Home » How to Reheat Rotisserie Chicken? (Complete Heating Guide)

How to Reheat Rotisserie Chicken? (Complete Heating Guide)


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Rotisserie chicken is a dish made by cooking a whole chicken with a direct heat source. Mostly, all the dishes available in a rotisserie are meals cooked in the barbeque style. Rotisserie chicken is one of the best forms of cooked chicken, but you can buy it from the store, bring it home, and use it in whichever way you want. For example, you can shred it and make sumptuous chicken fillings or cut out chunks of chicken, dip it in sauce and have a hearty meal with a bowl of creamy pasta. 

However, although rotisserie chicken is best had fresh, there might be an occasion when you had to buy it and store it away in the refrigerator instead, to be used the day after. In such cases, you need to warm up the chicken thoroughly so that it smells just as nice and fresh. And heating a whole rotisserie chicken properly is important. It involves a bit more than putting the chicken in the microwave. 

It takes time for the chicken to warm up thoroughly. Not doing so correctly will make certain sections too hot and wiry with pockets of cold chicken inside. Read on to learn about the different ways of heating rotisserie chicken, no matter which method you use. 

How to Reheat Rotisserie Chicken (Complete Heating Guide)
Source: nationaltoday.com

Different Ways of Reheating Rotisserie Chicken 

Here are some of the ways in which you can heat rotisserie chicken and make it warm and juicy again. 

#1. Reheating Rotisserie Chicken on a Stovetop 

Reheating rotisserie chicken on the stovetop is simple but requires more prep than the actual heating. 

  • First, take out the chicken from the fridge and allow it to warm down to room temperature. 
  • Then, take a deep skillet and place it on the stove.
  • Allow the skillet to heat for two or three minutes. 
  • Add a couple of teaspoons of vegetable oil and brush it evenly across the surface. 
  • Place the rotisserie chicken in the skillet and reduce the pan’s heat to a simmer.
  • Cover with a lid and allow the steam to fill the inside of the skillet. 
  • After a few minutes, open the lid and move the chicken around a bit with a spatula. You can also turn the chicken completely to prevent the bottom of the chicken from browning too much. 
  • Keep repeating a couple of times till the entire chicken is warmed through.
  • Lastly, remove the lid and allow the steam to escape while keeping the chicken on the stovetop for a couple of more minutes. This will remove any moisture build-up and make the skin nice and crisp. 
  • And when the internal temperature has risen to 165 degrees Fahrenheit, it has warmed up thoroughly.

Alternately, suppose you think you are going to shred the chicken anyway after heating it. In that case, you could also do so before and then reheat the shredded rotisserie chicken.

  • To do so, cut chunks of chicken from the bones. Then, pick on the chicken with your fingers and shred it into bite-size pieces.
  • You can keep the bones away in the freezer and use them later to make chicken stock. 
  • Warm up some butter or olive oil in the skillet.
  • Then put the shredded chicken in the skillet and give it a toss with a spatula. Once the butter coats the meat completely, you will hear a faint sizzling sound. 
  • Reduce the heat to a minimum and allow the chicken to warm up. Keep tossing from time to time. 
  • If you think the chicken is releasing too much juice, you could turn up the heat to dry it up if you want a drier variant. 
  • Remove the rotisserie chicken from the stovetop and use it any way you want.
Reheating Rotisserie Chicken on A Stovetop 
Source: www.purewow.com

Bonus Read: Delicious Chicken Roulade Recipe

#2. Reheating Rotisserie Chicken in the Oven

Reheating rotisserie chicken in the oven will give you a moist and crisp dish at the same time. The crispiness of the skin is important because that was how your chicken was when you brought it home from the store. 

  • First, place the chicken on the counter and allow it to warm up to room temperature after getting it out of the refrigerator. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 
  • Once the oven is ready, place the chicken in a deep dish casserole pan. Add one cup of chicken broth or one cup of water if unavailable. In addition, also scrape out any juices or liquid from the container in which you stored the rotisserie chicken. 
  • Cover the casserole pan with a double layer of foil to ensure that none of the steam leaves the pan. This will result in the moistest and juiciest chicken. Place the covered chicken in the oven for about 25 minutes. 
  • Take out the chicken from the oven and check the internal temperature, which should ideally be 165 degrees Fahrenheit at this point. 
  • Remove the foil cover and turn the oven’s settings to “Broil.” Place the casserole under the broiler for about 15 to 20 seconds. If it is still not done, check again after 15 seconds. 

It would be best if you were careful around this time as the chicken can go from broiled to burnt in a matter of seconds. Once you notice your chicken getting a golden glow and it gets crispy to the touch, your rotisserie chicken is reheated and ready to be eaten.

#3. Reheating Rotisserie Chicken in the Microwave

Reheating food in the microwave is one of the easiest procedures. Still, when you try to reheat rotisserie chicken, it can become a bit tricky. Microwave can warm your food thoroughly, but in this case, it can also rob your chicken of all its flavor and tenderness. In addition, microwaving your food incorrectly will make your chicken hard and turn it stringy. That is not how you want your rotisserie chicken to be. 

For best results, it is better to reheat your chicken in the microwave in parts rather than putting it in its entirety. That is because, by the time the inner portions cook through, the skin might become too hard and wiry. 

  • First, carve your chicken up into its parts. You should have eight to ten sizable pieces. Then, decide which components you want to reheat and save the rest. Or, if you want the whole chicken, then so be it. 
  • Next, wet some paper towels with water. Then, take every piece of chicken and wrap it in wet paper towels snugly. 
  • Place the chicken pieces in the microwave-safe bowl and heat for 30 seconds. Then, take them out and check if they have reached the desired heat level. 

Ideally, it is best to warm it up nicely and have the chicken immediately rather than make it piping out and again leaving it out to cool down a little. The chicken should have reached an ideal temperature in forty seconds. 

Reheating Rotisserie Chicken in the Microwave
Source: fooddeliveryguru.com

#4. Reheating Rotisserie Chicken in an Air Fryer 

Reheating rotisserie chicken in an air fryer is easy and one of the quickest methods. Moreover, it is ideal if the chicken retains its crispiness as the air fryer heats the food by circulating hot. That keeps the skin quite crisp and helps it retain its inherent moisture.

  • First, allow the chicken to warm up to room temperature after taking it out of the freezer. Then place it in the air fryer basket.
  • Switch on the fryer and cook it for 4 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. This should heat the chicken thoroughly and also leave the skin crisp. 

You do not even need to add extra oil as the air fryer will use the residual fat from the chicken, which will start oozing out as the chicken gets warmed up. You also get a healthy and tasty meal to enjoy with no added oil. 

#5. Reheating Rotisserie Chicken in a Slow Cooker 

Reheating rotisserie chicken in a slow cooker would take some time, but it also produces one of the juiciest chickens. 

  • Take your slow cooker and fill it with about ½ inch water. 
  • Next, securely wrap your chicken in foil and place it in the cooker. Make sure that the foil is wrapped around the chicken so that the final edges are at the top and the water cannot get to the chicken. 
  • Put on the cover of the pot and heat for about 2 to 3 hours. 

Since the chicken is already cooked, it is more about ensuring that it is warm enough. If you feel it has reached the desired temperature in an hour or so, you can take it out and serve. 

Conclusion

There are various ways of reheating sumptuous rotisserie chicken, but which method you would use will ultimately depend on how much time you have and which tools you have in your possession. However, all the methods will produce the desired results. You will be able to enjoy your rotisserie chicken in no time. Serve it with bread, pasta, or a filling pot of rice. It is just what you need for a hearty and soulful dinner with your friends and family. 

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