How To Reheat Rotisserie Chicken: 7 Easy Ways

Looking for ways to make weeknight meals faster and easier? Rotisserie chicken is a great meal prep shortcut.

Here's how to reheat rotisserie chicken without drying it out 7 different ways - from oven to air fryer, from microwave to Instant Pot, from slow cooker to stovetop, and even using a grill!

If you're looking for an easy and convenient way to get healthy dinners on the table fast, making a meal with rotisserie chicken is a great shortcut. It's one of my secrets to effortless meal prep and planning.

Whether you purchase your rotisserie chicken at the grocery store or roast it yourself at home, having cooked chicken on hand is always a time saver.

With so many small kitchen appliances available today, it's easier than ever to reheat rotisserie chicken. From oven to stovetop, from microwave to air fryer, from Instant Pot to slow cooker, and even using a grill, explore these easy ways to reheat rotisserie chicken while keeping it moist and flavorful for your next delicious meal.

Here's What You'll Need

• Rotisserie chicken - be sure to get a chicken with no additives. Check the ingredient list on the label.
• Water or stock - depending on which reheating method you choose, you may need to add water or chicken broth to help keep it moist.
• Flavorings - this is completely optional. You can reheat the chicken as is, or add your favorite spice blend or sauce.

How To Reheat Rotisserie Chicken In The Oven

When reheating a whole rotisserie chicken, the oven produces moist and tender meat while keeping the skin crispy and golden. With this method, you'll need 20 - 30 minutes to reheat it, depending on the size of the chicken.

I always use a little chicken broth or water in the bottom of the baking dish to help infuse the foiled-covered chicken with flavor and moisture.

Step-By-Step Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375° F.
2. Place the whole rotisserie chicken in an oven-safe dish that's lightly oiled on the bottom to prevent sticking. I like to use olive oil or avocado oil.
3. Pour a small amount of chicken broth or water into the baking dish (or enough to just cover the bottom of the pan).
4. Set the whole chicken in and cover it with foil, making sure it's sealed tightly around the edges of the dish to trap the steam inside as it heats.
5. Heat in the oven for 20 - 30 minutes.
6. Remove the foil and heat for another 5 minutes to ensure a crispy chicken skin.
7. Before removing, use a digital thermometer to check that the internal temperature has reached 165° F, which is the suggested temperature for safe consumption.

Reheating In An Air Fryer

Reheating rotisserie chicken using an air fryer is great for a whole chicken that will fit in your tray or basket or for using cut sections that you've removed, such as wings, drumsticks, or breasts.

Using the air fryer with its circulating hot air is a time saver that will produce tender meat with crispy skin in less time than using the classic oven method. However, you do want to be sure not to overcook the chicken since adding broth while in the air fryer isn't possible.

If you're reheating chicken that has been deboned and frozen, be sure to thaw the chicken either overnight in the refrigerator or by using the cold water method. Just add the air-tight storage bag containing the frozen chicken to a bowl of cold water for an hour.

Step-By-Step Instructions

1. Preheat the air fryer to 350° F.
2. Spray your air fryer tray or basket with a light coating of olive oil to prevent sticking.
3. Place the whole chicken or parts in the basket.
4. Air fry for approximately 4 minutes, or until the internal temperature has reached 165° F.

Reheating In The Microwave

Reheating leftover rotisserie chicken in the microwave is great for strips, small sections, chunks or shredded chicken meat. The smaller the chicken sections and less dense they are, the shorter the reheating time, which makes this method a time-saver.

If you're reheating leftovers that still have the skin on, be aware that the skin will not stay crispy with the microwave method.

Plus, you'll want to be careful not to overheat the chicken which will dry it out. For that reason, always reheat it on medium power, never on high, and add just a little water or chicken broth to the microwave-safe container to ensure the chicken stays moist while keeping it covered with a damp paper towel.

Step-By-Step Instructions

1. Add the chicken sections or shredded chicken to a microwave-safe plate, bowl, or dish.
2. Lightly drizzle a little water or chicken broth over the chicken, especially if you're reheating from previously frozen chicken.
3. Cover the chicken with a damp paper towel.
4. Place the dish in the microwave and reheat on medium power for 2-3 minutes, depending on the size and density of the chicken.
5. Check the chicken for warmth and heat, and continue reheating if necessary, in 1-minute increments on medium power until heated through or the internal temp has reached 165° F.

Reheating In An Instant Pot

Using your Instant Pot is a great way to reheat a whole rotisserie chicken in as little as 5 minutes. Of course, this will depend on the size of the bird, but by using the steam function, the chicken will reheat to delicious moistness. You'll need a trivet or rack and a cup of water or chicken broth to help the chicken steam to juiciness in record time.

The Instant Pot can also be used to reheat chicken sections. I find this works best if I wrap the pieces (wings, drumsticks or breasts) in aluminum foil before setting them on the rack and steaming them.

Step-By-Step Instructions For A Whole Chicken

1. Add a cup of chicken broth or water to the liner of your Instant Pot.
2. Place the trivet in the bottom of the liner.
3. Place the whole rotisserie chicken on the trivet.
4. Close the lid and set the vent as sealed.
5. Set the pressure function to "steam."
6. Steam-cook for 5 - 10 minutes.
7. Perform a quick pressure release to check the temperature of the chicken using a digital thermometer. It should read 165° F. If not, steam the chicken for another minute or two to reach the desired temperature.

Step-By-Step Instructions For Large Chicken Sections

1. Add a cup of chicken broth or water to the liner of your Instant Pot.
2. Place the trivet in the bottom of the liner.
3. Wrap the pieces of chicken in foil and set the foil package, seam side up, on the trivet.
4. Close the lid and set the vent as sealed.
5. Set the pressure function to "steam."
6. Steam-cook for 3-5 minutes, depending on how large and how many sections of chicken you're reheating.
7. Perform a quick pressure release to check the temperature of the chicken using a digital thermometer. It should read 165° F. If not, steam the chicken for another minute or two to reach the desired temperature.

Reheating In A Slow Cooker

Your slow cooker will do an excellent job of reheating a whole rotisserie chicken while you spend time doing other things. Because it's slowly warming the chicken, it can take from 3 to 4 hours to reheat, so plan accordingly.

You'll need to wrap the chicken in aluminum foil, add a little water or chicken stock to the crock pot and then set and forget it. What could be easier?

Step-By-Step Instructions

1. Wrap the rotisserie chicken in aluminum foil.
2. Add approximately half of an inch of water or chicken stock to the slow cooker.
3. Place the foil-wrapped chicken in, taking care to set it so that all the seams of the foil are facing upward, not in the liquid.
4. Put the lid on and set the slow cooker on low to cook for 3 to 4 hours.
5. Check at the 3 hour mark, especially if it's a smaller chicken, to see if the temperature has already reached 165° F. If not, continue slow cooking for another hour.

Reheating In A Skillet On The Stove

Using your stovetop and favorite skillet, reheating rotisserie chicken is perfect when you have small pieces, such as chicken tenders or small chunks, that you want to use for salads, pasta, fajitas, tacos or lettuce wraps.

With just a frying pan and little oil, you can have the meat warmed and ready to add to your favorite chicken dinner. Plus, this method is perfect for adding additional flavor with salt, pepper, spices or sauces while it heats in the pan.

If you're reheating strips, pieces or even shredded chicken from being frozen, make sure you've thawed it overnight in the fridge or used the water method of defrosting it in a bowl of cold water while it's still in its ziplock bag. If reheating from frozen, you may find that you need to add a dash of water or chicken broth to the pan to help keep it moistened as it heats.

Step-By-Step Instructions

1. Add a tablespoon of olive oil to a skillet and heat on medium.
2. Once the skillet is hot, place the chicken in the skillet and cook for several minutes on each side. For chicken with skin remaining on one side, if you want it to re-crisp it, be sure to place it skin-side down in the skillet and let it cook for an additional minute.
3. To add additional flavor, sprinkle on any dried spices or sauces as you begin to reheat the chicken.
4. If reheating shredded chicken, you may need to add a splash of water or chicken broth to rehydrate, especially if reheating from being frozen.
5. Optional: you may choose to use a lid to cover the skillet as you reheat the chicken. I do this if I feel the chicken may be drier than I'd like and that I want to retain any natural moisture or help it along with a splash of water or chicken broth.

Reheating On The Grill

The grill might not be the first appliance you think of when reheating rotisserie chicken, but it's perfect for infusing a subtle smoky flavor into the meat. It's also a great way to prepare a chicken dinner that uses BBQ sauce or a savory chimichurri sauce.

The grill is best suited for reheating sections of chicken that have been separated like chicken wings, breasts, thighs or a split chicken. You can either set the pieces directly on the grates or use a grilling tray on the grates and reheat the chicken from there.

You can also use your grill as an oven. Just preheat the grill to 375° F, wrap the chicken in foil, place over indirect heat and reheat following the oven instructions above.

Step-By-Step Instructions

1. Preheat your grill to medium-low heat.
2. Lightly brush or spray the chicken pieces with olive oil.
3. If you are adding additional flavor, such as dried spices or a sauce, add those to the chicken, as well.
4. Place the chicken pieces either directly on the grill grates or on a grilling tray.
5. Reheat each side of the chicken pieces for approximately 3-5 minutes, depending on the size and thickness.
6. Check with a digital thermometer that the internal temperature of the pieces has reached 165° F.

Is Rotisserie Chicken Healthy?

Like anything, it depends on what they put in it. Always read the ingredient list. Some may include sodium phosphate, cornstarch, sugar, dextrose, and other processed food chemicals.

Look for chicken without additives, the ingredients should be just chicken and salt. Plain is best, you won't get additives along with the spice mix. You can add your own healthy seasonings when you reheat it.

I like Whole Foods Organic Plain Rotisserie Chicken - the ingredient list is just organic chicken, with nothing added. I've also used rotisserie chickens from Kroger (the ingredients in their Simple Truth brand are chicken, water, and sea salt).

Can You Refrigerate and Reheat Rotisserie Chicken?

Yes, you can reheat a refrigerated rotisserie chicken. If you purchase a cold rotisserie chicken from the store or want to plan ahead and use it for a meal later, you can reheat it using any of the methods above. You can store a whole rotisserie chicken in the fridge for up to 4 days,

Can You Freeze Rotisserie Chicken?

It's also convenient to freeze a rotisserie chicken for later use. You'll want to remove the meat from the bones and store it in airtight containers or a tightly sealed freezer bag. The meat will keep for up to 3 months, frozen.

The remaining chicken carcass is perfect for making your own chicken broth, which you can later use in soups or to help rehydrate the chicken meat when you use any of the reheating methods.

Serving Suggestions

• For an easy meal, serve with quick air fryer balsamic Brussels sprouts and a side salad.
• Or DIY chicken tacos with lettuce wraps or cassava flour tortillas, guacamole, and salsa. You can easily find store-bought versions with clean ingredients so this dinner requires no prep!
• Serve with all your favorite sides - here are 21 easy, delicious and healthy side dishes for chicken.

More Chicken Recipes

• Instant Pot Frozen Chicken Thighs
• Crock Pot Chicken Soup
• Italian Dressing Grilled Chicken
• Chicken Salad with Grapes
• Best Air Fryer Chicken Wings

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