Have you ever ordered a Chinese takeaway, only to receive far too much food to be enjoyed in one sitting? I think we’ve all been there! Perhaps you’ve decided to knock together your own version? So, can you safely reheat chicken fried rice that has been stored correctly?
To reheat chicken fried rice, you can place the rice in the microwave, in the oven or put it in a pot on the stovetop. The best way to reheat chicken fried rice, however, is using the microwave. It takes just a couple of minutes.
How to Reheat Chicken Fried Rice
Reheating chicken fried rice is nice and straightforward, and you can do so by placing it in the oven or microwave, or by dropping it in a pan and reheating it on the stovetop.
Let’s look at the steps required for each reheating method:
How to Reheat Chicken Fried Rice in the Microwave
The microwave is the quickest and easiest way to reheat chicken fried rice, as we explain below:
- Prepare Rice
Add your chicken fried rice to a microwave-safe bowl and remove any clumps that have formed during the storing process. - Add Moisture
Add a splash of soy sauce, water, or even oil to the rice and stir it well. This will prevent it from drying out in the microwave. - Reheat
Switch on your microwave and reheat your rice at full blast for 90-second intervals. - Check the Temperature
When you think your chicken fried rice might be done, check the temperature of the chicken. It should be 165F or 75C before it’s safe to serve. - Serve and Enjoy
Add some oriental sauce to your chicken fried rice and tuck in!
How to Reheat Chicken Fried Rice in the Oven
If you don’t like the idea of using the microwave, you use the oven for reheating chicken fried rice by following these steps:
- Preheat Oven
Switch on your oven and preheat to 325F or 160C. - Prepare Rice
Place your chicken fried rice in a casserole dish, taking care to break up any chunks. Then cover it with a suitably sized lid or some strong tin foil. - Reheat
When your oven is up to temperature, place the casserole dish in the centre of the oven and reheat for 15-20 minutes. - Check the Temperature
When you think your chicken fried rice might be done, check the temperature of the chicken. It should be 165F or 75C before it’s safe to serve. - Serve and Enjoy
Remove your reheated chicken fried rice from the oven and serve it up with the dish of your choice!
How to Reheat Chicken Fried Rice in the Stovetop
Your final option is to heat chicken fried rice on the stovetop, which is perfect if you like your reheated rice with a little bit of crunch. Here’s what you need to do:
- Heat Pan
Place a non-stick frying pan over medium heat and add a splash of olive oil. Allow it to heat for 30-60 seconds before adding the rice. - Add Rice
When the oil is sizzling in the pan, add your chicken fried rice and stir it. - Reheat
Leave your rice in the pan for 3-4 minutes, stirring consistently so it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. - Check the Temperature
When you think your chicken fried rice might be done, check the temperature of the chicken. It should be 165F or 75C before it’s safe to serve. - Serve and Enjoy
Your reheated fried rice is now ready to serve up to your family!
How to Reheat Chicken Fried Rice Successfully
If you’ve decided that you want to reheat chicken fried rice then, before you do, make sure you take on these 3 tips:
- Add Some Spices or Sauce – Although it’s not necessary, adding some spices, herbs, and sauce to your chicken fried rice before reheating it can make a big difference to its taste. Adding a drizzle of soy sauce and a few flakes of ginger, for instance, will improve the taste of your reheated rice, particularly if you reheat it on the stovetop.
- Store it Safely – You need to be careful when you’re storing leftover chicken fried rice. As soon as it has cooled, you should wrap it well and place it in the fridge or freezer. If your fried rice has been sitting out at room temperature, it’s not safe to reheat and should be discarded.
- Reheat Any Type of Fried Rice – While this article has dealt with reheating chicken fried rice, you can reheat any type of fried rice, including pork, prawn, vegetable, or any other that you can think of. The process stays the same and you should always check the temperature of your meat or seafood before serving it.
Is It Safe to Reheat Chicken Fried Rice?
Yes, it’s perfectly safe to reheat fried rice. The biggest danger associated with reheating chicken fried rice is actually the storing process.
If you leave your leftover rice sitting out at room temperature, it’s likely that harmful bacteria will grow on the surface.
So, providing your rice has been refrigerated or frozen, you shouldn’t have any issues when you come to reheat it.
Reheating Chicken Fried Rice FAQs
If you have a few more questions about reheating chicken fried rice, then these may help. If they don’t, then you can drop a comment at the bottom of this page:
We would err on the side of caution when it comes to reheating anything from the Chinese takeaway. This is because you don’t know if it has been reheated before. You need to be careful when reheating chicken.
Every time that food is cooled down, stored and then reheated, the chance of bacteria forming and multiplying is greater. Both chicken and rice are known to easily harbour bacteria which is why it’s not a good idea to reheat chicken fried rice twice.
To avoid chicken fried rice drying out when reheating it, you simply need to add some moisture. This can be done in the form of oil, soy sauce, water or teriyaki sauce.
Ross is a freelance writer with a passion for delicious food and drinks, having worked in the hospitality industry in the past. He began working with Let’s Foodie when it first launched to provide information on how to reheat, freeze and microwave different foods.
