How do you reheat chicken parm without drying it out?

Don’t you just love chicken parmesan with its winning combination of sweltering cheese, the succulent yet crispy chicken, and the oh-so-flavorful marinara sauce? 

If you ask me, I can have chicken parmesan all day, every day! 

This versatile dish is an easy crowd-pleaser in my household. You can have it with a side of spaghetti, grilled veggies, garlic bread, and whatnot.

We love this dish so much that I often end up making extra so that we can enjoy it the next day as well. However, if we are having it the next day, I need to reheat it properly.

If you’re wondering how to reheat chicken parmesan perfectly, here’s the only guide for you!

Table Of Contents

• 1 Can you reheat chicken parmesan?
• 2 How to reheat chicken parmesan in the oven
• 3 The best way to reheat chicken parmesan
• 4 Tips from the pros
• 5 How to reheat chicken parmesan

Yes, you can reheat chicken parmesan! 

If reheated correctly, it can taste even better the second time around. This is because the chicken, cheese, sauce, and seasonings get ample time to mingle, which leads to an explosion of flavor in your mouth! 

However, just be careful when reheating it so that you don’t end up with dry or soggy chicken. 

How to reheat chicken parmesan in the oven

My favorite way to reheat chicken parmesan has to be in the oven. The dry heat makes sure that the breaded chicken retains its perfectly crisp exterior and is juicy from the inside. It also ensures that the pasta doesn’t get too soggy and the cheese melts and crisps up perfectly. The only downside is that reheating chicken parmesan in the oven will take more time than reheating it in the microwave or air fryer. Still, the result certainly makes it well worth it. 

Here’s how to reheat chicken parmesan in an oven:

1. Preheat your oven to 325 to 250 degrees Fahrenheit. Be careful that the temperature doesn’t exceed 350 degrees. Otherwise, your chicken might dry up. 
2. Put the leftover chicken parmesan in a dish and cover it with some aluminum foil to protect the chicken from burning.
3. Put the dish in your preheated oven and reheat the chicken parmesan for about 10 minutes.
4. After the designated time, remove the foil and stir the sauce and pasta in the dish. 
5. Rotate the dish in your oven and heat the chicken parmesan for another 10 minutes.
6. Check the temperature to see if it has reached 165 degrees Fahrenheit and enjoy the reheated dish!

How to reheat chicken parmesan on a stovetop

You can easily reheat your leftover chicken parmesan on the stovetop as well. 

Reheating chicken parm in your skillet is a quick and straightforward process. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Put some oil in your skillet and let it heat on medium flame. The oil will prevent the breaded chicken from sticking to the bottom and give it a nice, crunchy texture.
2. Once the oil is heated, put the leftover chicken parmesan pieces in the skillet and make sure to keep the heat at a steady medium. This is because a high flame will burn the outside of the chicken before it’s heated through.
3. Once you see the chicken pieces browning, flip them over, put some cheese on them, and cover the skillet with its lid.  
4. Let the cheese melt a little, and then use a thermometer to check the chicken’s temperature to see if it’s safe to eat. 

How to reheat chicken parmesan in the air fryer

If you plan on warming up chicken parmesan in the air fryer, then it’s best if you store the breaded chicken pieces without the toppings. Here’s how you can reheat chicken parmesan in the air fryer: 

1. Put the leftover chicken parmesan in a microwave-safe deep pan or dish.
2. Cover the dish with some plastic wrap or a breathable lid, mainly if there’s plenty of marinara sauce. This will protect your microwave from the splattering of the sauce. Just make sure to keep one corner open to let steam and heat escape.  
3. Put the dish in your microwave and set it to medium heat or 50% power. This will ensure that your food heats evenly, without any cold spots.  
4. Reheat the chicken parmesan for about 1 minute.
5. Remove the plastic wrap and stir the sauces. Check to see if the chicken is heated through in the center. 
6. If it isn’t hot, put the dish back in your microwave and reheat your chicken parmesan in 60-second increments until your dish is piping hot.
7. Insert a thermometer in the center of the chicken to ensure that it is 165 degrees Fahrenheit.  

The best way to reheat chicken parmesan

Inarguably, the best way to warm up chicken parm is to reheat it in the oven. 

Even though it takes some time, reheating leftover chicken parmesan in the oven saves it from being a soggy mess. It also allows the chicken to retain its savory flavor and ensures that the cheese and breaded coating are crisp and warm. 

All you have to do is put the chicken parmesan with its sauce and cheese in your preheated oven until it’s thoroughly heated. 

This will take about 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken pieces and your oven temperature.  

Tips from the pros

Here are some fantastic tips and tricks that will help you reheat chicken parmesan perfectly every single time:

Ingredients

• Leftover chicken parmesan pieces
• Air fryer
• Marinara sauce
• Mozzarella cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat your air fryer at 350 to 360 degrees Fahrenheit for about 10 minutes.
2. Put your leftover chicken parmesan pieces in your air fryer and top them with some marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese.
3. Let the dish cook for about 2 to 3 minutes or until the cheese starts to bubble and brown.

Notes

It’s best if you store the breaded chicken pieces without the toppings if you plan warming them up in the air fryer.

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