While leftovers can be a great way to have food ready for your next meal they often do bring a question with them. How exactly do we reheat it?
After all, we all want our food to taste as good as it did in the first place. And sometimes just putting it into the microwave definitely changes the end result. So how do you reheat chicken strips ?
How to reheat chicken strips
The best way to reheat chicken strips seem to be in the oven. This is because the strips remain crispy, and they stay hot for a longer time. There are two more options you can choose, like the microwave and the pan.
We’ll guide you through all three methods. Just know that reheating chicken strips varies by what tools you use. But one way or another the key lies in letting it stand at room temperature for a while. Only then do you cook it in a way that ensures it doesn’t lose too much moisture.
In practice this is much easier than it sounds so let’s take a look at what methods we can use to make sure your strips turn out perfect.
Read Also:How Long Can You Leave Cooked Chicken Out?
How to reheat chicken strips with an oven
If you have access to an oven this is probably the best method to ensure the strips remain in perfect shape. Once again make sure that your chicken is at room temperature for a while, but this time you can pre-heat your oven to roughly 450 F while you wait.
Cover the strips with foil and place them in a metal tray, and once the oven is properly heated turn it off. Now take the tray, place it inside the oven and close it tightly. You should leave it on it’s own for 8 to 12 minutes. That’s really all you need to do.
The remaining heat is more than enough to cook the chicken again, and since the temperature isn’t rising you won’t risk burning the strips. This is the most reliable method to reheat chicken strips, but keep in mind the time. It’ll take 35 minutes on average so you might need to plan your meals ahead.
How to reheat chicken strips in a microwave
While we mentioned above that just shoving your strips in a microwave can affect the end result there’s ways to go around this. Microwaving is by far the fastest and easiest way to heat anything, and that’s reason enough to consider it.
However it’s also important to keep in mind that even at it’s best, the crispiness of the chicken just won’t be the same. We can counter this a bit, but it still won’t be a perfect match for the original servings.
First and foremost you need to let your chicken stand at room temperature for a while. If you rush things then all the water it gained from being refrigerated or frozen will make it soggy when heating it. Fifteen minutes should be enough if it was in the fridge, and if frozen 30 will do the trick.
Once this is done you’ll need to find paper towels and ensure they are damp but not dripping. Cover the plate with them and put your chicken strips above. Then get another damp towel and cover the chicken with it. Now you can start microwaving it.
Time can always be tricky with a microwave but you shouldn’t need more than two minutes. A good idea is to stop it every 30 seconds or so and check manually how the strips are faring, but in due time you’ll find the right amount for you.
Now, you might be wondering what’s the deal with the towels. Microwaves take away a lot of moisture from food, and the towels are a way to counter this. Some people opt for placing a cup of water, but the towels are better at ensuring the strips don’t dry out.
Read Also:Chicken Tenders VS Breast
How to reheat chicken strips in a pan
If an oven isn’t an option and you don’t want to risk losing texture and flavor on a microwave a good alternative is to cook it in a pan. All you really need is some oil a low flame and 10 minutes at most.
Grab a pan that doesn’t stick and add enough oil to moisten it but not so much that you’d fry the strips instead. Leave the flame low, cover the pan and flip the strips over every 2 minutes or so. The size of the strips will affect the time but overall it shouldn’t take much time.
The oil should be enough to ensure the crispy covering doesn’t get stuck to the pan, and if you are feeling bold you can even add chicken soup or broth so the strips get some more flavor. Using a pan might be old school, but there’s a reason why it’s a classic.
In short, reheating chicken strips is just as easy as that. The downside is that if you care about the texture and how crispy the chicken will be, you have to wait a little for the oven or the pan. If not, feel free to nuke them and your meal is done in 2 minutes.