Reheating Fried Chicken: Deep Fryer Method Explored

There are several ways to reheat fried chicken, but using a deep fryer is not recommended. The best methods are using an oven or an air fryer, which will make your chicken crispy without drying it out. First, let the chicken sit at room temperature for 10 to 30 minutes. Then, cook it in the oven at 400°F or in the air fryer at 375°F for about 15 minutes, or until the skin is crispy.

Reheating fried chicken in an oven

How to Reheat Fried Chicken in an Oven

• Take the chicken out of the fridge 10 to 30 minutes before reheating. This will allow it to reach room temperature and reduce the amount of time it spends in the oven, lowering the risk of drying out.
• Place the chicken on a wire rack on top of a baking sheet. This will allow air to circulate and prevent the bottom of the breading from turning mushy.
• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Bake the chicken for 12 to 20 minutes. The ideal cook time will depend on the type and size of your chicken cuts. Check the internal temperature of the chicken with a thermometer. Smaller pieces will cook faster, so keep an eye on them.
• Once the internal temperature reaches 120°F, the chicken is ready to eat! For food safety, the USDA recommends cooking all leftovers to 165°F, but this may leave your chicken dry.

Tips

• Avoid covering the chicken with foil as this will trap steam and make the chicken soggy.
• If you don't have a wire rack, you can use a foil-lined baking sheet.
• To prevent your chicken from drying out, check legs and thighs after 10 minutes and breasts after 15 minutes.

Reheating fried chicken in an air fryer

Preheat the Air Fryer

Set the air fryer to between 360°F and 375°F (around 180°C to 190°C). Preheat it for a few minutes to ensure it is hot enough to crisp up the chicken. Lightly coat the air fryer basket with cooking spray to prevent the chicken from sticking.

Prepare the Fried Chicken

You can add more seasoning to the chicken at this stage if you wish.

Place the Chicken in the Basket

Arrange the chicken pieces in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Space out each piece so the hot air can flow. Avoid overcrowding the basket, as this will prevent the skin from becoming crispy. It is better to work in batches.

Reheat

Reheat the chicken for 5 to 7 minutes. For larger pieces of chicken, such as chicken breast or thighs, reheat for 8 to 10 minutes.

Flip or Shake

After the initial reheat, gently flip the chicken pieces or shake the basket to ensure even heating.

Continue Reheating

Return the basket to the air fryer and continue reheating for an additional 5 minutes, or until thoroughly heated.

Check for Doneness

To ensure the chicken is heated through, use a meat thermometer to check that the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).

Serve

When the chicken is heated and crispy, remove it from the air fryer tray and let it cool for a minute before serving.

Tips

• The cooking time will depend on the size of the chicken pieces, so keep an eye on the chicken to prevent overcooking or burning.
• Don't reheat the chicken more than once, as this increases the risk of foodborne illness.
• A light coating of oil can help restore crispiness, but it is optional.
• Preheating the air fryer helps to promote crispiness.
• Don't cover the chicken with foil when reheating, as this will make the chicken soggy.
• Let the chicken come to room temperature before reheating to ensure it cooks evenly.

Reheating fried chicken in the microwave

Firstly, take your fried chicken out of the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature. This will help the chicken heat more evenly and prevent it from drying out. Place a paper towel over the plate to absorb some of the moisture and help the chicken stay crisp.

Next, microwave the chicken in 30-second intervals, flipping it over each time, until it is warmed through. Keep a close eye on it, as it's easy to overcook chicken in the microwave, which will result in dry chicken.

While this method is convenient, it's worth noting that the texture of the chicken will likely not be the same as freshly cooked or even oven-reheated chicken.

Reheating fried chicken on the stove

If you're set on using the stove, the best way to reheat fried chicken is to fry it again in a skillet. This method will deliver undeniably crispy and well-cooked chicken, but it's worth noting that it's almost as much work as cooking the chicken from scratch.

To reheat your fried chicken on the stove, follow these steps:

• Take your chicken out of the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for 10 to 30 minutes.
• Fill a cast-iron skillet or heavy-bottomed pan with about 2 inches of vegetable or another neutral frying oil.
• Turn the stove to medium-high heat and heat the oil to 300°F.
• Place a few pieces of chicken in the oil at a time, making sure not to overcrowd the pan, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side.
• Place the chicken on a plate covered with a paper towel to drain the excess oil.

It's important to note that this method will make the chicken breading more oily, so if you're looking for a quick stovetop option without drenching your chicken in oil, pan-searing may be a better choice. However, this method can result in a meal that is burnt on the outside and underheated on the inside. If you choose to pan-sear your chicken, be sure to cut it into smaller pieces and add a dash of cooking oil, cooking for 5 to 7 minutes while stirring frequently.

Tips to keep reheated fried chicken crispy

While it's best to eat fried chicken fresh, sometimes you just have leftovers that you want to reheat. Here are some tips to ensure your reheated fried chicken stays crispy:

Use an Oven or Air Fryer

The best way to reheat fried chicken is in an oven or air fryer. Using a microwave will make the chicken soggy, and reheating on a stovetop or cooktop will make the breading oily.

Let the Chicken Come to Room Temperature First

Before reheating, let the chicken sit at room temperature for at least 10 minutes, but ideally 20-30 minutes. This helps the chicken reheat evenly and prevents it from losing too much moisture.

Use a Wire Rack

Place the chicken on a wire rack set inside a baking sheet. This allows hot air to circulate on all sides of the chicken, even underneath, ensuring that every part of the chicken has the same juice-to-crispiness ratio. If you don't have a wire rack, you can use a foil-lined baking sheet, but be careful not to cover the chicken with foil, as this will trap steam and make the chicken soggy.

Preheat the Oven or Air Fryer

For an oven, preheat to 400°F. For an air fryer, preheat to 375°F.

Cook for 12-20 Minutes

For an oven, cook the chicken for 12-20 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken pieces. For an air fryer, cook for 2-5 minutes, flipping the chicken halfway through.

Add a Little Oil

If the breading has become soft, adding a little oil before reheating can help crisp it back up.

Use the Air Fry Setting

If your microwave has an air fry setting, this can be a good option for reheating fried chicken.

Frequently asked questions