Fact: One of the best ways to cook chicken is grilling it. Whether you like white meat breasts or dark meat thighs (or both!), it’s an easy way to keep chicken juicy. And that little bit of smoke adds so much flavor to both bone-in and boneless pieces (though a marinade always helps, too).
And once you get the grill going, you might as well make a whole bunch, right? But if you find yourself with lots of extras at the end of a grill session and don’t want to eat the leftovers cold, do you know how to reheat grilled chicken so it stays nice and juicy?
The problem with chicken, particularly the white meat and boneless pieces, is that it can dry out pretty quickly. So you want to maintain moisture while it’s reheating, or at least limit moisture loss as much as possible. And don’t even think about using the microwave—that’s rubbery chicken waiting to happen. Try these methods to reheat chicken instead!
What is the best way to reheat grilled chicken?
The best way to reheat chicken is in the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. and place your chicken in an oven-safe dish in a single layer. Add a splash of water, chicken broth, or stock to the pan and cover it with aluminum foil. Bake for ten to 15 minutes, or until heated through and the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Want to keep the skin crispy? Add a wire rack to the pan so the chicken can sit above the moisture. In the last few minutes, remove the aluminum foil to help crisp the skin back up. You can also remove it and pop the chicken under the broiler for extra-crispy skin.
You can also reheat chicken on the stovetop. Heat a skillet over medium-low and add a light coating of oil. Place the chicken in the pan with a splash of water or broth, and then cover with a lid to let steam form for extra moisture. Cook one side for five minutes, then flip and continue cooking for up to five minutes.
Can you reheat grilled chicken in an air fryer?
Yes! Particularly if you want crispy skin like grill-fried chicken, you can reheat grilled chicken in an air fryer. Set your air fryer to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. and lay your chicken in one layer in the basket. Coat in a little bit of oil and cook for five to ten minutes, flipping halfway through so it crisps evenly, until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
No matter which method you try, you should eat the chicken right away while it’s still hot and juicy. Much like reheating fried chicken, you shouldn’t reheat chicken a second time, so only reheat as much as you want to eat at that moment. It doesn’t take too much time to reheat more if you’re still hungry!
