Rotisserie chicken is known for its juicy meat and crispy skin, making it a favorite for easy family meals and leftovers. It's convenient and budget-friendly, perfect for busy days.
Reheating it properly is key to keeping it tasty, ensuring the meat stays flavorful and the texture remains just as good as when it was fresh.
This article explores different ways to reheat your chicken, like using an air fryer, microwave, oven, or slow cooker, so you can enjoy yesterday's chicken without losing any of its deliciousness.
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Reheating in the Air Fryer
Heating up your rotisserie chicken in an air fryer is a quick way to warm up your meal and keep the yummy, crispy skin. This method is the top choice for bringing back the chicken's original texture and juiciness.
By circulating hot air, the fryer works its magic, crisping the skin evenly and locking in the moisture within the meat, providing a result comparable to freshly cooked poultry.
Reheating chicken in the air fryer is super simple.
- Preheat the air fryer: Preheat the air fryer to 350°F (175°C) before placing the chicken in the basket.
- Cut the Chicken: While waiting, cut the rotisserie chicken into pieces that will fit comfortably in the air fryer basket. Smaller pieces reheat more evenly.
- Prepare the chicken: Lightly brush the chicken with a bit of oil or broth to keep it juicy.
- For crispy skin: Optionally, you can mist the chicken with a little bit of oil to help the skin crisp up. Avoid using too much to prevent excess smoke.
- Place the chicken in the basket: Arrange the chicken carefully in the air fryer basket, trying not to overlap the pieces.
- Reheat: Heat the chicken for about 3 to 4 minutes. Flip the pieces for even reheating and continue heating in for another 4 minutes.
- Check the temperature: Ensure the thickest part of the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). If not quite to the proper temperature yet, cook in 2 minute intervals until done.
- Serve: Once the chicken is thoroughly heated, remove it from the air fryer and serve immediately for the best quality.
This method is great for people who want a fast solution without sacrificing quality.
It gives you a dinner that tastes like it's from a deli but can be conveniently reheated at home. There is nothing easier than making a quick and delicious air fryer meal.
How to Reheat in the Oven
Using an oven to warm up rotisserie chicken is a great way to bring the chicken back to the delicious, juicy state that it was in when first cooked. This method also keeps the skin crispy and the meat tender.
Heating the chicken in the oven at a medium temperature allows you to warm it thoroughly without burning it. To reheat the chicken in your oven, you’ll need a baking dish and some aluminum foil.
Here are the steps for reheating chicken in the oven:
- Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and let it come to temperature while you prepare the chicken for reheating.
- Cut the Chicken: While waiting for your oven to preheat, cut the rotisserie chicken into pieces that will fit comfortably in your baking dish. Smaller pieces reheat more evenly.
- Prepare the chicken: Lightly brush the chicken with a bit of oil or broth to keep it juicy.
- For crispy skin: Optionally, you can mist the chicken with a little bit of oil to help the skin crisp up. Avoid using too much to prevent burning.
- Place the chicken in the baking dish: Arrange the chicken carefully in your baking dish in a single layer, trying not to overlap the pieces.
- Reheat: Heat the chicken for about 20-25 minutes. Flipping the pieces halfway through for even reheating. Note:Time adjustments may be necessary based on the chicken's size and the temperature fluctuations in your oven.
- Crisp the skin (optional): Take off the foil when there are 3-5 minutes left and broil for crispy skin.
- Check the temperature: Ensure the thickest part of the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). If not quite to the proper temperature yet, cook in 5 minute intervals until done.
- Serve: Once the chicken is thoroughly heated, carefully remove it from the oven and serve immediately for the best quality.
Why Is Foil Important?
When you cover the chicken with foil, it acts as a shield, preventing moisture loss and encouraging even heat distribution.
If you want the skin to be extra crispy, you can remove the foil and broil the chicken for a bit towards the end of the cooking time.
How to Reheat on the Stove
Using the stovetop to warm up rotisserie chicken works well for pieces that are no longer on the bone.
This way, you can control the heat carefully and make sure the meat warms through evenly without losing its juiciness.
To reheat chicken on the stove:
- Choose a good pan: Make sure to choose a pan that is large enough for the pieces of chicken that you want to reheat to avoid overcrowding.
- Remove the bones: Cut the rotisserie chicken into pieces that will fit comfortably in the pan, and make sure to remove all of the bones. Smaller pieces reheat more evenly.
- Prepare the pan: Lightly spray the pan with cooking oil or use a bit of avocado oil and butter to coat the pan and prevent the chicken from sticking while also adding flavor.
- For crispy skin: Optionally, you can mist the chicken with a little bit of oil to help the skin crisp up. Avoid using too much to prevent burning.
- Place the chicken in the pan: Arrange the chicken carefully in your pan in a single layer, trying not to overlap the pieces.
- Reheat: Add a little bit of water or chicken broth and heat the chicken over medium to medium-high heat. Cover the pan with a lid and heat until warmed through, flipping as needed.
- Check the temperature: Ensure the thickest part of the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). If not quite to the proper temperature yet, cook in 5 minute intervals until done.
- Serve: Once the chicken is thoroughly heated, carefully remove it from the stove and serve immediately for the best quality.
How to Reheat in the Microwave
When you're in a hurry, using the microwave is a great way to heat up a quick family dinner. It's great for quickly heating up your leftover chicken, but there's a risk it might make it dry.
The trick is to place a damp paper towel over the chicken before you heat it up. This creates steam and helps keep the chicken moist.
Also, try using the microwave on a lower power setting. This can help prevent the chicken from becoming tough and chewy.
This method is a lifesaver when you're short on time and need to warm up your food quickly without making it too dry.
This is the fastest way to reheat your chicken.
- Use a microwave-safe dish: Make sure to choose a dish that is safe for use in the microwave. You also want to be sure that the dish you choose is large enough to fit the pieces of chicken but not too large for the microwave.
- Remove the bones: Cut the rotisserie chicken into pieces that will fit comfortably in the dish, and make sure to remove all of the bones. Smaller pieces reheat more evenly.
- To prevent drying: Optionally, you can mist or bursh the chicken with a little bit of chicken broth or water to help the chicken stay moist. You can also lay a wet paper towel on top to lock in moisture.
- Place the chicken in the dish: Arrange the chicken carefully in your dish in a single layer, trying not to overlap the pieces. If they do overlap a bit, though, it should be fine.
- Reheat: Cover the dish with a microwave safe lid, paper towel, or microwave safe plate and heat until warmed through, flipping as needed. Start with one minute on the medium-high power level.
- Check the temperature: Ensure the thickest part of the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). If not quite to the proper temperature yet, cook in 30 second intervals until done.
- Serve: Once the chicken is thoroughly heated, carefully remove it from the microwave with potholders and serve immediately for the best quality.
Instant Pot Reheating
Learn how to gently warm up leftoever rotisserie chicken using an Instant Pot. The Instant Pot uses steam and pressure to quickly cover the chicken in a moist environment, heating it up gently without making it dry.
Reheating chicken in the Instant Pot couldn’t be more convenient.
- Remove the bones: Cut the rotisserie chicken into pieces that will fit comfortably in the Instant Pot inner pot, and make sure to remove all of the bones. Smaller pieces reheat more evenly.
- Place the chicken in the Instant Pot pot: Arrange the chicken carefully in the inner pot of the Instant Pot in a single layer, trying not to overlap the pieces. If they do overlap a bit, though, it should be fine.
- Add water or broth: Add about a cup of broth or water to the pot. This will help create steam and keep the chicken moist during reheating.
- Seal the lid: Seal the Instant Pot lid securely and ensure the valve is set to the sealing position.
- Reheat: Select the 'steam' setting on the Instant Pot. You may need to adjust the time depending on the size of the chicken, but a few minutes should be sufficient for reheating. The steam function will quickly envelop the chicken, gently warming it without drying it out.
- Release the pressure: Once the reheating process is complete, carefully release any remaining pressure from the Instant Pot and open the lid.
- Serve: Use tongs or a fork to remove the chicken from the Instant Pot. Serve the reheated rotisserie chicken as desired.
Reheating in the Slow Cooker
A slow cooker takes a low-and-slow approach, perfect if you have more time and want extra flavor. It takes a few hours to cook evenly, but it results in a succulent, tender chicken that seems freshly roasted.
This method requires careful timing but produces moist rotisserie chicken. Use the following techniques for a make-ahead meal, ensuring a delicious, ready-to-serve dish without last-minute stress.
Here are the steps for reheating chicken in the a slow cooker:
- Cut the Chicken: Cut the rotisserie chicken into pieces that will fit comfortably in your slow cooker without overlapping. Smaller pieces reheat more evenly.
- Place the chicken in the slow cooker: Use a slow cooker liner if you wish. Arrange the chicken carefully in a single layer, trying not to overlap the pieces.
- Add water or broth: Add about a fourth of a cup of broth or water to the pot. This will help to prevent the chicken from stick to the bottom white keeping it moist during reheating. Optional: Instead of broth or water, you could also wrap your chicken in foil to lock in moisture.
- Reheat: Heat the chicken one low for about 3 hours. Note:Time adjustments may be necessary based on the chicken's size and the temperature fluctuations of your slow cooker.
- Check the temperature: Ensure the thickest part of the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). If not quite to the proper temperature yet, cook in 30 minute intervals until done.
- Serve: Once the chicken is thoroughly heated, carefully remove it from the slow cooker and serve immediately for the best quality.
Beyond Reheating: Get Creative With Chicken
Leftover rotisserie chicken can be used in many different ways, making it fun to experiment in the kitchen.
Rotisserie chickens are very cheap (especially the $4.99 ones at Costco!) and contain about 3 cups or 1 pound of chicken each, so they can be made into multiple meals. You can even make your own rotisserie chicken at home.
You could mix it up with mayonnaise, celery, and lemon juice to make a tasty chicken salad for a quick lunch.
Or you could boil the bones with herbs to make a flavorful chicken stock, which is great for making soups and stews. By being creative, you can make many delicious rotisserie chicken meals while also reducing waste.
FAQ
Adding a bit of chicken broth keeps it moist and stops it from getting dry. You can also cover it in foil to lock in the moisture.
Pour a little chicken broth or water into the baking dish, just enough to cover the bottom. Put the whole chicken in and cover it with foil, making sure it's tightly sealed around the edges to keep the steam inside while it warms up. Then, heat it in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes.
If you store it properly, it can last up to four days. Just make sure to put it in a container that seals tightly or a zip-top bag. And don't eat any leftover chicken if it's been sitting out at room temperature for more than two hours.
Things To Keep In Mind
When you're warming up rotisserie chicken, remember to keep its flavor and moisture by following these tips. Only heat it up once, and make sure it's cooked all the way through to 165°F (74°C) for safety.
These tricks will help your chicken taste just as good as it did before, so you can enjoy every juicy bite. Now, kick back and dig into your perfectly reheated chicken, a simple but delicious meal ready for you to enjoy again.
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