Yes, you can reheat chicken and rice, once. Refrigerate it within an hour or so of cooking, eat it within a day, and reheat it until it’s steaming hot all the way through (165°F / 74°C).
Cooked chicken on its own keeps for 3 to 4 days in the fridge. The rice is what shortens the time.
Why the rice matters
Uncooked rice can carry spores of Bacillus cereus, which survive cooking. If cooked rice sits warm, they grow and make toxins that reheating won’t destroy. UK food safety guidance says to keep cooked rice in the fridge no more than one day and never reheat it more than once. Can You Reheat Rice Twice? explains why.
How to store it
- Don’t leave it on the counter after the meal.
- Spread it in a shallow container so it cools quickly, then put it in the fridge within about an hour.
- Eat it the next day.
How to reheat it
Microwave (quickest):
- Put it in a microwave-safe dish and sprinkle over 1 to 2 tablespoons of water or stock per portion.
- Cover it loosely.
- Heat in 1-minute bursts, stirring between each, until it’s steaming throughout. Check the thickest piece of chicken.
Stovetop:
Add it to a pan with a splash of stock, cover it and heat it over medium-low for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring now and then.
Oven (for a casserole or a big batch):
Put it in an oven dish with a splash of stock, cover it tightly with foil and heat it at 350°F (175°C) for 20 to 25 minutes.
Reheat only what you’ll eat, and throw away anything left over after reheating.
Can you freeze chicken and rice?
Yes. Freeze it in portions within an hour of cooking. Thaw it in the fridge or reheat it from frozen, then eat it right away.
Sources: GOV.UK, Home food fact checker (rice section); USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, Chicken from Farm to Table and Leftovers and Food Safety.