Updated on December 22nd, 2023
Chicken wings are a famous appetizer or snack at family gatherings, tailgating parties, and even in our lunchboxes as kids.
When chicken wing lovers get together, leftovers are well expected. The question of reheating/warming it to taste the same as when you first made it arises.
These might be baked or fried in a skillet, but reheating chicken in an air fryer is better. It takes a lot less time, but the texture is much more appealing.
Nobody likes stretchy skin that’s about to be thrown away. Don’t worry. By the time you’re done reading this article and trying the recipe/guide, you will know that air fryers are the greatest appliance to reheat chicken wings. Moreover, it is a straightforward procedure.
Tips on How To Reheat Chicken Wings in Air Fryer
This guide on reheating chicken wings in the air fryer is just what you need if you enjoy crispy chicken wings and always seem to have some leftovers. Thanks to these simple air fryer tips.
Storage – You can store any leftover chicken wings in the refrigerator and reheat them the next day. You can keep them in the box they came in or in any suitable kitchen container.
Note that chicken wings are usually good for three days. If you get your chicken wings from a fast-food restaurant, you should make sure you eat them within two days; since chicken wings in many restaurants are prepared ahead of time and may not be fresh when you order them.
Freeze them if you aren’t going to eat the leftover wings right away; you can double wrap them, and they can freeze for up to 3 months. You can then only reheat them when you are ready to eat.
Thawing – You have to remove the chicken wings from the fridge and allow them to come to room temperature before reheating. Try waiting for 20 minutes, I think that’s a decent timeline, or you can microwave the wings for 1 minute to take the edge off.
There is no need to preheat the air fryer – The air fryer heats up quickly, so don’t bother preheating. However, if you go on to preheat it, the wings will cook in less time, so you will need to keep an eye on them and adjust appropriately.
Notably, try to spray your chicken wings with a little water before placing them in the air fryer basket if they appear to be dry.
Overcrowding – Make sure you do not overlap the parts in your air fryer basket. Notably, for the finest effects, the heated air must circulate all the way around.
Even cooking – To ensure that the wings cook uniformly, try to reheat them in groups of comparable sizes. Moreover, there’s no need for oil, especially if the wings were originally deep-fried.
Nonetheless, you can give the chicken wings a spritz of oil a few minutes before they are done to make them even crispier.
Doneness – Make sure you cook the chicken wings until they are well warmed, then remove them from the air fryer immediately. You will find that the chicken wings that have been overcooked will become dry.
To make sure the chicken wings are fully cooked, you can use an Instant-Read Thermometer.
You will need to add about 2 minutes to the cooking time if you are reheating complete chicken wings in the air fryer – not just drums or flats. Since the whole wings are larger, they will be able to heat up completely.
Garnish with sauce – When you are done reheating the chicken wings, you can serve them with a new sauce. The outside might not be as crunchy as the first time, so you can mask it by brushing or covering it in the sauce in that case.
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How to Reheat Chicken Wings in Air Fryer
- You can start by heating the air fryer to 375Fa /190 degrees Celsius.
- Then fill the air fryer basket with the leftover chicken wings. It would help if you made sure that there’s enough room between the wings so they fry and crisp evenly.
- Proceed to cook the wings for 5 to 6 minutes on each side – flipping halfway through.
- Note that the chicken wings are done when a meat thermometer is placed into the thickest portion of the chicken wing; the internal temperature reads 165F / 74C.
Do not reheat chicken more than once; you should only reheat and serve this dish once.
How Long to Reheat the Chicken Wings in Air Fryer
When reheated, the wings are one of the chicken parts that warms through rapidly. Notably, in a non-preheated air fryer, reheating wings takes roughly 5 to 6 minutes. On the other hand, from the moment it is placed in the air fryer, it will take 4 to 5 minutes in a preheated oven.
Preparation Time
Cooking Time
Total Time
2 minutes
5 – 6 minutes
7 – 8 minutes
The cooking time is a rough estimate that may need to be tweaked depending on the size of your chicken wings.
Final Thoughts
It may be a little difficult to reheat your leftover wings.
If you heat them for too long, they will dry out. But if you don’t heat them long enough, you will wind up with soggy skin and lukewarm flesh. I am sure you don’t find that exactly enticing.
I have cracked the code and provided a befitting solution: you can reheat wings in the air fryer. This is the best way to obtain that crispy texture on the outside and the tender on the inside; the leftover wings taste just like the first time you cooked them.
Notably, the temperature of an air fryer varies based on the brand and type -so start with a shorter cooking time, check for doneness, and adjust as needed.
You should always make sure you reheat chicken wings in the air fryer properly to avoid causing any illness. You should also make sure you don’t overcrowd the air fryer and have your favorite dipping sauce on hand to dunk them in.
You can watch this video recipe to know more about reheating chicken wings in an air fryer.
