Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 4: Preheating in the oven
• Method 2 of 4: Reheating on the stove
• Method 3 of 4: Preheating in the oven
• Method 4 of 4: Reheating Cooked Grilled Chicken in the Oven
• Tips
• Warnings

Chicken can be delicious and inexpensive, but the meat often dries up when you try to reheat it.If you have some chicken left and want to reheat it, here are some tips on how to do it so it stays soft and tender and doesn't dry out.

Steps

Method 1 of 4: Preheating in the oven

1. 1 Cut the chicken into small pieces. Chicken (especially chicken breast) is often dry when heated for a long time. If you cut the meat into small pieces, it will take less time to heat it, and it will not dry out.
2. 2 Place the chicken on a microwave-safe plate. Do not put a plastic container in the oven. There are no scientific myths that microwave plastic can cause cancer. The risk is different: plastic can melt and get into food.
3. 3 Cover the meat. Do not use plastic wrap as it may melt and get into food. Discard the foil as well - it will spark, as a result of which a fire or breakdown may occur.
   • You can buy microwave covers made of special plastic.
   • Cover the chicken with a paper towel if you don't have anything more suitable.
4. 4 Heat the chicken. How much meat do you have? If not enough (one serving), start with one and a half minutes at normal settings - usually 1000 watts. If you have a lot of chicken, put the meat in the microwave for 2.5-3 minutes. In both cases, check the condition of the meat by touching it with your finger or cutting off a small piece. Continue adding 30 seconds at a time until the meat is completely heated.
5. 5 Remove chicken and let cool. Remember that the plate or container will be very hot, so grab it with a mitten or grip. Leave the meat covered and let it sit for a while before serving.
6. 6 Remove the towel or lid from the chicken. Be careful - a lot of hot steam will come out. Avoid exposing your face and fingers to the steam, or you may burn yourself.

Method 2 of 4: Reheating on the stove

1. 1 Preheat a skillet to low to medium heat. A non-stick frying pan works best, especially if the chicken has skin on it, because oily skin immediately sticks to the surface of the pan.
   • Try to bring your palm to the surface of the pan - heat should come from it.
   • Avoid reheating the pan to the temperature you would normally roast chicken at, because too much heat will dry out the meat.
2. 2 Pour a tablespoon of oil into the skillet. The fat will keep the chicken from drying out.
3. 3 Heat the chicken. Place cold meat in a skillet and watch it. To avoid burning the meat, slide the chicken around the pan to prevent it from sticking. Turn the chicken over from time to time to warm it up evenly.
4. 4 Let the meat stand and serve. Wait a minute or two for the chicken to release the juice, then start eating.

Method 3 of 4: Preheating in the oven

1. 1 Prepare the chicken for reheating. If the chicken has been frozen, thaw it and cut it into small pieces to keep it from drying out when reheating.
2. 2 Set the desired temperature. If the chicken is frozen, there is no need to bring it to room temperature - just make sure there are no hard frozen chunks inside. Place the chicken in the refrigerator for 6-8 hours to thaw.
   • If you want to reheat the chicken right away, place it in a ziplock bag and place it under running cold water. So it will thaw faster.
   • You can defrost chicken in the microwave in the defrost mode.
3. 3 Place the chicken on a plate or ovenproof dish. It is best to use a baking sheet. Make sure the pan can withstand the heat in the oven.
   • Spread the chicken out in a mold, taking care to leave some space between the pieces.
   • Drizzle with chicken fat if left over.
   • Cover the chicken with foil to keep the meat from drying out.
4. 4 Preheat the oven at 220-245 degrees Celsius. Different ovens heat up differently, so make sure the oven is preheated to the correct temperature before placing the chicken inside.
5. 5 Heat the chicken. When the oven is hot, place the chicken inside. If the meat has been cut into small pieces, it may take only a few minutes to reheat. If you are heating large pieces (for example, whole breasts), it will take longer.
   • Use a meat thermometer to check the temperature of the chicken inside to make sure it's warmed up.
   • The temperature should be at least 70 degrees.
6. 6 Remove chicken from oven and serve. Use a mitten or grapple to reach the meat and place the baking sheet on a hot plate to protect the table surface from the heat.
   • If you are reheating large chunks of chicken, let them sit for a few minutes. This will allow the chicken to release juice, making the meat juicy and tender.

Method 4 of 4: Reheating Cooked Grilled Chicken in the Oven

1. 1 Preheat the oven. Set the oven to 175 degrees and let it warm up. Different ovens take different amounts of time to heat up, so make sure the oven is already warmed up before placing the chicken inside.
2. 2 Prepare a warming dish. Since the chicken is already cooked, you don't need a deep baking dish because not much fat will come out of the chicken. However, it is convenient to reheat such food in deep form.
   • Spread butter on the mold or spray on the sides of the mold to prevent the meat from sticking to the surface.
   • Place the whole chicken in the mold.
3. 3 Heat the chicken. Place the dish in the preheated oven on the middle shelf. It will take you about 25 minutes to reheat the meat (a little more if the chicken is large, a little less if the chicken is small).
   • Use a meat thermometer to check if the meat has reached a temperature of 70 degrees inside.
   • Start checking the temperature a few minutes before reheating ends, especially if you have a small chicken.
   • Do not overcook the chicken in the oven, as this will dry out and become tough, especially the breast.
4. 4 Let the meat stand and serve. Use a mitten to remove the chicken from the oven to avoid scalding, and place the dish on a rack to protect the table surface from the heat. Let the chicken cool at room temperature for 5 minutes, then cut it open. This will allow the meat juice to saturate the chicken and make it soft and juicy.

Tips

• Microwaves tend to heat food from the outside first, especially "thick" foods such as whole chicken. Chop up leftover chicken before reheating in the microwave.
• In a microwave oven, food heats up faster, and in an oven, it heats up more evenly.

Warnings

• It is worth noting that there is still controversy over plastic wrap, even if it is for microwave ovens. It is believed to be harmful to food because toxins are absorbed into food when it is microwaved. The same goes for plastic microwave containers. On the Internet, you can find information about other means that can be used to replace plastic molds and films.
• Be sure to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water before handling chicken leftovers (and other foods). If you have colds or allergies and are coughing or sneezing, do not prepare food. Staphylococcus is a permanent inhabitant of the nasal passages and skin; this bacterium causes food poisoning when it comes into contact with food and then grows on food particles.
• Even fully cooked food can contain dangerous bacteria (such as salmonella). Throw away the chicken marinade and do not use it in other dishes.
• More often bacteria settle outside the food rather than inside. Try to wrap all food in something before placing it in the refrigerator to keep bacteria out of the food.Allow food to cool down before vacuum sealing and placing food in the refrigerator: warm or hot food in tight packaging serves as a breeding ground for bacteria.
• Never put foil in the microwave!