The Absolute Best Ways To Reheat Rotisserie Chicken
Rotisserie chicken, particularly when it comes from your favorite supermarket, can only be described as manna from heaven. Depending on where you get it, a rotisserie chicken smells divine, is roasted to perfection, and likely tastes better than anything you would have made at home. Plus, who would argue with the convenience of being able to pick it up on your way home?
And while there are plenty of ideas on how to refashion leftover rotisserie chicken, Delish comes up with no less than 36 different ways to deconstruct or recycle leftover rotisserie chicken so you get a new meal every time. In truth, the possibilities are endless. There's a casserole, pizza toppings, soups, sandwich filling, and so much more. But how you reheat the chicken is just as important as how you remix the leftover dish. There are, indeed, many different ways to reheat chicken, depending on what you have in the kitchen, but be sure to utilize a method that works best with your stove, oven, or microwave.
You can reheat your rotisserie chicken in an oven
It stands to reason that the best way to reheat a rotisserie chicken is in the oven, which is how it was originally prepared. But there is a way to reheat the chicken, so it doesn't get dried out. Southern Living suggests preheating your oven to 350F, placing the chicken in an ovenproof dish, then pouring a cup of chicken broth at the bottom of the pan, before covering the pan with aluminum foil, and putting the entire pan in the oven for 25 minutes.
When done, remove the aluminum foil and roast for an additional 5 minutes before removing the chicken and serving. Insanely Good Recipes, which outlines the same method, says it is important not to skip the broth because it ensures the chicken stays moist while reheating. Adding ¼ inch of broth to the reheating pan will ensure that your rotisserie chicken turns out both moist and flavorful.
You can reheat your rotisserie chicken in a microwave
If you're pressed for time and have a decent-sized microwave oven, you may want to consider shoving your chicken inside and setting the timer. Insanely Good Recipes points out that using a microwave is the quickest and easiest method to reheat your chicken. All you need is a large microwave and a sturdy microwave plate. Set the microwave to high and microwave the roasted bird for 30 seconds to a minute. Check your chicken for warmth after each minute. If it isn't warmed through, reheat in increments of a half-minute to a minute until the chicken is completely warmed through.
Insanely Good Recipes says you won't have to worry about covering rotisserie chicken with a damp cloth or a plate because it won't really make a difference. What does matter, however, is using a lower setting to keep the bird from drying out. As surprising as it sounds, using a lower microwave setting not only increases your reheating time, but also dries out the chicken, which can result in a loss of succulent flavor.
You can reheat your rotisserie chicken in an air fryer
If you jumped on the air fryer bandwagon and purchased one that's big enough to fit an entire chicken, you'll be happy to know that this device is probably the only gadget that Southern Living says can reheat your rotisserie chicken "to its heated grocery-store glory." You only need to set the air fryer to 350F and heat the chicken in the air fryer in three-to-four-minute increments, testing for warmth between heating sessions. Once you've warmed it to your liking, all that's left to do is enjoy.
The Shortcut Kitchen also advocates that using an air fryer is the best way to reheat rotisserie chicken. Air fryers work so well because they distribute hot air throughout the chicken. It also does a good job of retaining the chicken's juiciness during the reheating process. This means that the skin on your rotisserie chicken skin stays crisp while its meat stays juicy.
You can reheat your rotisserie chicken in an Instant Pot
If you're into kitchen gadgets and you have an Instant Pot, know that the multicooker can help you re-heat a rotisserie chicken too. Food Lovin' Family suggests putting the chicken on the trivet and setting the machine to "steam" pressure before cooking the chicken that way for five minutes. Be sure to check the chicken's temperature before eating. A key tip is to make sure your rotisserie chicken is wrapped in foil, and that its seam is facing upwards.
If you're one of those who opted out of an Instant Pot because you trust your good old-fashioned slow cooker, you're in luck because when it comes to reheating your rotisserie chicken, a slow cooker works just as well as an Instant Pot. But before using this method, make sure you leave plenty of cooking time, as it can take up to four hours. Food Lovin' Family suggests adding about a cup of water at the bottom of your pot, wrapping your chicken in foil, then setting it up so the chicken doesn't touch the liquid. Heat the chicken in the slow cooker for up to three hours on high or up to four hours on low.