To keep fried chicken moist while reheating, use the oven or air fryer on a wire rack at around 400°F (200°C) for crispy results without drying it out, or add a splash of chicken stock/water and loosely cover with foil in the oven for maximum moisture retention, avoiding the microwave which makes it soggy. The key is using dry heat (oven/air fryer) and letting the chicken come to room temperature first for even cooking.
Add several tablespoons of chicken stock or water—just enough so that there's a very shallow layer of liquid in the pan. Then cover the pan tightly with a double layer of foil. The steam created by the water will help ensure the meat stays nice and moist.
Arrange the Chicken: Place the chicken on a baking tray and cover it loosely with foil to prevent it from drying out. Reheat: Reheat for about 15-20 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken pieces, until it reaches an internal temperature of 75°C (165°F).
Here's a better idea: Use vented wax paper or a food warmer. Vented materials let steam escape while retaining warmth, ensuring your chicken stays as juicy and crispy as a freshly fried one.
An oven at 250 degrees, or on a general "warm," setting, will keep the chicken hot enough to serve without overcooking it and drying it out, and the extra dry heat from the oven actually helps keep the exterior perfectly crispy.
Chinese restaurants tenderize chicken using a technique called "velveting," which involves coating thinly sliced chicken in a mixture (like cornstarch, egg white, soy sauce, oil, and Shaoxing wine) that forms a protective barrier, locking in moisture; some use baking soda to break down fibers for extra tenderness, followed by rinsing, while others use starch alone to create a silky, moist texture after quick cooking (blanching or frying).
10 Common Mistakes People Make When Reheating Chicken
Add a little water, gravy or stock to prevent the chicken drying out. We recommend chicken is reheated in a conventional oven or microwave, on the hob or in the air fryer if you desire a crispy skin.
The Best Way to Reheat Chicken
To avoid the tough, rubbery taste and texture of chicken in the microwave, it's better to skip the microwave and turn to the toaster oven or stovetop, says Melanie Marcus, RD, a registered dietitian and chef from the greater Charlotte area.
On stove top: Place food in pan and heat thoroughly. The food should reach at least 165 °F on a food thermometer when safely reheated. In oven: Place food in oven set no lower than 325 °F. Use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature of the food reaches 165°F.
Add enough water or stock to cover just the bottom of the baking dish, then cover the dish tightly with foil. The water will create steam in the sealed dish as the chicken reheats, creating a humid warming chamber that will prevent it from drying out.
Generally, reheat dishes at a low temperature like 350°F so they don't dry out. Line a baking tray with aluminum foil and separate any pieces of food so they can cook evenly. Cover your dish with foil and cook it between 8 and 20 minutes (depending on the food) until it is cooked through.
Rescue dry chicken with plenty of sauce
These contain the moisture the meat is missing, so a quality sauce or gravy will cover a lot of your woes. In particular, a sauce that's more sweet and bright will go well, because overcooking meat tends to bring out the salty flavors — sugar and acid help tone down that quality.
In general, we've found reheated chicken is ready when the internal temperature reaches 120°F. This will take between 12 and 15 minutes in a preheated 400ºF oven. That's hot enough to taste good without drying out.
What is the most common way to reheat fried chicken? If you want to achieve the traditional crispiness of fried chicken, you can typically get those results with ovens and air fryers. Microwaves tend to unevenly cook fried chicken and may leave it with soggy skin.
It is good news because yes, you can reheat KFC. If you realise that you have way too much chicken in your bucket, simply put it in a container and store it in your fridge. As long as your takeaway is stored the right way, it is safe to reheat it the next day.
The general rule is that you shouldn't reheat chicken more than once. While it might be tempting to warm up that piece of chicken a second or third time, doing so increases the risk of bacterial growth and food poisoning. Plus, reheating it multiple times can turn the chicken into a rubbery, tasteless mess.
Bacteria multiply quickly when food sits at room temperature for too long, especially with chicken. Always refrigerate chicken within 2 hours of cooking (1 hour if it's hot outside). Reheat straight from the fridge or, if frozen, thaw safely before reheating.
To summarize, the correct approach when reheating chicken is: Use a food thermometer to accurately measure the temperature. Heat the chicken to at least 165°F and maintain that temperature for a minimum of 15 seconds.
The secret lies in a process called VELVETING. This chinese marination process helps tenderize the chicken while allowing it to retain maximum flavor and moisture. There are several methods of velveting; I used the oil velveting method.
Velveting is a technique in Chinese cuisine for preserving the moisture of meat while cooking. Additionally, it provides a soft or "velvety" texture to the meat of any entrée. Raw meat is coated in corn starch (and often egg white) and then par-cooked by briefly frying or blanching to set the coating.
Chinese food and soups contain monosodium glutamate (MSG) as the main addictive ingredient. A sensitive individual may suffer from headache, giddiness, sweating, abdominal pain, and urticaria within a few hours of consumption of MSG.