Skip to Content

How to Reheat Chicken Broth in Microwave

Sharing is caring!

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure to learn more.

Are you looking for a quick way to reheat chicken broth? When you are on the go and don’t have pots or a stove to heat food, the best way to reheat chicken broth is by microwave. 

Chicken stock is delicious and nutritious, however without following proper food safety guidelines, the bone broth can potentially lead to food poisoning.

How do you reheat chicken broth in microwave? Transfer the chicken broth to microwave-safe container. Cover the dish with plastic wrap or a microwaveable lid.

Microwave on high for approximately 2 minutes. Stir every 30 seconds until the stock is heated to 165 degrees Fahrenheit or 74 degrees Celsius. 

Safely remove the broth from the microwave and serve as a warm beverage or addition to your favorite recipe.

Microwave is convenient and fast way to reheat bone broth, however it is not recommended to reheat more than once or more than one serving at a time. 

When reheating frozen stock, defrosting chicken broth is necessary to make the rate of reheating more efficient. Stirring the bone broth during the reheating process makes it easier for the heat to be evenly distributed.

In this article, we are going to share the best way to reheat chicken broth in the microwave. Answered below are frequently asked questions including microwave tips for reheating chicken stock quickly. Let’s dive in!

Is it OK to heat chicken broth in the microwave?

Yes, it is ok to heat chicken broth in the microwave. In fact, there is no harm in heating the chicken broth in the microwave as long as it was handled in accordance to food safety guidelines and fully reheated to an internal temperature of 74 degrees Celsius or 165 degrees Fahrenheit before serving. 

Furthermore, it’s important to take caution while reheating stock and also removing the hot liquid from the microwave. 

Whether it is store-bought or homemade chicken broth, ensure the container you are using indicates a microwave safe symbol for safety.

Why can’t you heat chicken broth in the microwave?

There are various argument and principles that state that when the chicken broth is heated in the microwave, the compound proline changes. Proline is contained in the amino acids which are present in the chicken broth.

It changes after heating such that it denatures itself from one form to another, precisely, altering from L-proline to D-proline. The process keeps on reversing, which is very toxic in the human body, however the theory is not yet satisfactory to confirm the fact is actually conclusively. 

In addition, the protein present in the chicken broth denatures such as it turns out to have a high concentration of lead, a heavy metal that is very toxic to human blood. 

Microwaving at high temperatures or for a long time causes the chicken broth to destroy some essential nutrients, which degrades its nutrition value.

How to heat chicken broth in the microwave

To preserve the nutrient and flavor, it is important to know the proper way to heat chicken broth in the microwave. Compared to any other method, microwave is safe to get the job done quickly. 

The goal is to reheat chicken broth and prevent from undercooking or overcooking.

Pour the desired amount of chicken broth into the microwave-safe container and place it in the microwave. If the broth is gelled, scrape it into the cookware and cover it with a microwavable lid or plastic wrap. 

Ensure the container is deep enough that has a lot of room at the top to avoid from spilling. 

Set the microwave on a high-power function and depending on the amount of chicken soup, start heating for 1 to 2 minutes. If the chicken broth was frozen, consider defrosting for 2 minutes before reheating. 

Every 30 seconds stir the liquid to balance out any hotspots and evenly distribute the heat. Continue the heat-up process until its temperature reaches 74℃ or 165℉ for it to be considered safely reheated.

Tips for reheating chicken broth in the microwave

Warmed up chicken broth has many uses from chicken noodle soup to ramen on a cold day. Also, it makes any meal more rich in flavor, nutritious and fulfilling when added to a recipe. 

Microwaving is a quick way to reheat chicken stock, but there are some caution required to make it safe to consume. 

Here are helpful tips to reheat chicken broth in the microwave that will deliver the best results every time. 

  • When covering the chicken broth with a lid inside the microwave-safe container, leave space at the top to give room for the broth to prevent spilling over on the container sides when reheating process is taking place, and more so, when carrying it after the heating is over.
  • Scrape the broth into the microwave safe dish if it has jelled. We prefer using glass or ceramic dish ware, but some people like to microwave plastic. Here are our favorite microwave soup bowls that work well for hot broth, soups and stews.
  • When reheating store-bought broth, read the reheating instruction carefully provided on the package chicken stock container before starting to microwave.
  • When the chicken broth is frozen, reduce the heat to low power or defrost setting, always thaw to room temp before increasing the heat to speed up the reheating process.
  • Chicken broth is stirred frequently during the reheating process for equal heat distribution, at least every 30 seconds is recommended.
  • Use hot pads when removing the chicken broth container from the microwave to avoid a burn.

Best way to reheat chicken broth in the microwave

Chicken broth is a great ingredient to make soup, stews or add to chicken to meat to make it flavorful and moist. Microwave is the quickest and easiest way to heat up cold chicken broth.

Simple press of a button to achieve piping hot chicken stock to use in any dishes or recipes. Be aware to not serve undercooked broth, it is not safe and may cause potential food borne illness.

In order to safely reheat chicken broth, pour desired amount or preferably single portion of broth into the microwave-safe container. Cover with a vented lid or loose plastic wrap, and make sure the container has plenty of room on the top for the broth to not spill over sides.

Microwave on a high-power function, heat the broth for 1 to 2 minutes which varies depending on the amount of the broth and microwave wattage. Stir every 30 seconds until the broth is heated thoroughly to the desired temperature. 

If the chicken stock is frozen, lower the power to defrost setting or 30% power to continue thawing in short intervals until comes to room temperature. Then, proceed with reheating til appropriate temp is reached. 

Once the broth is completely heated to an internal temperature of 74 degrees Celsius or 165 degrees Fahrenheit, carefully remove the container of hot broth from the microwave using oven mitts and serve or add to your favorite recipes.

How to reheat chicken broth in microwave

Reheating Chicken Broth in Microwave: Conclusion 

Leftover chicken broth is magical ingredient to make any dish more rich and delicious in flavor. Chicken broth is no different from other stock that you can reheat safely, but ensure to properly heat to reach a safe to consume temperature.

Depending on how chicken broth is prepared in the first place, you may notice the faster and hotter you reheat the stock, the faster it converts collagen into gelatin. So, always reheat the chicken broth low power and slow to prevent fat, minerals, or other debris from emulsifying back into the broth. 

Simply start by placing the chicken broth into a microwave-safe bowl and cover with a splatter lid or loose plastic wrap. Avoid filling the bowl completely, instead ensure there is 1” to 2” gap along the top so the broth does not start boiling and spill over the sides while microwaving.

Set the microwave on high power and run for 30 seconds at a time. Depending on how cold the broth, is adjust the heat to ensure the process should be slow and low to heat up if the stock is frozen. 

Always stir in-between each 30 second interval and continue to reheat for about 2 minutes until the temperature reaches 74 degrees Celsius or 165 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Once the broth is fully reheated, carefully remove the bowl from microwave and slowly take off the lid to serve or add to your favorite dishes and recipes.

There are numerous methods for reheating chicken broth, however using the microwave is fastest and easiest. Within minutes, the chicken stock is fully heated and ready to add to a dish or serve as is.

You May Also Like