It can be tricky to reheat chicken wings without sacrificing some of their delicious magic. That’s why we always reheat chicken wings in the air fryer. Not only is it quick, they turn out just as crispy and juicy as when you first made them.
Since chicken wings are typically deep fried, using the air fryer to cook them and to reheat them helps build and maintain that deep fried quality of a super crispy exterior and locked in juiciness.
» You might like this Easy Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Recipe.
Next time you need to reheat chicken wings, skip the long process in the oven and the sogginess of the microwave and go straight for the air fryer.
Can You Reheat Chicken Wings in An Air Fryer?
Yes, you can use the air fryer to reheat chicken wings and it is actually the best, easiest, and fastest way to do so.
The circulating air in the air fryer crisps back up the skin of the wings and returns them to their original glory. As long as you are only reheating them one time, you will end up with almost the same great crispiness and juicy interior as you would the first time they were cooked.
In fact, you can use your air fryer to reheat a whole host of leftovers, even if they were frozen. Once you’ve tried the air fryer technique to reheat your wings, it will surely become your go-to method.
What is the Best Way to Reheat Chicken Wings?
We might be biased because we love our air fryer so much, but having reheated chicken wings in many different ways, I honestly believe the best way is in the air fryer.
Reheating wings in the air fryer is fast and easy. There’s no need to waste energy by turning on the oven, and you don’t have to wait for the unit to preheat. Just pop the wings in the air fryer, set the temperature, and wait. It’s true that you should flip the wings at the halfway mark, but that will only take a few seconds.
Since the air fryer preserves the crispy texture of the wings, they’ll taste almost as fresh as they were when they were first made. In fact, if you prefer, you can crisp them up even more.
How To Reheat Chicken Wings In The Air Fryer
Since wings are on the small side, they reheat fairly quickly. It will take just 5-6 minutes to reheat chicken wings in the air fryer. If there was sauce, like one of these yummy sauces, on the wings, you’ll want to keep a close eye on them so they don’t burn.
- First of all, arrange the wings in the air fryer, taking care to place them in a single layer. This is important so that each wing gets surface air circulation to quickly recrisp the skin without overcooking the inside.
- Set the air fryer temperature to 365 degrees F. Air fry the wings for 5 to 6 minutes, or until they’re heated through. For optimum results, flip the wings over about halfway through to ensure both sides get crispy skin.
- Note that if your chicken wings have a sauce containing sugar, you should cook them at 330 degrees F for 8 minutes instead, to avoid burning.
In order to be safe to eat, chicken should have an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees. Use an instant-read meat thermometer to determine whether the temperature has reached this safe level.
Can You Reheat Sauced Wings?
Yes, you can definitely reheat sauced wings in an air fryer. Reheating sauced wings in an air fryer can help maintain their crispy texture while also ensuring that the sauce stays flavorful. After you’re done reheating them, you can toss them in some more sauce to make them fresh, if you happen to have any left. Otherwise the sauce can dry up while reheating, so you might not detect it as much.
However, you’ll want to keep a close eye on the wings so they don’t burn. Sauces that contain sugar are quick to burn. Using a low heat is the best option in this case. Don’t air fryer at 375F degrees, rather reheat at 330F degrees.
Can You Cook Chicken Wings In An Air Fryer From Scratch?
Yes, you can cook chicken wings in an air fryer from scratch – either raw or frozen. See our recipe. Air-fried chicken wings cook in just 25 minutes, and you’ll get a nice crispy skin and juicy interior. There’s no need to preheat the air fryer, and you’ll have way less splatter than you would deal with in the oven.
How To Store Leftover Chicken Wings
Allow the cooked chicken wings to cool down to room temperature, and then place the leftover chicken wings in an airtight container or wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and store them in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
Tips on How To Reheat Wings In Air Fryer
- Eat the reheated wings immediately when they are hot from the fryer.
- Try to heat only as many as you can eat in one sitting, so you won’t have any leftovers from your leftovers.
- There’s no need to preheat the air fryer, but if you do, keep an eye on the wings. They’ll reheat more quickly than they would if you’d started with a cold fryer.
- Reheat wings of similar size. That way, they’ll be more likely to cook evenly, with no hot or cold spots.
- There’s no need to add any more oil to the wings. There should be enough residual fat on the wings to preserve the texture.
Frequently Asked Question
How do I make leftover wings crispy in an airfryer?
For crispy chicken wings in an air fryer, place the leftover chicken wings in a single layer in the air fryer basket. If you have a lot of wings, you might need to reheat them in batches to avoid overcrowding. You can also extend the reheating time by another minute or two to get perfectly crisp chicken wings, if that’s the way you like them. Wings with a lot of sauce on the outside might not get crispy.
How do you reheat chicken in an air fryer without drying it out?
To prevent the chicken from drying out during the reheating process, you can lightly wrap it in aluminum foil. This will help to trap moisture and prevent excessive heat from directly hitting the chicken. If you don’t want to use aluminum foil in the air fryer, you just need to cook on a lower temperature and watch the internal temperature of the meat to make sure you don’t go over 165F.
How do you reheat chicken drumettes in an air fryer?
Place the chicken drumettes in a single layer in the air fryer basket to avoid overcrowding and maintain the crispy coating. Reheat the drumettes on 350 degrees F for about 5-8 minutes. Shake or flip the drumettes about halfway through reheating to ensure even heating. Use a meat thermometer to ensure the internal temperature of the drumettes reaches 165°F (74°C).
Air Fryer Chicken Wing Recipes
We have a lot of chicken wing recipes you can use to cook your wings in the air fryer, either from fresh or frozen. Check out some of these:
- Cajun Chicken Wings
- Air Fryer Chicken Wings (from fresh)
- Air Fryer Chicken Wings (from frozen)
- Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Wings
Why Use an Air Fryer
An air fryer is an incredibly easy way to cook just about anything. You place the food in a fryer-style basket and hot air rapidly circulates all around the food, making the food crisp – much like deep-frying, but without the oil. You can cook anything you’d make in the oven.
- I use a Ninja MaxXL air fryer (pictured left). If you don’t have an air fryer yet, check out these options to find one that fits your needs.
- See reviews and prices for air fryers on Amazon.
- Here’s a printable Air Fryer Cooking Times Cheat Sheet to get you started.
- Click to find more recipes to make in your Air Fryer.
- Learn how to make fun things in the air fryer, like potato wedges, pork belly bites, and chicken wings.
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Laura is a passionate foodie and owner of Air Fry Anytime She is dedicated to sharing delicious recipes and helpful tips for using air fryers at home. With years of experience in the kitchen and a love for healthy, flavorful cooking, Laura has become an expert at using air fryers to create amazing meals that are both nutritious and delicious.
This is great
this method worked like a charm!
Fantastic. Glad to hear it worked for you.
I was a bit skeptical about reheating chicken wings without losing their texture, but your air fryer technique proved me wrong.
The air fryer is great for reheating! No need to use the microwave, the air fryer does it better.
My wings came out incredibly delicious – just as if they were freshly cooked.
We agree Miles. The air fryer is great for reheating just about anything.
The convenience of using the air fryer and the amazing results make this my new go-to method.
I’ve tried various methods before, but nothing comes close to the crispy texture I got by using this method
We think so too!
Do you have any specific temperature and time recommendations based on the size of the wings?
I used medium wings, so you should adjust by monitoring the cook rate with a digital meat thermometer starting either a few minutes before for smaller wings, or at the finish time for larger wings. Cook according to the temperature. You want them to reach 165F without going over.
Did you notice any loss of juiciness compared to when the wings were freshly cooked?
Yes Jeannine, there will be a slightly loss of juiciness when reheating. It’s not possible to maintain the original juiciness. But it’s about as good as you’re going to get for reheating.