Name: How To Reheat A McChicken Sandwich
Prep time: 1 min
Cook time: 3 min
Total time: 4 min
Ingredients: 1 piece McChicken Sandwich

Have you ordered a few too many McDonald’s McChicken sandwiches, and you just can’t bring yourself to let them go uneaten?

Fast food isn’t known for reheating particularly well. Buns go stale, lettuce turns limp, and patties become chewy or soggy.

To prevent this, I’ve tried out four different reheating techniques to bring these sandwiches back to life and restore as much softness and crunch as possible.

I’ll also share the most effective way to store them for maximum freshness.

The short answer:

The best way to reheat a McChicken sandwich is to remove the lettuce and mayo, then fry the patty in a pan and heat the bun in a microwave. Lightly oil a pan and fry the patty for 1-2 minutes on each side. Cover the bun with a damp paper towel and microwave it for 30 seconds. Reassemble the sandwich.

A note on my experiment

We all have those moments where we just don’t feel like cooking, and the irresistible lure of the Golden Arches presents an easy alternative.

This was the case last night, and I ended up buying a couple of McChicken sandwiches. A couple too many, as it turns out.

Well, I wasn’t going to discard them, so I decided to store my leftovers to eat the next day, even knowing that reheated fast food is often disappointing.

In fact, this just made me more determined to figure out how to reheat my McChickens.

Consequently, I tried no less than four different reheating methods before settling on the best way to warm these convenient sandwiches.

These included:

Reheating a McChicken sandwich in a frying pan (best method overall)
Reheating a McChicken sandwich in the microwave (nice bread, but soggy patty)
Reheating a McChicken sandwich in the air fryer (delicious crispy patty, not great for buns)
Reheating a McChicken sandwich in the oven (inconvenient and worst results overall)

The frying pan and air fryer methods produced the best results in terms of crisping up the chicken patty.

In both cases, however, the bun dried out a bit (worse in the air fryer), but that can be easily solved by microwaving the bread for a few seconds instead.

In the microwave, while the bread was fluffy and warm, the patty suffered. This method is convenient, and it tasted nice, but the chicken was soggy.

The oven was my least favorite method. It took ages to reheat the sandwich, and the result was a dry bun and a tasteless patty.

Then, of course, there’s the question of the lettuce and mayo. You can rescue these, but you need to deconstruct the sandwich before reheating and re-add these two components after (if you like).

Reheating a McChicken sandwich in a frying pan

Disassemble your McChicken and remove the lettuce and mayo. Lightly oil a pan, and then fry your patty for 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Next, add the buns to the pan (cut side down) and sprinkle them with water. Cover the pan and steam the buns for 1 minute. Reassemble your sandwich and serve.

This method delivers a lovely succulent patty that is just the right level of crispy on the outside. The buns come out a little dry, so get them in and out of the pan quickly.

How to reheat a McChicken sandwich in a frying pan:

Deconstruct your sandwich, remove the lettuce, and scrape off excess mayo.
Set your stove to medium-high heat.
Lightly oil a frying pan.
Fry your patty for 1 to 2 minutes on each side.
Add the bun, cut sides down.
Sprinkle them lightly with water.
Cover with a lid for 1 minute.
Remove the components and reassemble your sandwich.
Serve immediately.

This method works well for restoring the patty’s flavor, rendering it soft and moist inside and crispy outside.

Thanks to the covered pan’s steam, the chicken is almost as good as new and warmed evenly throughout.

Sprinkling the buns with water helps soften them, but it won’t completely freshen up 3-day old stale buns.

Don’t leave the buns for too long in the hot pan, or you might accidentally burn their edges.

You may choose, as an alternative, to simply warm your buns in the microwave. This will give you soft, fresh bread and eradicate any risk of drying them out or burning them.

When reconstructing, you can add the sandwich’s original mayo and lettuce back, or you can replace it with fresh greens and condiments.

My verdict

Overall, this method gave me the best results. I really liked how juicy and hot the patty was, and the buns, while a tiny bit dry, weren’t make-or-break.

In particular, I enjoyed the fact that this method compromised none of the sandwich’s signature taste.

Reheating a McChicken sandwich in the microwave

Remove the McChicken’s lettuce and mayo and set it aside. Place your sandwich on a microwave-safe plate and cover with a piece of damp paper towel. Microwave it for 30 seconds on high, and then allow it to stand for 30 seconds before replacing the lettuce and mayo (if you plan to). Serve hot.

This reheating technique delivers deliciously soft, fresh-tasting bread, but it makes the patty a bit soggy and not at all crispy on the outside. Beware of overheating the sandwich.

How to reheat a McChicken sandwich in the microwave:

Open up the sandwich and remove the lettuce and mayo, setting it aside.
Place your sandwich on a microwave-safe plate.
Cover it with a piece of damp paper towel.
Microwave on high for 30 seconds.
Then, allow it to rest for 30 seconds.
Re-add (or replace) the lettuce and mayo.
Serve immediately.

The damp paper towel introduces steam to the sandwich, making hardened bread taste soft and new. However, it is important that you only cover it and don’t wrap it, as wrapping can lead to a soggy lower bun.

While this method is lightning fast and undoubtedly convenient, it doesn’t do much for the chicken patty. The resultant patty is soggy and lacking flavor.

Heat the burger until it’s just hot enough for you. Overheating it will give you dry bread and a cardboard-esque patty.

McDonald’s fresh from the microwave will be piping hot, so be careful not to burn yourself with its steam.

My verdict

The microwave made the sandwich bun delicious and soft, and when you add the convenience factor, the result is okay overall.

For the patty, though, I wouldn’t recommend this method, as it ended up being pretty soggy and didn’t retain much of its original flavor.

Reheating a McChicken sandwich in the air fryer

Disassemble the burger, removing the lettuce and mayo and setting it aside. Set your fryer to 350°F (180°C). Place the patty in the basket and warm for 1 to 2 minutes. Then, add the buns to the basket and heat for a further 30 seconds. Replace the lettuce and mayo (optional) and serve.

Of all the methods I tried, this produced the most delicious, moist, crispy chicken.

How to reheat a McChicken sandwich in the air fryer:

Deconstruct your burger, setting the mayo and lettuce to one side.
Preheat your air fryer to 350°F (180°C).
Place the chicken patty in the basket and heat for 1 to 2 minutes.
Then, add the buns to the basket, cut side down, and heat for a further 30 seconds.
Remove the patty and buns from the basket and reassemble the sandwich.
Return or replace the mayo and lettuce.
Serve hot.

This method heats the burger components very quickly, so you need to keep a close eye on the patty to ensure you don’t burn it. The same goes for the bread.

While the buns do dry out quite a bit, they also develop a nice crunch.

If you’re not after a crispy bun, you can consider heating it in the microwave for a few seconds instead. This will make the bread soft and fresh.

My verdict

I loved how fresh and delicious the chicken tasted from the fryer, and while the buns were dry, I enjoyed their crispiness.

An air-fried patty and a microwaved bun would probably be the combination to try for a perfectly authentic fresh-tasting McChicken.

Reheating a McChicken sandwich in the oven

Set the oven to 350°F (180°C). Disassemble the burger, removing the lettuce and mayo. Wrap the patty in foil and warm for 4 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle water on the buns, wrap them in foil, and place in the oven for 2 minutes. Open the foil on the patty for the last minute of heating. Assemble and serve.

Adding water to the buns will help reintroduce lost moisture while wrapping the components in foil locks in heat.

How to reheat a McChicken sandwich in the oven:

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
Disassemble the burger, removing the lettuce and mayo and setting it aside.
Wrap the patty in foil and place in the oven for 4 to 5 minutes.
Sprinkle the buns lightly with water and wrap them in foil.
Place them in the oven with the patty for 2 to 3 minutes.
For the last minute of heating, uncover the patty from its foil.
Remove both the patty and buns from the oven and reassemble.
Re-add or replace the lettuce and mayo.
Serve immediately.

Timing is crucial with this method. Leaving the buns and patty in the oven for too long will dry them out and make the chicken tough and tasteless.

Too short, and the patty won’t warm through.

While this method doesn’t produce the tastiest results, it is convenient for reheating several McChickens at once.

My verdict

This was my least favorite method. Despite my best efforts, the reheated sandwich wasn’t moist; instead, it was dry, and the chicken was devoid of flavor.

It also took a lot of effort and time for a less than satisfying result.

How to store a McChicken sandwich

You can store a McChicken sandwich in the fridge in an airtight container. Keep it wrapped in its original packaging, or alternatively, wrap the sandwich in a piece of paper towel. Place in an airtight container and seal it tightly. McChickens will stay fresh in the fridge for 1 to 2 days.

Keeping your McChickens wrapped will help to seal in moisture, while the airtight container keeps harmful contaminants out.

Can you freeze a McChicken sandwich?

To freeze a McChicken sandwich, first, allow it to cool to room temperature. Remove the lettuce and mayo. Then, wrap it in a paper towel, and place it in a zip-lock freezer bag. Remove as much air from the bag as possible. You can store McChicken sandwiches in the freezer for up to four months.

The paper towel holds in moisture and protects the sandwich from freezer burn.

How to freeze a McChicken sandwich:

Allow the McChicken to cool to room temperature.
Remove the lettuce and mayo.
Wrap the sandwich in a piece of paper towel.
Place it in a freezer bag.
Remove the excess air from the bag and seal it tightly.
Place the sandwich in the freezer for later use.

Lettuce doesn’t freeze or thaw well, so it’s best to remove it. You can always add fresh greens when you reheat your sandwich.

You can use a straw to remove the air from the freezer bag or a vacuum sealer if you have one handy.

How to thaw a McChicken sandwich

You can thaw your McChicken sandwich by allowing it to stand overnight in the fridge. Keep it wrapped in its paper towel, as this will soak up the extra moisture that develops as it defrosts. Alternatively, you can reheat your sandwiches from frozen.

How to reheat a frozen McChicken sandwich

Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Separate the patty from the buns. Warm the patty in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes, wrapped in foil. Microwave the bun on high for 15 to 20 seconds. Rest the bun on a paper towel in the microwave to soak up excess moisture. Reassemble the sandwich and serve hot.

If you like, you can add fresh lettuce and mayo.

You can also reheat your chicken patty by placing it in the air fryer for a few minutes.

How long does a McChicken sandwich last?

You can use the following timeframes as a guideline for how long your McChickens can be stored.

Room temperature: Cooked food should not stand out at room temperature for more than two hours. This includes fast food. Therefore, the safest port of call is to place your McDonald’s in the fridge as soon as it has cooled down.
Refrigerated: A McChicken sandwich will stay fresh in the fridge for one to two days. Anything longer, and the quality will rapidly deteriorate.
Frozen: Frozen McChicken sandwiches can last in the freezer for up to four months, provided you have stored them correctly.

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