How To Reheat Grilled Chicken

how to reheat grilled chicken

Tired of seeing rubbery and soggy grilled chicken the day after a hearty dinner? You don't have to fear leftovers or the fridge because you'll be able to revive your grilled treat to perfection once you know the proper way to do it.

You can reheat the chicken without drying the meat out using an oven, an air fryer, a skillet, or a microwave. And as you continue, you'll find which method works best for which occasion and how you can store them so they're safe to eat the next day and after.

Is Leftover Grilled Chicken Safe To Eat?

Your leftovers are safe to eat if they meet these two criteria:

  1. They haven't been kept between 40° F and 140° F for more than 2 hours before being refrigerated.
  2. Their reheated internal temperature reads 165° F.

Reheating Grilled Chicken In Oven

Let's start with the oven, the basic kitchen appliance that everyone can rely on to cook and reheat their food. And it's the best one to go for when you have a lot of leftovers to reheat; you just have to follow these steps:

  1. Remove the leftover grilled chicken from the fridge and thaw until it reaches room temperature.
  2. Let the oven preheat to 325° F.
  3. Apply a coat of cooking oil or chicken stock over the chicken pieces and wrap them in foil.
  4. Place them over a wire rack and reheat them for 10 to 15 minutes.
  5. Once the internal temperature registers 165° F, remove the foil and broil the chicken for a minute or two. 

You can increase or decrease the reheating time depending on the thickness of your chicken; you only have to keep an eye on the chicken after every few minutes.

The final broiling gives the chicken a crispy exterior while keeping the interior moist and tender.

Reheating Grilled Chicken In Air Fryer

Quick, trendy, and healthy, an air fryer has all it takes to win over any other cooking appliance. And while reheating grilled chicken, it gives almost a similar result to that of an oven, but in much lesser time. Here are the steps to use this appliance to reheat it:

  1. Let the leftover chicken come to room temperature.
  2. Set your air fryer to a temperature of 350° F.
  3. Lightly coat the chicken with cooking oil and place them inside the fryer basket.
  4. Reheat for 5 to 7 minutes.
  5. Remove from the fryer and serve hot.

This appliance works best when you have smaller batches of leftovers to reheat because of its small size. And if you have a lot to do but still prefer the fryer, work in batches and never overcrowd unless you want unevenly reheated chicken. Nonetheless, it gives a crispy crust and keeps the meat tender and moist.

Reheating Grilled Chicken In Skillet

A skillet on a stovetop can give you pretty impressive results, including a delicious-looking crust. But to make sure that your chicken doesn't burn or dry out in the process of reheating, this guide will help you out:

  1. Turn your stove to medium and add a few tablespoons of chicken stock (or water) to the skillet.
  2. Once the pan (and the stock) is hot enough, carefully place the grilled chicken into the pan and cover the lid.
  3. Let this reheat for 5 minutes, flipping them halfway through.
  4. To get a delicious-looking crust, turn the heat to high for the last minute and cook both sides for 30 seconds each.

Working with a skillet means constantly ensuring that the meat gets enough heat throughout the process and if the crusts are getting too burnt. Besides that, this method is a good alternative if you don't have the appliances.

Reheating Grilled Chicken In The Microwave

If none of the methods seem enough for your morning rush, a microwave won't keep you waiting to get your grilled chicken reheated. It's quick and convenient to suit the days you're running late for work or need to catch up on your favorite TV show. Here's how you can do it correctly:

  1. Add three tablespoons of chicken stock to a microwave-safe plate.
  2. Place the grilled chicken on the plate and cover it with foil.
  3. Microwave on medium heat for 30 seconds.
  4. Check if the meat's internal temperature has reached 165° F and repeat the process if necessary.
  5. Once done, remove from the appliance and let the chicken cool for a minute before serving.

In seconds, things can go from okay to all wrong, so stand next to the microwave and keep checking your chicken. Else, this appliance can give pretty good results when considering grilled chicken.

Storing Grilled Chicken

Your leftovers will be safe for consumption the next day if you store them right. And the first step is to let them come to room temperature before keeping them inside the fridge. Next, wrap the chicken in foil and place them inside an airtight container in the fridge. 

Grilled chicken can last up to 4 days when refrigerated, and frozen ones will stay edible for 6 months. But why would anyone want to store it that long? They'll taste better the sooner you eat them!