The Best Way To Reheat Fried Chicken In The Oven (It Turns Out So Crispy)

Whether you spent hours making fried chicken from scratch or just picked up a bucket from your favorite fast food place, you don't want to let the leftovers go to waste. Unfortunately, a common problem when reheating meat with crispy coatings is that the exterior gets soggy and limp, while the interior ends up dry, overcooked, and tough. This happens because the meat contains a lot of moisture that ends up getting trapped in the breading during the reheating process. Uneven heating methods also result in chicken that is still cold in the center, but too stringy and tough at the surface. Chicken that was particularly oily may also release that oil as it absorbs heat, making each piece far too greasy.

Rather than a microwave, you should be reheating fried chicken in the oven. Start by taking the chicken out of the fridge and letting it sit at room temperature for up to 30 minutes. Then preheat your oven. The ideal oven temp is 400 degrees Fahrenheit, as that will heat the chicken quickly before it gets soggy or dried out.

Two mistakes you should avoid when reheating fried chicken are covering the pieces with foil and letting them overlap. Skip the baking sheet, and instead use a broiler pan with a rack, or place the chicken directly on your oven rack, putting a baking sheet on the rack below to catch crumbs or drippings. The rack allows hot air to circulate under the chicken pieces so they stay crispy. Place the rack in the center of the oven and bake the pieces for 15 to 20 minutes.

To prevent the breading from burning or the chicken from getting too tough, you want to check on the chicken after about 10 to 12 minutes. Smaller pieces may heat up thoroughly in that time frame, while larger ones can take up to 18 to 20 minutes to reach optimal internal temperature. The best way to tell if they are hot enough is to use an instant-read meat thermometer. Check the temperature in multiple spots, and aim for a reading of at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Chicken can enter the danger zone if not reheated properly and pose a major food safety risk, as bacteria may be growing in the cold meat. If it isn't exposed to high heat for a long enough period of time, the bacteria won't die.

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and bake the pieces for at least 20 minutes. If your chicken has sauce on it, you should lower the oven temp to prevent the sauce from burning or caramelizing before the chicken heats through. The low and slow method will preserve the sauce while ensuring the internal temperature of the chicken reaches the target of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. You can also reheat sauced fried chicken in a skillet to restore some of the crispiness of the breading.

To maximize the crispiness of the breading, turn on the oven's broiler for the last few minutes of cooking time. If you're worried the chicken will turn out dry, you can lightly mist the breading with an olive oil spray or brush the top with melted butter before reheating it.