How To Reheat Chicken Wings In Air Fryer
Chicken wings are a crowd favourite that satisfies the cravings for a crunchy bite burst with flavours. But what about those leftovers which don’t have quite the satisfying crunch in them now?
Heating chicken wings in the microwave or oven tends to leave them soggy and sometimes even overcooked. That air fryer is perfect for reheating and re-crisping those wings so the outside gets crispy fried again, while the inside stays juicy.
One of the newer ways to reheat chicken wings while maintaining their crispness, flavour and soft bite sans being dry. Since they’re capable of mimicking fried foods, many people have leaned toward air fryers as their go-to kitchen tool.
This guide will teach you how to reheat chicken wings in an air fryer so that they are just as delicious after reheating as they were when first made.
Why Use an Air Fryer?
The difference is that the air fryer uses hot air to cook your food, instead of tons of oil, making it a much healthier method. This is also why this method works so well for reheating chicken wings as using the microwave always makes chicken wings soggy or chewy.
Also, air fryers are very fast and easy to use, they take little effort when it comes to reheating food so you can simply adjust the settings as well.
What You Need:
- Leftover chicken wings
- Air fryer
- Cooking spray
- Meat thermometer (optional)
How To Reheat Chicken Wings In Air Fryer
Preheat the Air Fryer: Before you start reheating the chicken wings, make sure you preheat your air fryer to 350°F (175°C). This helps ensure that the wings will be evenly cooked all around and crispy! And it reduces the time you have to allow them to come up to temperature before reheating, so they cook even faster.
Prepare the Chicken Wings: Remove your chicken wings from the refrigerator and let them sit out at room temperature for just a few minutes. Which helps the wings reheat more evenly in the air fryer.
If the wings are sauced they may be slightly sticky, you can pat them dry with a paper towel if needed to remove some of that excess moisture.
Reheat: You can skip the cooling and freezing steps as there is no want to dehydrate dry-rubbed wings or breaded (plain) wings, however SHOULD NOT re-freeze these kinds once they are cooked!
Arrange the Wings in the Air Fryer Basket: Place the chicken wings in the Air Fryer basket in a single layer. Be sure to leave some space between each wing so the hot air will pass through them.
You don’t want to overcrowd the basket as it will prevent the wings from becoming nice and crispy. It is also best if you reheat a large batch of wings in more than one batch so that they do not get soggy.
Reheat the Wings: Once the wings are placed in the basket, reheat them in the air fryer at 350°F (175°C) for 5-7 minutes. Flipping the wings halfway during cooking helps them to reheat evenly and get crispy on all sides. If wings are extra large or were cold they may need to cook for an additional 1-2 minutes.
Check for Crispiness: Check on the wings after 5-7 minutes to see how they are crisping up. Make sure the wings have reached an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) before serving. They are ready but if you want them more crisped up, for an additional 2-3 minutes.
Serve and Enjoy: The wings should be nice and crispy at this point, pull them out of the air fryer and let them rest a minute or so. These can be served with your favorite dipping sauces such as ranch, blue cheese or hot sauce. Have a nice serving of your leftover wings as good and crispy as the new ones.
Tips for Perfectly Reheated Chicken Wings
- Avoid overcrowding: If you reheat too many wings at once they will not turn out crispy. For best results, it is ideal to reheat in small batches.
- Check for even heating: Returning the wings halfway through cooking, or shaking them a bit will help to reheat evenly.
- Use oil sparingly: A spray of cooking over the wings to ensure extra crispness, but do not go overboard. Because most wings come with fat, they probably will not need too much oil.
- Preheating: If you skip this you may have wings that do not cook all the way around evenly or maintain a crispy skin so it’s worth the additional few minutes.
How Many Minutes Does It Take to Reheat Chicken Wings in an Air Fryer?
Typically, you will need to reheat chicken wings in an air fryer for between 5 and 7 minutes (ideal) depending upon size, as well as how most you are reheating. Extra-large wings, or additional ones in the fryer basket, may take an extra 2 minutes; but you might also need to cook them 2 minutes less.
Why the Air Fryer is Better Than Other Methods
- Crispy texture: The microwave can make the wings go limp, but with an air fryer, they become crispy.
- Consistent heating: The air fryer allows for even reheating of food without the need to add excess oil.
- Quick and easy: It will take 15-20 minutes to reheat something in the oven, whereas the air fryer brings it right down to five to seven mins.
Can You Reheat Frozen Chicken Wings in an Air Fryer?
You can do this in an air fryer, however, it will take you just a wee bit longer to reheat your frozen chicken wings. Preheat your air fryer to 350°F (175°C) and reheat for about 8-10 minutes. Just be sure to turn the wings over halfway through reheating. Internal temperature should be checked to ensure it’s at 165°F (74°C).
Conclusion
Reheating chicken wings in an air fryer is a total game changer when it comes to the best way to enjoy your leftover batch of wings. The air fryer guarantees that your wings stay crispy on the outside and soft within, just like fresh out of the fryer wings.
Your wings can practically be brand new again in a few simple steps and just 15 minutes. So, the next time you have some leftover chicken wings, I hope this helps you find your way in firing up that air fryer to partake of some well-reheated chicken!
