How to reheat chicken pie without soggy pastry
The oven, always: 160C (325F) for 20 to 30 minutes, loosely covered in foil for the first half, uncovered for the second so the pastry re-crisps. The microwave heats the filling fast but steams the pastry soft; use it only in combination with a hot oven or skip it.
By the chickenpie.net test kitchen · Published 7 July 2026
Method by method
| Method | Time | Pastry result |
|---|---|---|
| Oven 160C (325F) | 20 to 30 min | Crisp, the standard |
| Air fryer 160C (325F) | 10 to 15 min | Very crisp, best for slices and hand pies |
| Microwave | 3 to 4 min | Soft and steamed, filling hot |
| Microwave then hot oven | 2 min + 10 min | Acceptable compromise |
The details that matter
- Reheat from the fridge, not the freezer, unless you add serious time
- Foil on for the first half protects the rim from over-browning
- A slice reheats in half the time of a whole pie
- The middle must be piping hot, 74C (165F), before it comes out
- Reheat once; repeated reheating is a food safety risk and a pastry tragedy