How to Reheat a Rotisserie Chicken

Co-authored by Abyssinia Campbell and Jessica Gibson

Last Updated: March 21, 2023 Approved

Rotisserie chickens are a great convenience even if you need to refrigerate them for a few days before using them. To reheat a rotisserie chicken, remove it from the packaging and decide if you want to heat it in the oven, stovetop, or microwave. Warm the meat until it reaches 165 °F (74 °C) and serve the hot chicken with your favorite sides.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Roasting

1
Preheat the oven to 350 °F (177 °C) and get out a dish. While the oven preheats, remove the rotisserie chicken from the packaging and put it in an oven-safe dish.^{[1]
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Research source} If the chicken was in the fridge, let it sit out on the counter for at least 30 minutes so it comes to room temperature.
2
Cover and roast the chicken for 25 minutes. Put the lid on the dish and put the chicken in the preheated oven. Roast the chicken until it reaches 165 °F (74 °C) with an instant-read meat thermometer.^{[2]
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- Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken.
- If your dish doesn't have a lid, cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil.
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3
Remove the cover and roast the chicken for 5 minutes for crispy skin. If you'd like the chicken to have a crispy browned skin, take the lid off of the dish and return the chicken to the oven.^{[3]
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- Cook it for 5 minutes so the skin turns golden.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Sautéing

1
Shred or cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. If you only have part of a rotisserie chicken left or you just want to reheat some of the chicken, tear off the portion you want to use and cut or tear the chicken.^{[4]
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- The pieces should be between 1 to 2 in (2.5 to 5 cm) in size.
2
Heat a 1 to 3 teaspoons (5 to 15 ml) of oil over medium-high heat. Use less of the oil if you're reheating a small amount of chicken and use more oil if you're sautéing a skillet full.^{[5]
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- Use vegetable, canola, or coconut oil.
3
Stir in the chicken and cook it for 4 to 5 minutes. Keep stirring the meat as it reheats. Turn off the burner once all of the chicken is completely hot.^{[6]
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- Keep in mind that some of the edges may become crispy as the chicken reheats.
- Because the pieces will be too small to check with a meat thermometer, it's important to heat them until they're steaming hot.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Microwaving

1
Adjust your microwave setting to medium. If your microwave is programmed by percentages, set it to 70%.
2
Place the chicken on a microwave-safe plate. If you're microwaving a whole rotisserie chicken, consider putting it in a microwave-safe baking dish so any juices are caught.
- To speed up the reheating time, try pulling the chicken into pieces or shredding the meat. Set the pieces or shredded meat on the microwave-safe plate.
3
Microwave the chicken for 1 1/2 to 5 minutes. If you're microwaving a whole chicken, heat it for 5 minutes before you check the internal temperature.
- If you're reheating pieces or shredded chicken, heat the meat for 1 1/2 minutes before you start checking the temperature.
- Try pouring a bit of chicken or vegetable broth in the dish with the chicken so it doesn’t get too dry.
4
Check to see if the meat has reached 165 °F (74 °C). Insert an instant-read meat thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken. It should read 165 °F (74 °C) once it's safe to eat.
5
Consider heating it in the oven for 5 minutes if you want crispy skin. If you'd like the whole rotisserie chicken to have a crisp skin, transfer it to a 350 °F (177 °C) oven.
- Ensure that the chicken is on an oven-safe plate and heat it for 5 minutes.

Community Q&A

Question

Should I defrost the chicken before putting it in the oven?

Community Answer

Yes, any meat that is frozen needs to be defrosted before cooking, whether its raw or previously cooked.
Question

Can you reheat rotisserie chicken in a slow cooker?

Community Answer

You can, for five hours on high, but it isn't advisable, as rotisserie chicken must be reheated as quickly as possible.
Question

Is it safe to microwave rotisserie chicken in its original container like if I got it from Walmart?

Adele Orr

Top Answerer

No, the plastic container could melt and leach plastic into your chicken, in which case the chicken would no longer be safe to eat. Put the chicken on a microwave-safe dish.