How to Reheat Rotisserie Chicken {3 Ways}

Everyone loves the convenience of roast chicken from their local grocery store.  Here are the best methods on How to Reheat Rotisserie Chicken {3 Ways} without drying out that wonderfully tender chicken meat.  Reheat the whole cooked chicken for a dinner to pair with your favorite side dishes or just a piece for a quick lunch!

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Most grocery stores have prepared roasted or rotisserie chicken hot and ready to take home for dinner.  I pick up at least one at Costco every week. Not only is this juicy chicken perfect for a quick dinner or lunch meal prep it can be reheated in either the oven, microwave or air fryer!

We love to shred leftover rotisserie chicken for quesadillas, chicken salad or soup. My Chicken Quinoa Kale Soup is one of my favorites!  Following these recipes, drying out the chicken is never a concern.

However, warming the entire chicken was something I wanted to master several years ago when I was living in an apartment.  I had such a small kitchen I just couldn't take up a lot of space with a huge turkey one holiday.  I opted for a rotisserie from the grocery store and made some of our favorite side dishes. To my surprise it was so easy to warm and made a delicious rotisserie chicken dinner.  The oven method which I believe to be the better way to warm a rotisserie may take longer but gives amazing results.  The texture of the chicken doesn't get rubbery nor will it result in dry chicken.

How Do You Reheat A Roasted Chicken Without Drying It Out?

In this tutorial learn the best reheating method to warm a rotisserie chicken without drying it out. These three methods are best for chicken leftovers paired with a few sides.  If heating an entire bird for a holiday the oven works best, while if you just need smaller pieces warmed, the microwave or air fryer is the best, quick choice.

How To Reheat A Rotisserie Chicken In The Oven

The best way for reheating an entire roasted chicken is in the oven.  First preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Remove the chicken from the plastic container from the grocery store.  Add a cup of chicken broth to an oven safe baking dish or roasting pan.  If you do not have chicken broth on hand just add enough water to cover the bottom of the pan. I like to to place my chicken on top of a wire rack inside the bottom of the dish to elevate it outside of the broth.  Next cover the entire chicken with aluminum foil. Make sure it is tightly sealed so the steam from the broth will help keep the chicken moist.

Warm the roasted chicken in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes, remove foil and roast for another 5 minutes to crisp skin.

One important thing to remember is to always use a meat thermometer to check that the internal temperature of the meat registers at 165 degrees which is the safe temperature for poultry.

I never leave my chicken out at room temperature before placing in the oven. It warms up quickly in the oven and the broth keeps it from drying out.

This is perfect for a holiday dinner paired with a few quick sides like Instant Pot Asparagus or Air Fryer Baked Sweet Potatoes!  We do this in the Blue’s house quite often when we need a quick meal on a busy day!

How To Reheat A Rotisserie Chicken In The Microwave

The quickest way to reheat roasted chicken is to use the microwave.  This is by far the option that I use the most because I take a piece of leftover chicken to work often.  If you have a microwave at work, it is the perfect way to reheat small pieces during your lunch break.

Many other sites say to cover the chicken with a damp paper towel to help keep it moist. I’ve tried this but honestly see no difference.

Remember to use a microwave-safe plate.  I like to reheat only a few pieces at a time when I’m using the microwave method.  I find that a whole chicken does not heat evenly in the microwave.  

I warm my chicken on high power for about 1 minute.  I keep the skin on my chicken breast to help keep it moist even though I do not eat the skin.  Reheated chicken skin isn't always the best especially in the microwave method.

How To Reheat A Rotisserie Chicken In The Air Fryer

Warming roasted chicken in the air fryer is another quick method.  Allow about 5 minutes for the air fryer to preheat, then add the chicken and warm for about 4 minutes.  This will give you a crispy skin unlike the microwave method.

Make sure not to over crowd the air fryer and keep the pieces of chicken spaced apart.  This will help the hot air circulate through the air fryer so that the pieces warm through evenly.

How to store leftover roasted chicken

The possibilities are endless for rotisserie chicken!  Use these quick methods for warming up your favorite roasted chicken.  If you have any leftovers after rewarming they will be best used in a soup or stew that will have lots of moisture.  Store leftovers in an airtight container and use within 3-4 days.  If you do not think you will use it within that time, the USDA food safety advises to freeze the chicken and store it in a heavy-duty freezer bags.

Related: 18 Must-Try Savory Dinner Recipes Made With 1 Pound Of Ground Beef

If you need a quick and easy dinner recipe that is sure to please try one of these delicious recipes that start with 1 pound of ground beef. With grocery prices on the rise, you can stretch a pound of beef by adding sauces, veggies, pasta and rice to make all sorts of dinner recipes.

Try a hearty minestrone soup, classic stuffed peppers or a creamy beef and cheese macaroni. Regardless of which recipe you choose, these are sure to be a crowd pleaser that will get your family around the dinner table!