The Best Way To Reheat A Leftover Chick-Fil-A Sandwich

With an intriguing secret meaning behind its name, Chick-fil-A has grown from a small business founded in 1946 to an iconic American fast-food option that served 527 million chicken sandwiches in 2022. That would take approximately 481,278 years for one individual to consume (provided you eat one sandwich per meal, three meals a day, for 365 days). The numbers are incomprehensible, and the scenario unrealistic, but one predicament that's simpler to fix is the best way to reheat one of these deliciously crispy and soft sandwiches. 

With a microwave, the directions are simple. First, deconstruct the sandwich, separating the chicken, bun, and pickles. Microwave the chicken for 60-90 seconds, then microwave the bun for 15 seconds. If you're a fan of hot pickles, feel free to experiment with microwaving them as well, although their purpose in this sandwich is to be crunchy and fresh. Both characteristics diminish once the pickle is heated. 

Reconstruct the sandwich, and it's ready to be devoured. But if you want to check the chicken's internal temperature before eating it, there are some other reheating methods.

Before you begin reheating, always wash your hands. (It's obvious, but it can be easy to forget.) It's also best to use a thermometer to check the internal temperature of the crispy chicken. This should be 165 degrees Fahrenheit in all parts of the chicken. This ensures you've killed off any dangerous bacteria that could be harmful if consumed. Remember, reheating this leftover sandwich is meant to be a euphoric moment, not a risky one. And for food safety, it's essential to avoid reheating chicken more than once.

You can reheat the bun by toasting it in an oven or air fryer, or for soft results, place it in the microwave with a small cup of water in 15-second intervals. You don't want to remove all of the moisture from the bread, as this will make it hard and crunchy. It can also be beneficial for your Chick-fil-A bun to have an extra spread of butter to revitalize it once it's toasted.

When reheating a Chick-fil-A sandwich, you want crispy fried chicken every time. And while the microwave is the speediest option, you could be prioritizing convenience over flavor. In this field, the oven or air fryer are worthy alternatives. Chick-fil-A states in its reheating instructions for nuggets and Chick-n-Strips that using a microwave to reheat chicken is not recommended. Instead, the company recommends using an oven to cook the chicken until the internal temperature has reached 165 degrees Fahrenheit. If the chicken starts to look dry or brown, cover it in foil until the internal temperature is reached.

Regarding the air fryer, reheating fried chicken is straightforward: set the air fryer to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and cook the chicken for six minutes, turning halfway through. Again, you want to check the internal temperature of the chicken with a thermometer. For the bun, drizzle it with extra-virgin olive oil and air-fry it for two minutes at 320 degrees Fahrenheit.

The microwave, the oven, and the air fryer are all great ways to revitalize that leftover Chick-fil-A sandwich and make it reminiscent of the fresh version. With these tricks, you can even savor these sandwiches when Chick-fil-A is closed on Sundays.