How To Reheat Chicken Pot Pie – I Test 4 Methods [Pics]

This article was updated on 8th September 2023 for freshness and to incorporate new insights.

If you’ve got a load of chicken pot pie leftover (or any pot pie for that matter), you might be wondering if you can reheat it and bring back its former, flakey pastry and creamy delicious filling. In a rush?

The best way to reheat chicken pot pie is in the oven low and slow. Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C) and cover the pie with foil to stop it overbrowning. Heat slices for 10-15 minutes, and whole pies for 30-40 minutes.

How I tested reheating chicken pot pie

Last weekend I made some mouth-watering chicken pot pies and kept some back to serve for dinner later on in the week.

When the time came to warm them up, I experimented with four different methods. The techniques I tried included:

• In the oven: Best method overall.
• In the microwave: Fine if you’re in a rush.
• In a skillet: Tricky and inconvenient.
• In the air fryer: Great if you want crisp pastry.

Reheating pot pie in the oven

Time: 10-15 minutes per slice
Rating: 9/10

1. Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C).
2. Place your pie or pie slice in an oven-safe dish.
3. Cover the pastry with foil and cover cut edges with foil to stop the filling slipping out.
4. Heat a slice for 10-15 minutes or up to 45 minutes for a whole pie.
5. Optional: Crisp up your pastry at the end of this process by switching on your broiler or turning up the heat to 400°F (200°C) after removing the foil. Warm for a further few minutes.

Covering your pie with foil prevents it from over browning, and keeping the heat lowish helps the filling to warm up before the pastry starts drying out.

To reduce reheating time, zap your pie in the microwave for 30 seconds before placing it in the oven. Room temperature pie will also warm up faster than a pie straight out of the fridge.

If the pie you’re reheating has a sturdy casing, you can rest it on a wire rack to get rid of any soggy bottom. But only do this if you’re sure the pie wont start sinking through the gaps in the wires.

Results: This was my favorite method and the one I would recommend. My pie crust was golden and crispy, and the filling was delicious, flavorful, and moist. The downside of this method is how long it takes, but the result is well worth the wait.

Reheating pot pies in the microwave

Time: 2-3 minutes
Rating: 5/10

1. Place a piece of pie on a microwave-safe plate.
2. Heat for 60 seconds.
3. Test the warmth of your filling with a knife.
4. Heat in further 30-second increments until warmed through.
5. Let the pot pie rest for 30 seconds before serving.

Never put a pot pie in a metal or foil tray in the microwave. Mixing metals and microwaves is a fire hazard.

In the microwave, it’s best to heat single portions at a time to ensure they warm up evenly. The larger the piece of pie, the more likely you’ll end up with cold or overcooked spots. And be mindful of biting straight into a piping hot pie. Steam will build up on the inside and could burn your mouth.

Results: This wasn’t my favorite method because it turned the pie crust soggy. It’s an okay way to warm up pie if you’re in a rush and it’s just for yourself, but I wouldn’t recommend using the microwave for guests.

Reheating pot pies on the stove

Time: 5 minutes
Rating: 4/10

1. Place a pan on your stove over medium heat.
2. If your pan is not non-stick, coat lightly with non-stick spray.
3. Place a piece of your pie in the pan.
4. Cover with a lid and warm for 5 minutes or until heated to the center.
5. Serve immediately.

This method is only recommended for pies encased in pastry and not those that only have a pastry topping. It’s also better for smaller portions or small, individual pot pies rather than sharing pies.

Covering your pie with a lid while heating it traps heat and warms the pie from all angles. If your filling spills out in the pan, keep a close eye to ensure it doesn’t burn.

Results: I tested this method because I saw it on another site, but I wasn’t a fan because my chicken filling was spilling out into the pan. It would be better suited to sturdier, sweet pies like pumpkin or apple pie

Reheating pot pies in the air fryer

Time: 3-5 minutes
Rating: 7/10

1. Set your air fryer to 300°F (150°C).
2. If applicable, cover the cut edges of the pie with foil to prevent filling spillage.
3. Place the pot pie into the air fryer. Stick to smaller portions because otherwise, you risk the pastry burning before the middle is hot.
4. Heat for 3-5 minutes or until the filling is warmed to the center.  
5. Serve immediately.

Because of how air fryers work (by blowing hot air around a small space), the pastry will start to feel very hot very quickly but this doesn’t mean the inside is hot!

Make sure to use the knife trick I explained above to test the filling temperature before you turn off the air fryer.

Results: Overall, the air fryer was effective, fast, and convenient, but it’s not suitable for bigger portions (like in the oven). My pastry was lovely and crispy, but if your pastry is already on the overdone side, the air fryer might make it worse.

How to store pot pies

The easiest way to store leftover pot pie is to keep it in the dish or tray it was baked in and cover it tightly with foil or plastic wrap. Alternatively, you can transfer your leftover pie into airtight containers. Store the pot pie in the fridge and eat it within 3-4 days.

Before storing your pot pies, allow them to cool to room temperature. This prevents a build-up of condensation in their containers which may turn the pastry soggy.

You may also want to portion your pie into slices before storing, to make it easy to grab a single portion to reheat when you’re ready (although be wary of losing any filling!).

Can you freeze pot pies?

Pot pies freeze really well and retain their best quality for up to 6 months, depending on their fillings. You can freeze your pies with cooked or uncooked pastry to reheat or bake when needed.

How to freeze pot pies:

1. Cool your cooked pies or pie fillings to room temperature. This is important to prevent large ice crystals from forming in the mixture when you freeze it.
2. Place the pot pie in the freezer (in its baking dish) uncovered for 2-3 hours until it’s frozen solid. 
3. Wrap your frozen pot pie tightly in foil or plastic wrap. Use two layers for adequate protection against freezer burn.
4. For pre-sliced pies: wrap the slices individually in plastic wrap followed by foil.
5. Place in the freezer and use within six months.

I like to freeze my pies uncovered first because they freeze quicker that way. And the quicker something freezes, the better the texture will be once you defrost it.

If you want to portion your leftover pie into slices, take it out of the freezer after around an hour. It should be soft enough to cut at this point but stiff enough not to fall apart. Then wrap each slice individually in foil or plastic wrap.

Psst… foil baking dishes are great for freezing pies.

How to reheat frozen pot pies

There’s no need to thaw a frozen pie before reheating it. 

To reheat a pot pie from frozen, cover it with foil and heat it in a 375°F (190°C) oven for 30 minutes, before turning the heat down to 325°F (160°C) and heating until piping hot all the way through. Remove the foil for the last 10 minutes of baking if you want to brown the top.

To speed up the reheating process, you can also defrost your frozen pies in the microwave before warming them in the oven.

Related: How To Reheat Sausage Rolls

How To Reheat A Pot Pie [Tested Methods]

In this short recipe, I show you the best way to revive and reheat your leftover pot pie.

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chicken pot pie, pot pie, reheat pot pie

Prep Time: 0 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 1 person

Calories: 198kcal

Ingredients

• 1 portion pot pie whole
• 1 portion pot pie slice

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C).

  Place your pie or pie slice in an oven-safe dish.

  Cover the pastry with foil. Cover cut edges with foil, too, if reheating slices.

  Heat for 10 – 15 minutes or up to 30 minutes for a whole pie.
• Optional (for extra crisp):

  Remove the foil.

  Switch on your broiler or turn up your oven to 400°F (200°C).

  Warm for a few minutes until your pastry is crispy.

Notes

Covering your pie with foil prevents it from browning, and keeping the heat lowish helps the filling to warm up before the pastry starts drying out.

To reduce reheating time, zap your pie in the microwave for 60 seconds before placing it in the oven.

Room temperature pie will also warm up faster than a pie straight out of the fridge.

To check if your pie is warmed to its center, insert the tip of a knife into the middle and feel how warm it is when you pull it out. If it’s warm, the pie is done.

If the pie you’re reheating has a sturdy casing, you can rest it on a wire rack to get rid of any soggy bottom.

Nutrition

Serving: 100g | Calories: 198kcal