Can you reheat chicken pie in the microwave?

How to do it properly

Microwaves heat unevenly, so the goal is to get the centre to 74C (165F) without turning the edges to rubber.

1. Put a single portion on a plate, never a whole pie at once
2. Use medium power, around 600W, for 2 to 3 minutes rather than a short blast on full
3. Let it stand for 1 minute so the heat equalises
4. Check the centre of the filling is piping hot, then eat immediately
5. Reheat once only, and never reheat the same portion twice

The pastry problem, and the fix

Microwaves heat the water in food, and steam is the enemy of crisp pastry. Puff pastry in particular collapses into a soft, chewy layer.

The best compromise is a two stage reheat. Microwave the slice for 90 seconds to warm the filling through, then transfer it to an oven or air fryer at 180C (350F) for 5 to 8 minutes to re-crisp the crust. You get the speed of the microwave without the sad pastry.

The two stage approach suits hand pies and turnovers especially well, because their thin layer of filling warms through in the first stage almost instantly, leaving the oven time purely for the pastry. One kitchen ran a microwave rescue test on soggy chicken pie and landed on the same two-stage answer: microwave for heat, then dry heat for crunch.

Microwave versus other methods

The microwave wins on speed and loses on texture. Choose based on how much time you have. Deep filled portions can hide cold spots, so stir an open pot pie filling halfway through if you can, or rotate the plate in a microwave with no turntable.

Whatever the method, refrigerated pie should be eaten within 3 days of baking, and each portion reheated only once. In hot, humid climates the safe window at room temperature is shorter still, which is why a Singapore guide to storing and reheating pies puts the fridge first.