We’ve all fallen into the trap of ordering too much Chinese food at some point.
My personal weakness is orange chicken.
If you’ve ever found yourself wondering about the best way to reheat it, you’re in luck.
In an effort to reinvigorate its signature sauce (and avoid soggy chicken), I’ve tried three different reheating methods to varying levels of success.
There’s a lot to be said for how you store it, too, so I’ll detail some tips and tricks below.
Ready? Let’s jump right in.
A note on my experiment
The other day I ordered my usual: too much orange chicken.
Of course, I ended up with leftovers, which I decided to store and reheat for lunch the next day.
I was determined to retain my orange chicken’s crispiness, citrusy flavor, and delicious glaze.
I experimented with three ways to reheat it and found the best method for keeping the chicken crispy and the sauce fresh, spicy, and tasty.
These reheating techniques included:
Reheating orange chicken using both the microwave and air fryer/oven (best results by far)
Reheating orange chicken in the oven (okay if you don’t mind losing the chicken’s crunch)
Reheating orange chicken in the microwave (would not recommend)
Hands down, the best way to reheat orange chicken is to separate the chicken from the sauce.
Crisping up the chicken in the air fryer while reheating the sauce in the microwave left my orange chicken tasting almost as good as new.
The results from the oven method were edible, but nothing to write home about.
The chicken didn’t crisp up at all. Under the broiler, I achieved slightly better results.
And don’t get me started on the microwave method. While it’s convenient, it turned the chicken pieces soggy to the point that the dish just wasn’t appetizing anymore.
Note: Orange chicken is often more glazed than saucy, in which case you may need to add some additional sauce or glaze upon reheating.
Reheating orange chicken using both the microwave and air fryer/oven
Reheat your orange chicken’s components separately. Remove the chicken from the sauce and pat it dry with paper towels. In your air fryer, warm the chicken for 2 to 3 minutes at 390°F (200°C). Heat your sauce in the microwave for 20 to 40 seconds on full power. Reassemble the dish and serve immediately.
If you don’t have access to an air fryer, you can reheat your chicken pieces in the oven instead.
Spread them out on a baking sheet, and warm them in a preheated oven at 390°F (200°C) for 3 to 5 minutes.
Alternatively, grill them under your broiler until they are warm and crispy.
Method:
Separate the chicken pieces from the sauce.
Place the sauce in a microwave-safe bowl.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap pierced with small holes.
Pat the chicken dry with a piece of paper towel.
Preheat your air fryer to 390°F (200°C) and place the chicken pieces in the fryer basket.
Heat them for 2 to 3 minutes, and then rest them on a wire rack for 1 minute.
Warm your sauce in the microwave on high for 20 to 40 seconds or until piping hot.
Reassemble the dish.
Serve immediately.
If you’re using your oven rather than an air fryer, make sure not to cover the chicken pieces with foil, as this will prevent them from crisping up.
Once the chicken is hot, it’s important to let it rest for a moment after you take it out of the air fryer or oven.
This allows the crispiness of the chicken to settle, whereas immediate submersion can turn it soggy.
If your orange chicken is homemade, keep a bit of sauce aside to reheat for your leftovers later.
My verdict
I was blown away by how effective this method was.
My chicken was so crunchy and delicious, even though it had been standing in its orange sauce.
While it may be a bit of effort, I definitely recommend this as the ultimate way to reheat orange chicken.
It’s the closest you’ll get to it tasting freshly made.
Related: Reheating Mcdonalds Chicken Mcnuggets
Reheating orange chicken in the oven
Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Place your orange chicken in an oven-safe dish and cover the dish with tin foil. Allow the chicken and glaze to warm for 15 to 20 minutes, or until it is piping hot. Remove it from the oven and serve immediately.
Alternatively, remove the chicken from the sauce and heat it separately on an uncovered baking sheet under your oven’s broiler.
How to reheat orange chicken in the oven:
Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C).
Place your leftover orange chicken in an oven-safe dish and cover it with foil.
Allow your orange chicken to warm for 15 to 20 minutes.
Once heated to your satisfaction, remove it from the oven and serve immediately.
Optional Alternative:
Remove the chicken from the sauce and spread it out on a baking sheet.
Warm it simultaneously, uncovered, under your broiler, until crisp.
Covering your dish with foil will stop the orange chicken from drying out during the reheating process.
If you’re warming your chicken and sauce components separately, take care not to burn the chicken under the broiler.
Check it at the halfway mark.
The oven method is a good way to reheat large quantities of orange chicken in one go.
As with the microwave and air fryer method, if you make your orange chicken at home and have some extra sauce, keep it and use it when reheating with your leftovers.
My verdict
This method isn’t bad, but it doesn’t restore the crunch of the chicken, which is disappointing.
No one wants soggy chicken pieces, although the orange sauce itself tasted perfect.
I must say, separating the chicken was a good compromise.
It wasn’t as crisp as out the air fryer, but it was better than when I heated it in the sauce.
Reheating orange chicken in the microwave
Place your orange chicken in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, pierced with small holes. On full power, microwave your leftovers in 30-second intervals, stirring at each stop. Remove from the microwave when it is piping hot, and rest for a minute before serving.
Be mindful when handling the dish, as it may get very hot during the reheating process.
How to reheat orange chicken in the microwave:
Place your leftover orange chicken in a microwave-safe bowl.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and pierce it with small holes.
On high (100% power), microwave your orange chicken in 30-second increments.
Stir the dish thoroughly at each stop.
Once it is piping hot, remove it from the microwave and allow it to rest for 60 seconds.
Serve immediately for best results.
Covering the dish with plastic wrap locks in steam and helps to keep the chicken moist.
It does, however, obliterate any chance of a crunch.
My verdict
The only time it makes sense to reheat orange chicken in the microwave is if you have absolutely no other option.
This method leaves the chicken soggy and lifeless, as well as unnecessarily chewy.
How to keep orange chicken crispy
To keep your chicken pieces crispy and give them a good chance of heating up well, try storing the components of your dish apart. Remove the chicken from the sauce and pat it dry with a paper towel. Once you’re ready to serve up your leftovers, warm the chicken and the glaze separately.
If you use the air fryer and microwave reheating method, you have a good chance of restoring some of your chicken’s crunch.
Making orange chicken at home
Double fry your chicken pieces for an extra delicious crunch if you’re making orange chicken fresh at home. This also makes them less likely to soak up too much sauce.
In addition, keep the chicken separately from the sauce until you’re ready to serve up your meal.
Ordering orange chicken as take-out
When ordering orange chicken from a restaurant, ask them to package the chicken pieces and the glaze separately. This way you can combine your components as you need them and preserve the leftovers for later use.
How to store orange chicken
To store orange chicken, first allow it to cool to room temperature. Then, place it in an airtight container, where it will last for up to 3 days in the fridge. If possible, separate the chicken and the glaze and store each component in its own container.
If your chicken is already submerged in sauce, you can remove it and pat it dry with a paper towel.
It won’t be perfect, but this does help when it comes to restoring the chicken’s crunch during reheating.
Can you freeze orange chicken?
To freeze orange chicken, start by separating the chicken from the sauce. Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel. Then, place each component in a heavy-duty zip-lock bag, and press out any excess air. Orange chicken can be frozen for up to 3 months.
For additional preservation of your chicken pieces, flash freeze them first by spreading them out on a baking sheet and popping it in the freezer for 1 to 2 hours.
Lay your sauce package flat when freezing it so that it thaws up more easily when you’re ready to reheat it.
How to freeze orange chicken:
Remove the chicken from the sauce and pat it dry.
Place the sauce and the chicken in separate freezer bags
Remove excess air before sealing them tightly.
Use within three months.
To thaw your orange chicken, place both components in the fridge overnight.
If you don’t have much sauce to work with, you may need to add some more once you reheat your chicken.
The guidelines below will assist you in knowing how long your orange chicken can keep for:
Room temperature: Orange chicken should only be left at room temperature for a maximum of 2 hours.
Refrigerated: In an airtight container in the fridge, you can safely store orange chicken for up to 3 days.
Frozen: Orange chicken stored in the freezer can last for up to 3 months.
Related:How To Reheat Sweet And Sour Chicken
The Best Way To Reheat Orange Chicken
In this short recipe, I show you the best way to reheat your orange chicken.
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Chinese
Keyword: orange chicken, reheat orange chicken
Prep Time: 2minutes
Cook Time: 3minutes
Total Time: 5minutes
Servings: 1person
Calories: 262kcal
Ingredients
1portionorange chicken
1portionextra orange sauceoptional
Instructions
Separate the chicken pieces from the sauce.
Place any salvaged sauce in a microwave-safe bowl.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap pierced with small holes.
Pat the chicken dry with a piece of paper towel.
Preheat your air fryer to 390°F (200°C) and place the chicken pieces in the fryer basket.
Heat them for 2 to 3 minutes, and then rest them on a wire rack for 1 minute.
Warm any remaining sauce/glaze in the microwave on high for 20 to 40 seconds or until piping hot.
Reassemble the dish and serve immediately.
Notes
If you’re using your oven rather than an air fryer, make sure not to cover the dry chicken pieces with foil, as this will prevent them from crisping up.
Once the chicken is hot, it’s important to let it rest for a moment after you take it out of the air fryer or oven.
This allows the crispiness of the chicken to settle, whereas immediate submersion can turn it soggy.
If your orange chicken is homemade, keep a bit of sauce aside to reheat for your leftovers later.
Crispy chicken: To make the chicken super crispy, coat it first in a mixture of flour, corn starch (cornflour) and salt, then in beaten eggs and again in the flour. The corn starch adds extra crispiness once fried.
Take your leftover orange chicken from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature for 10-15 minutes. Place your leftover orange chicken [1] on a baking sheet. Cover the baking sheet with foil to prevent the chicken from drying out. Heat the chicken in the oven for 15-20 minutes until heated.
The idea is simple: While the chicken is cooking in the oven or air fryer, heat a skillet or wok on the stove, add the sauce, bring it to a simmer, and cook until reduced. Driving off the extra moisture in the sauce will also keep the chicken from getting soggy after you toss it all together.
If you crank your oven to at least 450°F and position a rack in the top third (the hottest part) of your oven and slide some chicken in there skin-side-up, the skin will be crisp by the time the chicken is cooked through. To help it out, baste it a couple times while it roasts with pan-drippings, butter, or oil.
Bring the oven up to at least 350 degrees and cook until the temperature is 165 degrees (will vary with the size of the chicken). To have even better success, it's recommended to let your chicken reach room temperature before putting it in the oven.
Turn the oven to 350F. Place the chicken pieces into a baking dish, add about 1 cup chicken broth or water to the dish and cover with foil. Bake for 15 minutes before removing the foil and baking for another 5 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165F and the skin has a little crisp to it.
Marvelous Chef suggests setting your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and cooking your leftovers "low and slow" until they're fully reheated, which can take anywhere from two to 10 minutes.
The best way to reheat Chinese food is always in a pan, wok, or the oven. Reheating it in the microwave, especially if it's fried food, will result in unevenly heated food, a compromised taste, and your food will probably lose its original texture and appeal as well.
Reheat thoroughly: To kill any bacteria present, reheat leftover Chinese food to a temperature of at least 165°F (74°C). Use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature. Stovetop method: For dishes like stir-fries, fried rice, or noodles, reheat them in a skillet or wok over medium heat.
marinating in a cornstarch/cornflour sludge then deep frying or blanching in water before proceeding to cook in the stir fry. egg whites – sometimes the above method is also done using egg whites. chemical tenderiser.
Canned pineapple juice will infuse your chicken with flavor without leaving it mushy if it's not marinated too long. Fresh pineapple juice still contains enzymes that could break down your chicken and more likely to leave it mushy in a short amount of time.
Wrapping the chicken in foil as cooking nears completion helps retain its moisture. Similarly, basting it with oil or butter helps the poultry to stay moist and distribute the juices evenly.
A little baking soda goes a looooong way. Here's why it works. Baking soda is alkaline, so it raises the pH level of chicken skin, breaking down the peptide bonds and jumpstarting the browning process, meaning the wings got browner and crispier faster than they would on their own.
The skin won't be crispy, and it won't be a memorable eating experience. To make sure that your oil's temperature remains steady at around 350 degrees F, keep an instant-read kitchen thermometer nearby so you can continually monitor the oil's temperature.
“Covering the chicken keeps the heat even and helps the chicken cook through,” Corriher said. “But you'll want to uncover it toward the end, to crisp it. Covering the skillet does make a racket, though — it's the drops of condensed moisture dropping into the oil that create all that carrying-on.”
Remember, reheating means cooking again, not just warming up. To make sure that cooked or reheated food is safe to eat, always check it is very hot (steaming) all the way through and then, if you need to, let it cool a little before serving it to a child. You should only reheat food once.
Instead, we recommend turning to your oven (or your air fryer, but more on that later) for the best results. Reheating the chicken in a hot oven quickly crisps up the skin and heats through the meat without drying it out.
How to Reheat Fried Chicken in an Oven. Preheat your oven to 400°F. Meanwhile, take your fried chicken out of the refrigerator and let it sit for about 10 minutes to half an hour. Taking the chill off helps the chicken reheat evenly all the way through and prevents it from losing too much moisture.
Grab a skillet and add just enough water to cover the bottom. Set the pan over medium heat and add the chicken as soon as the water starts to simmer. Lower the heat and gently stir the chicken, cooking until the meat has warmed through to 165°F. Once the chicken is nice and hot, make haste and gobble it up.
Go high and fast: Bake chicken for 12 to 15 minutes.
In general, we've found reheated chicken is ready when the internal temperature reaches 120°F. This will take between 12 and 15 minutes in a preheated 400ºF oven.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread out your leftover General Tso over a baking tray, covered with either parchment paper or aluminum foil. Set the time for 10 to 15 minutes, flipping halfway during the cooking process. Remove when the chicken is warmed through.
Reheat until it's reached the desired internal temperature, ideally 165 F. The best way to reheat crab rangoon and other fried foods, such as egg rolls, is in the oven wrapped in foil to help keep it crispy. If you're reheating sweet and sour chicken, either the microwave or oven will work.
Pan fry in a layer of oil heated to deep-fry temperatures (350 degrees F or 180 degrees C) until the fried chicken skin is again crispy. Be careful not to burn the skin and crispy coating while reheating so you can enjoy once again your fried chicken at its crunchy best.
The general rule of thumb is to reheat food in the same way it was originally cooked. For example, soup should be reheated in a pot on the stovetop and a roast chicken in the oven. To ensure foods like casseroles and roast meats do not dry out while reheating in the oven, just cover them with foil.
Is it safe to reheat takeaways? As Mosley explains, the trick is to heat the food until it is 82C (176F) throughout to be sure that you can kill any harmful bacteria. That's easier said than done: while the outside may seem to be steaming, the inside could have remained cooler – hosting a pocket of living bacteria.
Distribute rice in an even layer. Splash some water or broth over the top (about 2 Tbsp per cup of rice) and cover the plate with a damp paper towel or napkin. Heat for short time intervals (30 to 20 seconds), fluff, and repeat for about 2 minutes or until heated through.
As a general rule, food should never be left out for over two hours within this zone; higher temperatures prove greater risk, so food should be refrigerated after no longer than an hour if it is over 90 degrees Fahrenheit outside.
The answer is yes - as long as you know how to reheat your takeaway the right way, you can make it taste and look just as good as when you bought it the day before. If you store leftovers in different containers to allow them to be cooled evenly in the fridge, your food can keep for as many as four days.
It's safe to heat up foods in glass, ceramic, and containers with a waxy finish. This includes Chinese takeout containers—but remember to remove the metal handles prior to microwaving. You're also good to use paper goods (such as paper plates and paper towels) as well as parchment paper.
Do not reheat rice unless it has been chilled down safely and kept in the fridge until you reheat it. Do not reheat rice more than once. Check that rice and dishes containing rice are very hot (steaming) all the way through, with no cold spots.
You can safely store Chinese food in the fridge for up to four days. You can even freeze leftovers in the freezer for up to four months. Just remember to store them in airtight containers to keep the food fresh. This will also ensure that the food will stay safe for as long as possible.
Salt – It tenderizes chicken by starting to break down the proteins, and draws moisture (and flavor) from the chicken marinade into the meat (so the marinade goodness permeates the whole chicken cut, not just the surface like a sauce that could drip or burn off.)
The chicken is amazingly moist — thanks to a special device.
Colonel Sanders' secret here is the use of a pressure fryer, something that can be dangerous without the right equipment and methods. The pressure fryer not only lets KFC cook chicken faster and with less oil, but it also locks in moisture.
How to Tenderize Steaks and Chickens with Baking Soda. Baking soda acts as a meat tenderizer by changing the physical composition of meat fibers. It raises the pH levels on the surface and makes it tougher (pun intended) for the proteins in the meat to bond.
Marinating your chicken in something overnight can help make it all the more juicier and tender. You can use a gluten-free, acidic marinade (like olive oil and lemon juice) or something breadier (like baking soda, egg whites, and buttermilk).
Bromelain, the group of enzymes in fresh pineapple, is excellent at breaking down the connective tissues in thick, fibrous chicken breasts. In this simple marinade, grated pineapple completely alters the texture of the breast meat, resulting in something that's akin to luscious dark meat.
In the case of pineapples, the bromelain is actually a mixture of two enzymes classed as proteases that break down proteins. These proteases target the large protein molecules in meats (specifically the connective proteins called collagen), and break them down into shorter segments.
Olive oil keeps chicken moist and adds extra flavor. Salt is critical for enhancing flavor. Salt does not actually have a flavor; it brings out and enhances the flavor in meats.
Velveting is a Chinese cooking technique that takes your thin pieces of raw meat and coats them in a cornstarch marinade. The meat is then lightly cooked on the outside before cooking it all the way through. In order to do this, simply cut your meat into small pieces or strips.
Oven bake chicken skin at 450F ~ 10 minutes. Roasted crispy chicken skin / cracklings are a simple flavorful snack that's finger lickin' good. They are better and crispier when eaten right away but can be rewarmed at 300F in the oven ~ 6-8 minutes to try and get them crispy again.
Fried foods have the best chance of getting crispy again in dry heat. Place in an oven or toaster oven preheated to 400 degrees. It's best if you can reheat them on top of a rack so the item doesn't simmer in any excess grease.
Instead, we recommend turning to your oven (or your air fryer, but more on that later) for the best results. Reheating the chicken in a hot oven quickly crisps up the skin and heats through the meat without drying it out.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. While waiting, remove the chicken from the refrigerator. Place a wire rack on a baking sheet and put the chicken on the rack in a single layer. Once the oven is preheated, bake the fried chicken for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until the skin turns crispy again.
It is a good idea to note that the boiling water shower alone does not miraculously render the chicken skin crispy. Instead, it serves as a preparatory step that sets the stage for the next cooking method, such as roasting or frying.
Baking soda is alkaline, so it raises the pH level of chicken skin, breaking down the peptide bonds and jumpstarting the browning process, meaning the wings got browner and crispier faster than they would on their own.
Interestingly, cornstarch contains 25 to 28 percent amylose, which is higher than the amount in wheat or potato starch (which are 20 to 22 percent amylose), and this is why cornstarch works the best for making crispy coatings on fried foods.
If you're craving some extra crunch, look no further than a staple you probably already have in your pantry: cornstarch. Cornstarch is frequently added to foods to give them an extra bit of crispiness, but for some reason it's not commonly included in roasted vegetable recipes.
Frying food can make it crispy, such seen in French fries. A breading coating using flour, egg wash, and bread crumbs will provide a layer of crispiness. Baking and roasting impart crispiness, as well, as noted in the skin of Peking duck, porchetta or pernil.
Bring the oven up to at least 350 degrees and cook until the temperature is 165 degrees (will vary with the size of the chicken). To have even better success, it's recommended to let your chicken reach room temperature before putting it in the oven.
Adding water or chicken broth to whatever dish you are reheating the chicken in will create steam and helps add moisture to the meat. Tinfoil if you're using the oven, a skillet lid on the stove-top, or a damp paper towel in the microwave, all three trap the liquid/steam in the dish.
The most important part of getting the skin really crispy is having a good hot oven. That means preheating it to 425 degrees on convection. Convection baking circulates the air around the outside of the chicken as it cooks, so that it cooks faster, and allows it to become much crispier.
It is fried low heat, cooled, and then fried again at a higher temperature. “It makes the outside really craveable and crunchy and keeps the inside really moist,” said Flynn Dekker, chief executive officer of Bonchon, a growing chain that serves chicken and other Asian dishes.
Introduction: My name is Aron Pacocha, I am a happy, tasty, innocent, proud, talented, courageous, magnificent person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
We notice you're using an ad blocker
Without advertising income, we can't keep making this site awesome for you.