Chicken pot pie is the ultimate comfort food. It is a savory, steaming hug in a bowl, featuring a golden, flaky crust that gives way to a creamy center of chicken, peas, carrots, and potatoes. However, anyone who has tried to enjoy a slice the next day knows the struggle. If you use the wrong method, that once-crispy crust turns into a soggy, gummy mess, while the filling remains ice-cold in the center.
While the microwave is tempting for its speed, the oven is the undisputed king of restoration. Using the oven allows you to circulate dry heat around the pastry, evaporating excess moisture and crisping up the fats in the dough. If you want your leftovers to taste just as good—if not better—than they did the night they were baked, mastering the oven reheat is essential.
Why the Oven is the Best Way to Reheat Chicken Pot Pie
When you reheat food, you aren’t just trying to make it hot; you are trying to restore its original texture. A chicken pot pie has two distinct components with different reheating needs. The crust requires dry, intense heat to regain its flake, while the filling needs gentle, consistent heat so the cream sauce doesn’t break or curdle.
The microwave works by vibrating water molecules, which creates steam. While this is great for vegetables, it is the enemy of pastry. Putting a pot pie in the microwave often results in a “steamed” crust that becomes chewy or tough. The oven, by contrast, uses convection and radiant heat. This mimics the original baking process, ensuring the bottom of the pie gets warm while the top becomes golden and brittle once more.
Preparing Your Pie for the Oven
Before you even preheat your appliance, there are a few steps you should take to ensure success. First, if your chicken pot pie is frozen, it is highly recommended that you let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Reheating a rock-solid frozen pie in the oven takes a long time and often leads to the edges burning before the center is even lukewarm.
If you are working with refrigerated leftovers, take the pie out of the fridge about 15 to 20 minutes before you plan to heat it. Bringing the pie closer to room temperature allows for more even heat distribution. A cold pie hitting a hot oven can sometimes cause the crust to “shock,” leading to a less-than-ideal texture.
Step-by-Step Instructions for Reheating in a Conventional Oven
To get that perfect “just-baked” quality, follow these specific steps. This method works for both whole pies and individual slices.
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Step 1: Preheat the Oven
Set your oven to 325°F or 350°F. While it might be tempting to crank the heat to 400°F to speed things up, a lower temperature is actually better. A moderate temperature ensures the thick, dense filling heats all the way through without the top crust becoming overly dark or burnt.
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Step 2: Protect the Crust
Place your pie or slice on a baking sheet. To prevent the crust from drying out or burning, cover the pie loosely with aluminum foil. You don’t want to wrap it tightly; just create a “tent” over the top. This traps enough steam to keep the chicken moist while allowing the heat to penetrate the filling.
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Step 3: The Initial Bake
Slide the baking sheet into the oven. If you are reheating a whole pie, this will typically take 20 to 30 minutes. If you are reheating a single slice, 15 to 20 minutes is usually sufficient.
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Step 4: The Final Crisp
This is the most important step. Remove the aluminum foil for the last 5 to 10 minutes of the reheating process. This exposes the top crust to the direct heat of the oven, allowing it to crisp up and regain that beautiful golden-brown color.
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Step 5: The Temperature Check
To be safe, you want the internal temperature of the filling to reach 165°F. You can use a meat thermometer to check the center. Once it hits this mark and the crust looks flaky, remove it from the oven.
Pro Tips for the Best Results
If you want to go the extra mile, there are a few “chef secrets” that can elevate your reheated pie.
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One trick is to lightly brush the top crust with a tiny bit of melted butter or an egg wash during the last five minutes of baking. This adds a fresh sheen and an extra layer of flavor that makes the pie feel brand new.
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Another tip is to use a pie shield. If you find that the very edges of your crust are getting too dark while the middle is still cold, a pie shield (or a ring of foil) can protect those thin edges while leaving the rest of the pie exposed to the heat.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
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The biggest mistake people make is using a temperature that is too high. High heat will quickly brown the top, leading you to believe the pie is ready, only for you to take a bite and find a frozen or cold center. Patience is your best friend when it comes to pot pie.
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Another mistake is neglecting the baking sheet. Putting a ceramic pie dish directly on the oven rack can lead to uneven heating. A metal baking sheet acts as a heat conductor, helping to warm the bottom of the pie so you don’t end up with a “soggy bottom.”
How to Handle Different Types of Pot Pies
Not all pot pies are created equal. If you are reheating a hand-held pot pie (like a pasty or a turnover), you should flip it halfway through the reheating process. This ensures that the side touching the pan doesn’t get greasy or overly hard.
If you have a pot pie that is topped with mashed potatoes instead of pastry (often called a Shepherd’s Pie or a variant of chicken pot pie), the oven is still the best choice. For a potato topping, you can actually use the broiler for the last two minutes to get those little peaks of potato nice and crispy.
Safety and Storage
Remember that you should only reheat chicken pot pie once. Each time you heat and cool meat and dairy, you increase the risk of bacterial growth and degrade the quality of the ingredients. Only reheat the portion you plan to eat immediately.
Stored in an airtight container, chicken pot pie will stay fresh in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days. If you don’t think you will get to it by then, it is better to freeze it, though be aware that the texture of the vegetables may change slightly upon thawing.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Can I reheat chicken pot pie in an air fryer?
Yes, the air fryer is actually an excellent alternative to the oven. Because it is a compact convection oven, it can reheat a slice of pie very quickly. Set your air fryer to 300°F and heat for 8 to 10 minutes. The circulating air is perfect for making the crust extremely crispy, though you should keep an eye on it to ensure the top doesn’t burn.
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How do I keep the chicken from getting dry?
The best way to keep the chicken moist is to use the aluminum foil tenting method. By covering the pie for the majority of the reheating time, you prevent the moisture in the gravy from evaporating. Keeping the temperature at a modest 325°F also prevents the proteins in the chicken from tightening up and becoming rubbery.
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Is it safe to reheat a pie that has been sitting out?
Per USDA guidelines, perishable food like chicken pot pie should not be left out at room temperature for more than two hours. If the pie has been sitting on the counter longer than that, it is safer to discard it. Always move your leftovers to the refrigerator as soon as they have cooled down.
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My crust is already burnt but the inside is cold, what do I do?
If the crust has reached its limit but the filling is still cold, heavily cover the top with a thick layer of aluminum foil to block any further browning. Lower the oven temperature to 300°F and allow the pie to sit in the oven for a longer period. This “low and slow” approach will help the heat migrate to the center without further damaging the exterior.
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Can I reheat a pot pie in a toaster oven?
Absolutely. A toaster oven functions just like a small conventional oven and is perfect for reheating single portions. Use the same temperature settings (325°F) and the foil tenting method. Because the heating elements in a toaster oven are much closer to the food, you must be extra vigilant to ensure the top doesn’t scorch.