Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Cooked a roast chicken on the wrong day

30 replies

ReceiveIt · 20/09/2025 17:09

I've invited family over for dinner this weekend. We agreed they would come over today, so I began cooking the chicken and the cauliflower cheese. It started to get a little late so I checked the WhatsApp. They're actually coming tomorrow not today 🤦‍♀️

The cauliflower cheese is easy to reheat, and all the veg is prepped and will keep in the fridge till tomorrow. What should I do about the chicken? I dont want to reheat the whole thing as I imagine that will dry it out. I'll probably carve it up but then how to serve it tomorrow? I could cook it in the gravey I suppose or perhaps the airfryer? Any genius methods for day old roast chicken?

OP posts:
BellesAndGraces · 20/09/2025 17:12

How funny and frustrating! I would bring out an hour before serving to bring it room temp and it will be fine with gravy and the other hot food

RoseDog · 20/09/2025 17:13

Chicken tastes better the next day! I would just take it out the fridge an hour or so before eating to get the chill off it and serve it along with everything else that’s hot!

Geneticsbunny · 20/09/2025 17:14

Carve it and then warm it up in the gravey. It will be brilliant.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

General food
BCBird · 20/09/2025 17:18

I'd carve this split into enough for meals for whoever in household and freeze. Uucan use for a mid-week roast. You could use frozen mash and veg for a quick meal. This would save time in the week. I'd then cook a fresh one tomorrow.

Original poster
ReceiveIt · 20/09/2025 17:31

BCBird · 20/09/2025 17:18

I'd carve this split into enough for meals for whoever in household and freeze. Uucan use for a mid-week roast. You could use frozen mash and veg for a quick meal. This would save time in the week. I'd then cook a fresh one tomorrow.

Edited

Thats not a bad idea actually.

OP posts:
Echoeingecho · 20/09/2025 17:32

Hot plates and hot gravy, no one will ever know or care.

ShinyAppleDreamingOfTheSea · 20/09/2025 17:36

joint/ slice it and reheat in a dish in the oven in chicken stock so it doesn’t dry out.

JustStopItNorasaurus · 20/09/2025 17:38

BCBird · 20/09/2025 17:18

I'd carve this split into enough for meals for whoever in household and freeze. Uucan use for a mid-week roast. You could use frozen mash and veg for a quick meal. This would save time in the week. I'd then cook a fresh one tomorrow.

Edited

Exactly this.

Awishcometrue · 20/09/2025 17:42

ReceiveIt · 20/09/2025 17:09

I've invited family over for dinner this weekend. We agreed they would come over today, so I began cooking the chicken and the cauliflower cheese. It started to get a little late so I checked the WhatsApp. They're actually coming tomorrow not today 🤦‍♀️

The cauliflower cheese is easy to reheat, and all the veg is prepped and will keep in the fridge till tomorrow. What should I do about the chicken? I dont want to reheat the whole thing as I imagine that will dry it out. I'll probably carve it up but then how to serve it tomorrow? I could cook it in the gravey I suppose or perhaps the airfryer? Any genius methods for day old roast chicken?

Carve it up, put it in foil adding a little water over the slices then in the airfryer to reheat keeps chicken lovely and not dried out

WinterFrogs · 20/09/2025 17:42

I quite often do my roasts like that, because I don't have the time management skills to cook 'properly'. I'm quite sad about that but it feels like a good coping strategy. And everyone still gets fed. Just slice it before reheating it in the microwave with gravy 😊

WinterFrogs · 20/09/2025 17:43

Awishcometrue · 20/09/2025 17:42

Carve it up, put it in foil adding a little water over the slices then in the airfryer to reheat keeps chicken lovely and not dried out

Show quote history

Ooh! This is why i love mumsnet ❤️

TwinklyNight · 20/09/2025 17:46

It would be fine eaten tomorrow as stated by pp's, but since I eat chicken more than any other meat, and usually as a cold chicken andwich, or chicken alfredo, I'd cook a fresh one tomorrow if you can. It wouldn't go to waste here at least.

Keroppi · 20/09/2025 17:51

I'd be scoffing bits of cold cut chicken all night and have to cook a fresh one tomorrow!

bugalugs45 · 20/09/2025 17:56

I don’t eat meat but I remember working with a woman who’s mother in law always cooked the meat the day before and then served with hot gravy and she hated it , said it was dry and she could tell .. even Christmas Day turkey so I think you’d know so personally I’d cook another chicken assuming you can afford to do so

PuppiesProzacProsecco · 20/09/2025 18:01

If you carve your chicken when it's done, you can reheat it tomorrow by popping it in a pyrex/baking dish with about an inch of water - cover (lid or foil) and reheat in the oven for about 15/20 mins.

EarringsandLipstick · 20/09/2025 18:05

I would HATE to be served reheated day old chicken.

Do as PP advised and use for meals during the week & then cook another chicken tomorrow.

catmothertes1 · 20/09/2025 18:08

RoseDog · 20/09/2025 17:13

Chicken tastes better the next day! I would just take it out the fridge an hour or so before eating to get the chill off it and serve it along with everything else that’s hot!

I agree. I prefer the taste of cold chicken rather than straight from the oven.

Cantseetreesforthewood · 20/09/2025 18:14

I'd go with the portioning it up for future use, and cooking a fresh one tomorrow.
Personally, I dislike gravy, so unless you are sure everyone is a gravy eater, I wouldn't go with that route.

Mwwoman · 20/09/2025 18:17

Coronation chicken!

MidnightPatrol · 20/09/2025 18:19

Team fresh chicken and use the other one for other meals.

user2848502016 · 20/09/2025 18:21

I would probably go for the cook a fresh one tomorrow option and freeze the one from today, however it would be fine served at room temp with hot veg and gravy poured over

SummerFrog25 · 20/09/2025 18:27

I've been vegetarian 35 years & the only thing I regret not being able to have anymore is my Ex MIL's cold chicken sandwiches! So if I still ate meat, I'd be looking forward to those and cooking a fresh one tomorrow (if you can afford to, if not I'm sure one if the reheating options will be fine. I'd go for the foil & airfryer option)

lovely To have all the veg done already though!

SarahAndQuack · 20/09/2025 18:35

I'm on team new chicken.

As the great Elizabeth David says, cold chicken that's been cooked and left to cool down can be delicious; cold chicken that's been shoved in the fridge all night is not. It always has a 'fridge' taste, and warming it up in water or gravy makes it soggy IMO.

Echoeingecho · 20/09/2025 19:03

bugalugs45 · 20/09/2025 17:56

I don’t eat meat but I remember working with a woman who’s mother in law always cooked the meat the day before and then served with hot gravy and she hated it , said it was dry and she could tell .. even Christmas Day turkey so I think you’d know so personally I’d cook another chicken assuming you can afford to do so

Cooking the meat the day before doesn’t make it dry. It’s how you cook it.

Yamamm · 20/09/2025 19:08

Really puzzled by all the people horrified by the idea of reheating. Roast meat is best cooked ahead and sliced when cool. Slices more easily. Then put the slices in a metal baking container with the juices poured over.

Reheat in oven.

I do this with chicken all the time and it tastes great.

One chicken doesn’t go far though. Do another one and report back! .