I used to have so many headaches learning how to keep rotisserie chickens warm back in the day, but now I finally grasp the secret. No more dry and hard in the chicken, only luscious and crispy.
So, do you want to know about the secret? No more waiting, I will reveal all in this article, a step-by-step guide with extra tips to keep the steamy taste.
Do You Know The Truth About Rotisserie Chicken?
Rotisserie chicken has become the most popular dish in the market today. Its appearance is in every restaurant you can think of.
However, there are many fascinating facts about this dish that you may not know, so how about knowing them a little bit?
The Impact Of Rotisserie Chicken On The U.S Market
The demand for rotisserie chicken was not as popular as it is now. In the early 1990s, with the favoring of Boston Market, the rotisserie chicken began its legacy on the market.
After a few years, Costco and Kroger also put rotisserie chickens into their menu.
From then, the craze for rotisserie chicken has continued unceasingly until this day and maybe indefinitely. Let’s face it, how can you resist this one? Even only the smell already gets you from the start.
Rotisserie Chicken In Canada
Since the 1950s, rotisserie chicken has been rampaged relentlessly on the market and become a signature in Canadian culture. You can come to any store or supermarket to find rotisserie chicken and realize that it’s everywhere in this country. (1)
3 Ideas To Keep Rotisserie Chicken Warm For Hours
To preserve the flavor of this delicious meal as warm and succulent as new, I bring to the table 3 ideas for you to make it happen. I’m sure with these 3 methods, and you can choose which is best for you!
Aluminum Foil And Towels, Easy But Effective With Only 2 Steps
Aluminum foil is known for its retaining heat property, so why don’t you use it for your rotisserie chicken? It’s cheap, easy, and fast to use.
However, this method is not quite effective if left at room temperature. So after the wrapping process, you should put it in an oven or a warming drawer. Besides, you can also make use of this method to help food stay warm on the move.
Necessary Items
- Aluminum foil
- Towels
- Meat thermometer
Step 1: Measure The Heat Of Rotisserie Chicken
You should not let your rotisserie chicken be overcooked because it will affect the taste. Therefore, grab your reliable wireless meat thermometer and adjust the temperature to about 167°F (75°C). At this rate, you won’t see any dry and tough meat in your chicken.
Step 2: Wrapping In Aluminum Foil And Towels
After you finish your cooking with rotisserie chicken, wrap it in foil. You can either wrap the whole chicken in foil or chop it to pieces, then do the wrapping. Don’t let it touch your chicken skin to avoid meat being burnt inside.
Add an extra layer of insulation with your towels to retain the heat for hours.
Note: You can replace the aluminum foil with the cooking bag that usually comes with rotisserie chickens.
3 Steps To Retain The Heat With An Oven
If a high-quality rotisserie oven can cook a whole rotisserie chicken, then it must be able to keep it warm too, right?
The answer is definitely yes! The oven method is extremely effective. The only downside is that it would cost too much space in an oven that you can’t cook other foods.
But if possible, I urge you to try this one because of the results it brings. The oven keeps rotisserie chicken warm perfectly and preserves the softness and succulence in the meat.
Necessary Items
- Oven
- Baking dish
- Aluminum foil
- Meat thermometer (optional)
Step 1: Preheat The Oven
Set your oven warm up to 350°F, using the meat thermometer if you don’t know whether it reaches that degree. Put the baking dish inside before you preheat the oven to make it become a warm plate. Then leave it there for 5 minutes.
The position of the baking dish should be on the bottom rack, sitting at the angle that can let the dropped juices of the chicken flow down to the hole underneath.
Step 2: Wrapping With Foil
You can choose to take this step or not, but I fully recommend applying this because it can save you much trouble later. For example, cleaning the juices drip from the chicken because of the extensive heat.
Therefore, don’t hesitate to grab the foil and wrap it around your cooked chicken.
Step 3: Put The Chicken Into The Oven
All the preparation is done, now your part is just placing the foil-wrapped chicken on the baking dish.
After that, close the oven tightly and turn on the “keep warm” function at around 150°F (65°C). If your oven doesn’t have that function, please take the chicken into your stomach within 4 hours, or it will cause foodborne illnesses.
Check Out This 2-Step Saucepan Upside-Down Method
A manual, machine-free way to keep rotisserie chicken warm for longer is to use a saucepan to cover it. This approach is usually used to retain the heat of the chicken while waiting for other dishes to be finished.
Step 1: Wrapping In Foil
You can choose to skip this part, but I recommend using the wrapping method above to increase the effectiveness.
Step 2: Set The Saucepan Down
Once you’re done with the wrapping, simply use the saucepan to cover the whole rotisserie chicken. Additionally, you can alternate the saucepan by any lid that is large enough to cover the whole chicken.
Note: If you choose the saucepan to be the lid, ensure the saucepan doesn’t overload the chicken. This will create pressure on the chicken that makes the juices within squish out.
4 Extra Ways To Keep Rotisserie Chicken Warm
Sometimes, you don’t have the exact machine or items to follow the given methods precisely. Or maybe you’ve done those before, but it’s not effective in your case. Don’t worry, I’m here with more extra tips to ensure your results.
Using A Microwave Instead Of The Oven
Generally, the microwave has similar features to the oven. Therefore, you can use it as an excellent replacement.
Make sure the condition of your microwave is clean, dry, and cool. Do not use the microwave right after using it for cooking because the cooking process leaves heat, which can cause an unsafe temperature when you place the chicken in.
Wrap your chicken with foil and put it on a hot plate for extensive heat. Microwave it for 2 minutes, then you can leave it to sit warmly in there for hours.
Note: Absolutely do not use plastic plates because of the melting property of them.
Utilize The Warming Drawer Of The Oven
Most ovens nowadays have a warming drawer, and the name says it all. Warming drawers consume even less energy than ovens and microwaves. After all, it is deliberately designed for this function. This is a must-try method for keeping your food warm at a party.
You should empty all the dishes inside to preheat the drawer at 350°F. When it’s done, put your rotisserie chicken in a heat-safe serving dish. Another option is using foil or a container to cover the chicken.
Then, open the door for a bit when you put the chicken inside. This way, the temperature in your meat will remain around 130°F. You can even save your chicken from being scorched by the light by placing a wooden spoon to cover the light.
The chicken can be warm for several hours, but after 4 hours of heating, the meat will lose its freshness and become dry.
Note:
- Warming drawers are only used for hot food because it preserves the food at serving temperature.
- Do not switch off the drawer’s heating elements. Or else, your chicken won’t get cooked.
- Once again, I have to urge you not to use plastic containers and heat-resistant containers.
Learn more about how to use the warming drawer and utilize it for your chicken.
How Can I Miss Air Fryer For This
In terms of functionality to keep hot, the air fryers are relatively good because they use the principle of convection flow to circulate heat throughout the heating chamber. Although you need a good air fryer with a rotisserie function to cook rotisserie chicken, you don’t need one to keep this dish warm.
Rotisserie chicken, when put into the air fryer, will keep the same effect as when put into the oven. The “keep warm” function of the air fryers would keep the heat and flavor of the chicken perfectly for hours.
But remember to check the chicken status regularly. Usually, the “keep warm” function of the air fryers only has a setting time of 30 minutes, so make sure to turn on your machine until the time you eat.
Don’t forget to keep the door closed when your chicken stays in the air fryer’s basket. That would trap the heat inside and keep your chicken warm for longer.
Slow Cooker For Your Rotisserie Chicken
Like the air fryer, the slow cooker is also a great alternative. The principle of heating is the same as with an oven, but as the name implies, it is slower and also a little less hot.
The slow cooker should only be used with heated food. If you put cold food in, the cooker will spend a lot of time and energy steaming it. Therefore, only put heated food into the cooker to save hours of waiting.
However, do not put the chicken that has just been cooked into the cooker immediately. Let the chicken cool off for a while before placing it in.
If the temperature within the chicken is too extreme, it can cause you some trouble to handle, and most importantly, it makes the chicken meat dry and hard.
First, put the cooker at a high temperature, wait for 1-2 minutes, then put the chicken in. This way, when switching to “keep warm” mode, the chicken will be kept at an ideal temperature.
Note: I suggest you should prepare a towel when using this method. Because you will need it to wipe off the water condense onto your lid while the chicken is kept in the cooker.
How Long Should Rotisserie Chicken Sit Outside?
If you leave your rotisserie chicken outside without any heated source and protection, it will turn bad after 4 hours. Because when cooked, the chicken reached 350°F/176°C and was likely to drop down to the “danger zone” temperature.
Once you keep the rotisserie chicken in the above methods, they help to extend the shelf life up to several hours. The storage temperature when applying the methods has been increased up to 150°F/65°C, which is the perfect temperature to keep your chicken fresh as new.
So the answer is choosing one of the methods I gave above to store your chicken for hours if you don’t plan to eat it right away.
If you want to store rotisserie chicken overnight, you should put it in a refrigerator. “Can I freeze rotisserie chicken?” you might ask. The answer is yes, you can, and you should do so if you plan to store the chicken long-term.
The Optimal Temperature For Your Rotisserie Chicken
Definitely not the room temperature! Keep your chicken away from the temperature between 40°F-140°F(4°C-60°C)! The temperature within that range is the danger zone to store cooked food because the bacteria grow quickest in this environment. (2)
Therefore, the optimal temperature to keep your chicken safe and warm is above 140°F (60°C), which is 150°C (65°C), try to keep the heat around this range.
If you don’t have anything available to keep the temperature above 140°F(60°C), then you should cool the chicken down and store it in the fridge once it’s cooled. This time the food will be placed at a temperature below 40°F(4°C).
How To Bring The Crispy Back To Your Rotisserie Chicken
Here are the methods to regain your chicken crispiness when you want to turn leftover rotisserie chicken into delicious dishes. Or maybe you store the chicken overnight in the fridge and want to find the delightful treat yesterday instead of this frozen chicken now.
Return Your Chicken To The Best Quality With The Griller
When it comes to reheating, grilling is the first choice that appears in my mind. That’s because it gives the chicken a crispy exterior that everyone craves for. To achieve the best result, you’d better cut your chicken into similar pieces.
Step 1: Preheat The Griller
Before preheating, remember to pour some oil on the griller to prevent burning. Also, keep the temperature low and not too high.
Step 2: Grill The Chicken
Place the chicken on the grill. Wait for about 3 minutes before flipping the meat. And make sure to check the temperature of the thickest cut. If your thermometer shows 165°F, it’s ready to serve.
Do You Know Oven Can Be Used To Reheat Too?
The oven function is quite versatile. You can grill, keep warm and even reheat your rotisserie chicken with it. Although this will take more effort and time than simply settling the chicken in the microwave or air fryer, the result will be worth it with the succulent and crispy treat.
Necessary Items
- An oven
- An oven-safe dish
- Tinfoil
- Chicken broth
Step 1: Preheat The Oven
First, you need to remove all the dishes that are still in the oven, then turn on the oven. Adjust the oven temperature to 350°F(176°C).
Step 2: Wrap In Foil
If your chicken is just out of the fridge, let it defrost a bit before placing it in an oven-safe dish. Then pour chicken broth to the plate, and cover the whole plate with foils.
Step 3: Reheat The Chicken
Place the foil-wrapped chicken dish in the oven and roast it for 25 minutes. After that specified time, peel off the foils and roast for 5 more minutes to crisp up the skin.
A detailed guide to reheat your chicken with an oven
Fast Way To Reheat With Microwave
We all know that the microwave is a specialized item for reheating, so using it would be a great solution if you’re in a hurry.
Necessary Items
- A microwave
- A microwave-safe plate
- A damp paper towel
Step 1: Cut The Chicken Into Small Pieces
Cut the chicken into small pieces and get all the bones aside. So that when placed in the microwave, the meat will be evenly reheated, avoiding the situation that only the outside is heated and the inside is not.
Step 2: Place The Chicken On The Plate
Place all the chicken pieces on the plate and drape a damp towel over it. Aside from the towel, you can pour some chicken stock/broth or water into the plate to keep your chicken juicy.
Step 3: Microwave The Chicken
Put the plate into the microwave and reheat it for about 2 minutes, then it’s time for a treat. But if your chicken is too big, you can increase the timing by 30 seconds.
Need more information about reheating rotisserie chicken? Here it comes!
The Air Fryer Way In 2 Steps
Similar to the oven, air fryers can be used to reheat the rotisserie chicken. This one is the best for reheating because it’s fast, easy, and gives you the chicken meat full of taste.
Step 1: Turn On The Air Fryer
Set the temperature of your air fryer to 350°F(176°C).
Step 2: Place The Chicken In
Next, you just need to place the chicken in the air fryer and wait about 4 minutes for a crispy chicken.
Still wonder how to reheat rotisserie chicken with an air fryer? This is your answer!
If You Have An Instant Pot, Use It To Reheat Your Chicken
Yes, I’m not kidding! While an instant pot is different from an air fryer, you can totally use it to heat your rotisserie chicken with its steam function. Not to mention, the steps are no more difficult than any of these above methods. So, let’s see what I have for you.
Necessary Items
- A cup of water
- Instant pot
- Aluminum foil
- Trivet
Step 1: Prepare The Instant Pot
Pour the water into your pot. Then, place a trivet inside it. Wrap your chicken with aluminum foil and set it on the trivet.
Step 2: Reheat Your Chicken
Close the lid and choose the steam function. Check your chicken after 5 minutes. If it isn’t hot enough, repeat the steps for 1 or 2 minutes.
Crockpot Can Be A Reheating Option To Your Rotisserie Chicken
Since reheating with an instant pot is possible, why not crockpot? For those who don’t have any instant pot, you can take out your crockpot to warm up the frozen rotisserie chicken for your dinner.
Necessary Items
- A cup of water
- Crockpot
- Aluminum foil
Step 1: Prepare Your Chicken
Just like the first step of the instant pot method, you can pour a cup of water into the pot. Wrap the chicken in the aluminum foil before placing it in.
Step 2: Reheat Your Chicken
Set the temperature on high and cook your chicken in 2 or 3 hours. If you are afraid of high heat, you can choose low temperatures, and the procession will be complete in 3 or 4 hours.
FAQs
Finally, here is my list of the most frequently asked questions that people usually need when they still need further information.
That’s All You Need To Know About Keeping Rotisserie Chicken Warm
I hope that my all-inclusive guide has given you enough information to help you keep your rotisserie chicken warm and tasty. Additionally, all the methods can be applied for any kind of rotisserie chicken, from store-bought to homemade.
If you have any tips or tricks you’d like to share with everyone about the rotisserie chicken, feel free to share them in the comments section below! Any advice is welcome!
References
- En.wikipedia.org. 2022. Rotisserie chicken – Wikipedia.
- fsis.usda.gov. 2022. Chicken from Farm to Table.
