Bacterial diversity of chilled chicken was investigated by culture independent and dependent approach. A total of 45 colonies were recovered from the plate culture of chilled chicken based on morphological characteristics and further identified as 6 genera, including Bacillus sp., Shigella sp., Pseudomonas sp., Citrobacter sp., Klebsiella sp. and Escherichia sp., according to their 16S rDNA sequences. Direct 16S rDNA-ARDRA coupled with sequences analysis of DNA extracted from chilled meat showed that the bacteria could be assigned to 16 genera of Acinetobacter sp., Bacillus sp., Acidovorax sp., Brochothrix thermosphacta, Lactococcus garvieae and Leuconostoc lactis etc. Compared to culture dependent method, culture independent approach disclosed a more diversified bacterial community in chilled chicken, but culture dependent one was still a necessary supplement by showing unique species when molecular analysis was used to investigate microbial diversity.