How to Reheat Fried Chicken
Updated: Feb. 06, 2024
We’ll show you how to reheat fried chicken so it’s just as crispy and crunchy as day one.
It’s hard not to love fried chicken. Whether you’re enjoying it at the restaurant with the best fried chicken in your state or simply hitting your favorite fast food fried chicken place for a quick fix, all versions are pretty darn craveable!
However, sometimes your eyes are bigger than your stomach and you end up bringing leftovers home. When it’s time to eat again, knowing how to reheat fried chicken properly can save you from having to eat mushy chicken that’s strikingly different than the first time around.
There are a few ways to reheat fried chicken that will help you maintain that crunchy outside and juicy inside—and our guide to reheating fried chicken covers all of them. Read on for all of our best tips and tricks from our Test Kitchen pros.
By the way, these are our best fried chicken recipes:
Keeping Leftover Fried Chicken Crispy
There are a few things you can do to set yourself up for success, no matter which method you prefer for reheating fried chicken.
First, be sure to take the leftover chicken out of the fridge a little bit before you reheat it. Letting it come to room temperature—instead of putting the chicken in your appliance cold—reduces the chances of tough chicken due to overcooking.
Second, leave a little bit of space around each piece of chicken. Even air flow will help the nooks and crannies of each piece crisp up nicely again.
Finally, keep in mind that some pieces of chicken might reheat more quickly than others, depending on their size. You may want to pull the smaller pieces of chicken out of the heat before the larger ones to prevent them from overcooking.
No matter what, be sure to eat up your leftovers promptly. Our guide to how long cooked chicken lasts in the fridge says that chicken lasts three to four days.
Editor’s Tip: Ever tried the popular southern dish fried chicken and waffles? Here’s why it belongs on your breakfast menu.
How to Reheat Fried Chicken in the Oven
Ovens are just about the best way to reheat fried chicken. Not only does it cook the chicken evenly without immediately drying it out, but baking can also get the breading golden-brown and crunchy. Just don’t forget to pull the chicken out of the fridge while the oven preheats!
What you need:
- Fried chicken
- Sheet pan
- Wire rack
- Cooking spray
- Meat thermometer
- Tongs
Step 1: Preheat the oven
First, preheat your oven to 350°F. While your oven is heating up, pull your chicken out of the fridge to take off the chill.
Step 2: Prep the pan
Place a metal wire rack on top of a sheet pan. This will allow the fried chicken to reheat evenly and prevent any soggy bits.
Then, place your leftover fried chicken on the wire rack and give each side a spritz of cooking spray.
Step 3: Bake the leftover fried chicken
Bake the fried chicken until the internal temperature reaches 150° when read with a food thermometer, about 15 minutes or so. Then, bump up the oven temperature to 400°, or turn on the broiler for a few minutes until all of the pieces of chicken reach 165°.
Raising the temperature of the oven will help crisp up the chicken and bring it to food-safe temps without burning the outside.
Once reheated, serve the pieces with one of these side dishes for fried chicken.
Test Kitchen Tip: Since fried chicken pieces come in a range of sizes depending on what cut they are, be sure to take the temperature of the largest part of each piece of chicken. Make sure the thermometer isn’t touching any bones, either, which will give you an inaccurate read.
How to Reheat Fried Chicken in the Air Fryer
Air fryers have exploded in popularity in the past few years, and for good reason. They only require a touch of oil for crisp, crunchy foods, like any of these air-fryer chicken recipes.
To reheat your fried chicken in the air fryer, preheat your appliance to 350°. Take the fried chicken out of the fridge while it preheats. Spray each side of the fried chicken with some cooking spray, and put your leftovers in the fryer basket. Flip each piece of chicken every three minutes to promote even cooking. Remove from the air fryer once each of the pieces has reached an internal temperature of 165°.
If you have pieces of fried chicken that are much smaller or larger than the others, reheat them separately to prevent under or overcooking.
While you have your air fryer out, make a batch of these air-fryer sides to go along with the chicken.
How to Reheat Fried Chicken in a Toaster Oven
If it’s too hot out, or you just don’t want to take the time to preheat your oven, a toaster oven is a great short cut.
To reheat your fried chicken in the toaster oven, preheat to 400° while your leftovers come to room temperature on the counter. Just like the air fryer, lightly spray each piece of fried chicken with cooking spray. Place the chicken on the toaster’s foil-lined tray and toast for 10 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°. Flip the chicken halfway through cooking.
How to Reheat Fried Chicken in the Microwave
We recommend eating up those leftovers when you have the time to properly reheat them in the oven, air fryer or toaster oven. If you’re really tight on time, however, you can reheat fried chicken in the microwave. Just know that the breading won’t be nearly as crispy and delicious as it would be compared to the other methods.
First, take the fried chicken out of the fridge and let it sit on the counter for about 10 minutes to take off the chill. After it’s reached room temperature, place equal-sized pieces of chicken on a microwave-safe plate and cover it with a paper towel, which will help wick away some moisture. Then, cook in 30-second intervals until the chicken is warmed through. Be careful not to reheat for too long, or you’ll dry out the meat.
How to Reheat Frozen Fried Chicken
Yes, you can turn frozen fried chicken into chicken that’s almost as crispy as it was when it was first cooked.
First, take your fried chicken out of the freezer and transfer the pieces to a plate, making sure they’re in one layer. Cover the plate with food wrap, and let the chicken defrost overnight in the fridge.
When you’re ready to eat the next day, take the chicken out of the fridge and preheat your oven to 350°. Place a wire rack on a sheet pan, spray the defrosted chicken with some cooking spray, and put the prepared chicken on the wire rack. Bake the fried chicken for about 20 minutes, or until the internal temperature of all of the pieces has reached 165°.
If desired, broil the fried chicken for a minute or two on each side to get the breading crispy again.
If you want to repurpose your leftovers into a new dish, try fried chicken and waffles, a crispy fried chicken sandwich or fried chicken tacos.
Originally Published: July 01, 2021
