past its expiration date. If raw chicken has been left out at room temperature for more than two hours, throw it out, as it may harbor dangerous bacteria. Bad chicken may also become slimy or lose its pink color. If you have any doubts about its safety, don't cook or eat the chicken.

For fresh-smelling, safe chicken, handle it with care. Keep your refrigerator at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or lower to inhibit bacterial growth. If you won't eat the raw chicken within a couple days, freeze it for up to a year. Buy chicken when you're going straight home so it doesn't stay unrefrigerated for long. If you can't get home immediately, place an ice-filled cooler in your trunk to keep meats cold.

To prevent frozen chicken from becoming smelly or unsafe to eat, it must be thawed properly. Defrosting chicken in the refrigerator is safe and easy, but takes at least a day. Chicken can also be defrosted in the microwave or placed in a sealed plastic bag and thawed in cold water. With either of these faster methods, cook the chicken right away.

Washing raw chicken in water may seem like an easy way to remove an unpleasant smell or rinse away bacteria, but it's a risky practice and you should not do it. If a piece of poultry has gone bad, washing it won't make it safe to eat. You need to throw it in the trash. Running water over raw meat can send germs flying all over you and your kitchen, making the entire area usafe for food preparation and storage.