Updated on December 17th, 2023
Air fryer gadgets are great for reheating food because the process is quick and easy. With leftover chicken, in particular, the results don’t dry out or develop a soggy quality with the air fryer. Reheating leftover chicken using an air fryer is always a great idea because besides the crisp quality you’ll get, they can be ready (and perfect!) in just 3 to 4 minutes!
This article will show you how best to reheat cooked chicken in an air fryer if this is a procedure you’re not already familiar with. Our helpful tips and recommendations will guide you in the right directions, and our timing guidelines will ensure that you end up with the best-tasting results.
Chicken Nutrition Facts
Tips for Reheating Chicken in an Air Fryer
The following tips are necessary to keep in mind when reheating chicken using an air fryer:
Stick to these rules regardless of the chicken part – There are four important things to remember when working with any portion of the chicken to be reheated in an air fryer:
- Before adding the meal, preheat the air fryer for 5 minutes.
- Before reheating the meat, allow it to reach room temperature. (otherwise, it will need a longer reheating period, and the result would be less crispy)
- Halfway through the cooking time, flip the chicken pieces.
- To add moisture, smear a sauce on the chicken pieces 1 to 2 minutes before serving, or add right before serving.
- Before serving, you can use any goodies you desire. If you use a dry rub at the start, it isn’t always necessary for flavor, but it is essential for moisture.
How to reheat different chicken parts – When reheating any food in an air fryer, it is pertinent to remember is to leave enough room for hot air circulation around the food being reheated. It doesn’t matter if the oven is set to 350 or 400 degrees; failure to give room to the chicken pieces will prevent them from crisping up.
Reheating Chicken Wings
Keep in mind that you should flip chicken wings or precooked frozen variations halfway through the warming process in the air fryer. As a result, all sides will be lovely and crunchy.
Before heating, we recommend spraying a little olive or coconut oil on the exterior part to make them lovely and crispy again. Try reheating at 350 degrees for three minutes, then another three minutes at 400 degrees, and see if you like your results. (Remember to flip the wings halfway through)
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Reheating Chicken Thighs
This trick for reheating leftover chicken thighs in the air fryer is especially important if they are breaded and fried. Before putting the chicken in your air fryer basket, make sure you take it out of the fridge and leave it at room temperature. This way, the chicken pieces will cook faster while preventing moisture loss.
- At 375°F, reheat fried chicken thighs for 6 to 8 minutes, flipping them halfway through the cooking time. The reheating duration may take longer depending on if the chicken thighs are boneless or bone-in.
- If they are not warm all the way through, you can extend the reheating time.
- Follow the same techniques and directions to crisp the pieces up if the chicken isn’t breaded.
Reheating Chicken Breasts and Leg Quarters
When reheating cooked frozen chicken breasts and chicken quarters in the air fryer, use the same steps described above for chicken thighs. If they’ve been fried, you’ll want first to let them sit at room temperature. You can then put them in the machine once they’ve done so.
- Preheat the oven 5 minutes earlier to ensure that the chicken cooks at a uniform temperature throughout. Remember that preparing and heating the air fryer shouldn’t take much longer than 15 minutes.
- Spray a bit of oil on the exterior of the chicken skin before reheating to aid it in crisping up a bit. You don’t have to worry about the chicken heating through or the internal temperature because you’re merely heating it.
- Begin by cooking for 8 minutes, flipping halfway through, and then cutting open and feeling the insides, or you can reheat for longer if you’re working with bone-in pieces. If necessary, you can extend the time, but make sure the chicken doesn’t dry out.
- It’s also good to brush a sauce over the chicken’s skin to increase moisture.
The same principles and times apply when reheating chicken leg quarters in an air fryer. Also, keep the following in mind:
- For the last 2 minutes of reheating, brush on your preferred barbecue sauce on the leg quarters. It will keep the chicken moist, and it will also provide a lot of taste.
- It’s also crucial to remember to leave enough room in the basket. Make sure the chicken isn’t touching or sitting on top of anything else.
Reheating Chicken Tenders
The goal is to ensure that the breading is ideally crispy without allowing the meat to dry out on the interior. Depending on the size of the strips of chicken you’re working with, you can experiment with the duration, but anywhere between 3 and 5 minutes seems to work well.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In the air fryer, arrange the remaining chicken tenders in one layer.
- Heat for around 3 to 5 minutes, or until the chicken tenders are well warmed.
Reheating Time for Chicken in an Air Fryer
The timing guidelines in the table below should be adhered to for optimal results when reheating chicken in an air fryer:
Chicken Part
Reheating Duration
6 minutes
Chicken thighs
6 to 8 minutes; duration will be longer with bone-in pieces
Chicken breasts and leg quarters
8 to 10 minutes; duration will be longer with bone-in pieces
Chicken tenders
3 to 5 minutes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gazMuiFHrdM
Conclusion
The tips and recommendations in this article for reheating chicken in an air fryer should help you reheat any chicken cut successfully. These pointers will ensure that you reclaim that great crispy texture and flavor you crave with your chicken recipes, as long as you follow all the instructions accordingly.